The President of the United Hatzalah emergency medical services organization, Eli Beer, who is being hospitalized in Miami after contracting the coronavirus, has issued a video statement severely criticizing Health Minister Yaakov Litzman.
In the video, bedridden Beer is seen criticizing Litzman over his refusal to accept the aid of the organization’s 6,000 volunteers to help the Health Ministry and Magen David Adom perform coronavirus diagnoses.
Since making the video, Beer’s condition has deteriorated, and he is now sedated and on life support while his situation remains stable.
“Just so you know, there is a man named Litzman who is supposed to be Israel’s health minister, he is however a vengeful and evil man,” said Beer in the video, which is in Hebrew.
“I am really hopeful he will not be the health minister in the next government. For years this man has been fighting United Hatzalah, like Litzman a lot of our people in the organization are ultra-Orthodox and we denounce this man.”
Beer continued: “I say this while laying here in my sick bed. It hurts to speak in such a way about the health minister, but he is a bad person who only seeks revenge; I’ve known him for many years.”
Beer said that when he met Litzman several years ago in New York, the current health minister flatly refused to shake his hand.
“He just ignored me and ran away, he is a bad person without one iota of kindness - a man who only looks out for his own interests.“
Beer said that he was receiving outstanding care in Miami, and that he was very grateful for the thoughts and prayers he has been receiving from the people of the organization.
“I am very thankful to all of you," he said. "it is hard for me to talk, but I appreciate the recent efforts of more than 1,700 volunteers who go out there and help those in need for free.”
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A United Hatzalah mobile team attends the scene of a road accident in Ramle
(Photo: Courtesy)
The office of the health minister said in response: “We of course wish Eli Beer good health and a speedy recovery. Magen David Adom is Israel’s national emergency organization, and as such the only one authorized to handle emergency situations.
"According to Health Ministry’s guidelines, if circumstances require, the ministry can employ the services of additional organizations as long as they meet the required criteria.
"The allegation that the health minister and/or the Health Ministry are preventing the employment of additional manpower is simply incorrect and we must denounce any attempts to attack Israel's emergency response operations with false statements. "