Naftali Bennett and Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Bitton had a tense conversation, amid the minister's attacks on senior Health Ministry officials - including Dr. Sharon Al-Rai-Price. This was reported this evening (Wednesday) on Channel 12.
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Why should young people get vaccinated against the coronavirus in the 'between times'?
However, Shasha-Biton denies that such a conversation took place and that she was reprimanded.
During the conversation, which took place this week after a discussion convened on education issues and the start of the school year, Bennett summoned Minister Shasha-Bitton for a conversation and told her: "Enough of treating the Ministry of Health and the professional bodies in this style.".
The minister, for her part, replied: "With all due respect, I have my own opinion.".
The conversation took place before the harsh words of "senior officials in the Corona Cabinet" towards Dr. Alrai-Price were published, but they express the tensions that characterize the government in everything related to the fight against Corona.
In an interview with the main edition of News 12, Shasha-Biton denied that she had been given a reprimand: "In my opinion, we live in two parallel universes. In describing the conversation with the Prime Minister, we have reached a new peak. This is a conversation that did not happen. They are transcribing a transcript that did not happen.".
The minister clarified that the conversation that took place between her and Bennett was completely different from what was described: "We were in a discussion with the Prime Minister together with the Ministry of Health in which we presented an education outline that was approved by the Prime Minister. Afterwards, the Prime Minister called me into the room to talk to me about September 1st and which schools we are going to and if there is a plan that I prepared.".
Shasha-Biton claimed that these were apparently briefings coming from the opposition: "I saw the report that Prime Minister Bennett doesn't know how to run a government and that I deny coronavirus... It looks more like opposition briefings to me, it's a discourse that I hear mainly from opposition Knesset members, and I don't hear it from my friends. We work together.".
In response to the question of whether she believes Dr. Sharon Al-Rai-Price is "crazy, deranged and hysterical," Shasha-Biton said: "You'll have to ask the person who said that.... In the last cabinet discussion, I said I don't have half an argument about the Ministry of Health, and when the transcripts are opened, maybe you'll be able to see that too. Our job as ministers is to take a broad view of the management of this whole thing, and their job is to talk about Corona.".
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During the interview, Minister Shasha-Biton was asked what her position was regarding school vaccinations - and she expressed a clear position: "We are 35 days before the start of the school year - get vaccinated! Is anyone interfering with vaccinating and conducting an information campaign and encouraging vaccinations? The strategy of vaccines is one strategy and where vaccines are, it is another strategy. If we are in an emergency now - act now.".
""Everyone who can – go out and get vaccinated," she said.
However, she emphasized: "But doing it at school is a crime as far as I'm concerned.".
