Chief mediator Elyakim Rubinstein announced on Tuesday, 10 Tammuz, that efforts to bring the sides to agreement have collapsed. As such, Rubinstein presented a new arrangement to the High Court, asking for it to compel the sides to implement it.

The former director of Hematology-Oncology Unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem, Prof. Michael Weintraub and his assistant, Prof. Shoshi Wilk Rebel will begin working at Shaare Zedek Medical Center along with a third colleague, Dr. Iris Fried. Three other doctors from the unit and three residents will return immediately to Hadassah Ein Kerem.

While Rubinstein favors the temporary solution, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman remains opposed. He has opposed opening the unit at Shaare Zedek Hospital vowing the ministry would not give the necessary permits.

The court on Tuesday called on the Health Ministry to explain why the doctors should be prohibited from working at Shaare Zedek. The ministry must respond by 5:00PM on Thursday, 12 Tammuz. The next hearing is scheduled for Sunday, 14 Tammuz during the afternoon hours.

Parents of the children treated by Prof. Weintraub and his team praised the direction of events, towards permitting the doctors to operate in Shaare Zedek. They added, “We welcome the decision of Supreme Court justices to promote the oncology physicians’ transition to Shaare Zedek Hospital so that they can continue to treat children with cancer in Jerusalem…This is a painful day for the residents of Jerusalem where our devoted oncologist doctors stood on one side opposite the Director-General of the Ministry of Health, who worked with the honorable minister for reasons and considerations that are not medical, as argued in the court accompanied by Mayor Nir Barkat who for months refused to meet with us, and even claimed through his employees that he was not a party to the matter…”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)