Israel’s Health Ministry permanently revoked the medical license of a doctor who publicly denied the coronavirus, spoke out against vaccinations, and offered forged vaccination certificates for pay.

Arieh Avni, who recently opened a clinic in Bnei Brak, owns a website popular among Israeli anti-vaxxers, where he publishes articles on conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and vaccines as well as slanders senior Israeli health officials. He also links to his articles on a Facebook page he runs.

One of his recent outrageous statements was “anyone who administers a vaccine is, to me, like Mengele.”

“There is no doubt that [Avni’s] harsh and blatant statements in articles he published on his website, Facebook and recently also on YouTube against the coronavirus vaccination pose a real danger to public safety and health,” wrote retired judge Amnon Strashnov, who was appointed by Health Minister Yuli Edelstein to preside over the case.

“That is in addition to his unrestrained and baseless remarks toward the medical community and the heads of the Health Ministry, which go far beyond what is reasonable and permissible in the context of freedom of expression, which is an important and protected value in any democratic society – and you have a clear prescription for the complete anarchy that the recipient is trying to cause, while boasting the title of doctor.”

Avni recently formed a political party called the Rapeh (Heal) Party.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)