Head of Israel Medical Association ends hunger strike after government concessions on extra jobs

A 12 day hunger strike by the chairman of the Israel Medical Association has broken a four month long stand off between the government and the country’s 20 000 public sector doctors.

Leonid Eidelman abandoned his hunger strike on 3 August after 137 days of intermittent strikes by Israel’s 20 000 public sector doctors, who have demanded better pay and work conditions and extra funds for the country’s overstretched public health service.

Just three days earlier thousands of doctors and medical students had gathered in Jerusalem’s Rose Garden opposite the Knesset (parliament), in support of Dr Eidelman, who resumed eating when the Ministry of Finance signalled that it was prepared to make major concessions.

But Dr Eidelman’s fast, which began with a four day …