Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman met on Tuesday with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is what is described as a 40-minute meeting “down to business” meeting.

The deputy minister informed the prime minister that his party is opposed to any change in the government’s position regarding the decision for a change of venue for the new fortified emergency room of Ashkelon’s Barzilai Hospital.

While Litzman has signaled the matter is a serious one, there is no indication that he indicated a change in the prime minister’s decision regarding the kevarim will trigger a coalition crisis. Party colleagues have indicated that if the prime minister adopts a change in the cabinet decision, they will convene to discuss possible responses, but only if and when such a move is relevant.

It is appearing increasingly likely that the prime minister is going to shift towards accepting the opinion of his bureau chief, in line with most of the medical community, that the new fortified building should be constructed at the original site, basing their decision on the ruling of Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar Shlita and Israel Antiquities Authority experts who state the bones are not those of Jews.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)