Xinhua
23 Jan 2023, 21:44 GMT+10
JERUSALEM, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Israeli doctors staged a 24-hour warning strike on Monday, said the Israeli Medical Association (IMA), which represents most doctors in the country.
The strike, which is attended by doctors from public hospitals and clinics throughout Israel, was announced after the recent incidents of violence by patients and family members against medical staff.
During the strike, only life-saving treatments and surgeries are performed, the IMA noted.
"Violence in the healthcare system has long since become an epidemic, with red lines crossed almost every day," said IMA Chairman Zion Hagai.
Last week, a pediatrician was beaten by a patient's parents at Soroka Hospital in the southern city of Beer Sheva, and a gynecologist was attacked by a patient at a clinic in the central city of Ramla.
The strike started even though the Health Ministry Director General Moshe Bar Siman Tov on Sunday called on the doctors to refrain from doing so.
"Violence seriously harms the health system and its employees," Bar Siman Tov wrote in a letter to Hagai, "but the shutdown measures will harm the patients and their daily routine."
Last year, the Israeli government announced the establishment of police points in hospitals and initiated legislation to harden punishment.
However, due to the recent incidents, the doctors are now calling for significantly strengthening security in all health institutions and speeding up legislative procedures.
The IMA warned that if the demands are not met, more severe and prolonged measures will be taken.
Get a daily dose of Israel Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Israel Herald.
More InformationTOKYO, Japan: In light of a tense security environment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Moscow's growing military cooperation with ...
DALLAS, Texas: Oil and gas pipeline operators are preparing to stockpile equipment following severe weather forecasts for the next few ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: As US lawmakers investigate the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok, its Chief Executive, Shou Zi Chew, has confirmed that ...
TEHRAN, Iran: A gunman this week stormed the Azerbaijan Embassy in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and killed its security chief ...
WASHINGTON, DC - FBI agents on Wednesday searched for classified documents at U.S. President Joe Biden's vacation retreat in the ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The White House said this week that Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk met with John Podesta, a Democratic ...
TOKYO, Japan: Toyota has announced that it sold 10.5 million vehicles in 2022, maintaining its position as the world's top-selling ...
NEW YORK, New York - Technology stocks had a hay day Thursday with Facebook parent Meta rocketing up nearly 30 ...
FRANKFURT, Germany: Data released this week showed that the German economy unexpectedly shrank in the fourth quarter of 2022, indicating ...
TOKYO, Japan: In a statement posted on the website of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, Beijing announced that it will ...
NEW YORK, New York - The U.S. dollar crumbled on Thursday after first posting gains. The late afternoon sell off ...
NEW YORK, New York - Wall Street dove into the red Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve Open Market Committee ...