Prof. Yitshak Kreiss Withdraws Candidacy for Health Ministry Director-General
Professor Yitshak Kreiss withdrew his candidacy for acting director-general of the Ministry of Health due to insurmountable legal conflicts of interest, forcing Minister Haim Katz to seek a new replacement.
Professor Yitshak Kreiss, director of Sheba Medical Center, has withdrawn his candidacy for the position of acting director-general of the Ministry of Health just six days after accepting the role. The decision follows mounting legal complexities regarding severe conflicts of interest stemming from holding both positions simultaneously, a challenge raised by financial media reports upon the initial announcement last week.
Legal Complexities and Regulatory Hurdles
According to an official statement from the Ministry of Health, the decision to step back was made because the legal intricacies involved in drafting a comprehensive conflict of interest agreement could not be resolved within a reasonable timeframe. Kreiss ultimately chose to focus entirely on his ongoing leadership of Sheba Medical Center. Health Minister Haim Katz had originally introduced the appointment as a measure to guarantee administrative continuity and stability following the upcoming departure of current Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov, who is set to step down in two weeks to study abroad.
From the outset, the dual role drew skepticism from health and treasury officials behind the scenes. The Ministry of Health acts as the primary regulator and supervisor of all Israeli hospitals while also overseeing government-run medical centers, most notably Sheba, the largest in the public system. A conflict of interest arrangement broad enough to cover nationwide decisions regarding hospital budgets, bed allocations, and staff distribution would have severely restricted Kreiss's ability to function as ministry director-general.
Search for an Alternative Candidate
Following the withdrawal, Minister Haim Katz expressed appreciation for Kreiss's willingness to step forward, noting his prominent status within the national healthcare system and respecting his commitment to Sheba Medical Center. With Bar Siman Tov's departure approaching at the end of the month, the ministry now faces renewed pressure to identify a suitable temporary replacement to ensure administrative stability during the caretaker government's tenure.
