Following a two-hour “warning strike” in the healthcare system on July 19th, the Israeli Medical Association organized a march and rally on Sunday July 23rd, to protest the Knesset vote on judicial reform that was scheduled for the following day.
Thousands of Israeli doctors and members of the healthcare community wearing red vests with ‘doctor’ written on their backs and waving IMA flags, marched from the Jerusalem Chords Bridge at the capital’s entrance to rally against the proposed reforms. The march culminated at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem where the ‘healing the rupture in the nation’ rally was held, attended by around 2,500 doctors protesting that ‘There is no healthcare without democracy!' and ‘Justice, equality, and mutual responsibility’.
Doctors who were unable to attend the rally in Jerusalem due to professional commitments protested at gatherings at their respective hospitals in coordination with administrators.
Professor Zion Hagay, President of the Israeli Association, declared that should the ‘reasonableness’ bill pass, the IMA would appeal immediately to the Supreme Court. Hagay went on to say that the Israeli Medical Association is the only labor organization to act against the government’s plans to remove the ‘reasonableness’ test.