A senior health official has denounced the threats and abuse directed at him, days after a bodyguard was assigned to him for what authorities believe is an increased level of danger to his safety.
Dr Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of public services at the Ministry of Health and top COVID adviser to the government, has been threatened repeatedly by anti-vaccine activists and conspiracy theorists who see her as the public face of the government. health system vaccination effort.
Visiting the studios of the big new networks on Channels 12 and 13 on Friday, Alroy-Preis admitted the threats were “frightening” but said she had no plans to take a step back as a result.
“I don’t think it’s reasonable for an official working in the health system to have an escort when he goes out. [to work] at 6 am, ”she told Channel 12.
Alroy-Preis has been under some level of threat for months and the police gave her a panic button, but it’s only been the last few days that she has had her own bodyguard.
The increase in threats “started around the issue of childhood immunizations, when it started to be discussed, there was a whole wave of very clear threats, to hang on. [me], burn, etc.
She provided more details on Channel 13: “It goes to very dark places – murder, hanging, harming my children, comparisons to the Nazis, there is no end.”
Dr Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of public health services at the Ministry of Health, speaks at a press conference in Jerusalem, June 23, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel / Flash90)
She said the abuse has so far been limited to online hate and harassment messages sent to her phone – sometimes dozens of texts from multiple people at once.
“God reimburse baddies like you,” she read in a studio post.
“The death sentence should be brought down just for you,” said another.
Alroy-Preis stressed that she also enjoys great public support and that those who approach her on the street are always positive. “Negative people are apparently good on their keyboards,” she said.
She added that she had not considered stepping down from her role following the abuse. “I don’t think it’s fair to leave nine million people without an address because of this small number of crazy people,” she said.
But a leading doctor has expressed hope that police will be able to detect the ringleaders behind their targeting.
“It is no coincidence that in an instant I received dozens of text messages from different people” containing threats or verbal abuse, “Alroy-Preis told Channel 12.
Police arrested and questioned two men from northern Israel on Tuesday for alleged online threats against Alroy-Preis. They were then released under certain restrictions and the investigation is ongoing.
“We take seriously any publication directed against officials,” police said Thursday. “We will act with all available means to bring the suspects to justice. “
Police have since ordered a full-time security service in Alroy-Preis.
Public Safety Minister Omer Barlev, whose ministry oversees police, told Kan News on Sunday that Alroy-Preis was currently classified as “highly threatened”. He said the ministry would consider ensuring the safety of other senior health officials if necessary.
Protests outside Alroy-Preis’ home earlier this year included chants of ‘Nazi murderer’ and ‘devil’s daughter’, while some attendees wore yellow stars comparing COVID restrictions to the Holocaust.
