NOVEMBER 3, 2026 17:25
Updated:NOVEMBER 3, 2026 17:26
Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov will step down in the coming weeks after serving about nine years in the role across two terms, the Health Ministry announced Tuesday
During his tenure, Bar Siman Tov led Israel’s healthcare system through the COVID-19 pandemic, the October 7 massacre, and the ensuing Israel-Hamas war. He led efforts including treating thousands of casualties and wounded individuals, receiving hostages returning from captivity, and ensuring the continuity of healthcare services amid war and ongoing emergency threats
Alongside managing emergencies, Bar Siman Tov spearheaded major initiatives including developing and implementing a national mental health program to address widespread trauma, strengthening medical infrastructure and services in Israel’s outer regions, and improving the system’s ability to respond to the changing healthcare needs of Israeli citizens, the ministry said
Under Bar Siman Tov’s leadership, the healthcare system has gained the highest level of trust of all public institutions in Israel
Bar Siman Tov is set to join Columbia University in New York as a research fellow in the coming months, focusing on research and writing about how healthcare systems respond to national trauma
Health Minister Haim Katz thanked Bar Siman Tov for his service and “significant contribution to Israel’s healthcare system.”
“I am concluding my tenure knowing that Israel’s healthcare system is strong, professional, and prepared for any challenge. The system’s true strength lies in its dedicated employees, who work every day with a sense of mission and a deep commitment to saving lives and protecting public health, serving as a model of coexistence for all parts of Israeli society,” Bar Siman Tov said
He credited “the dedication and professionalism of healthcare workers” with the healthcare system’s record 87% level of trust among the Israeli public
