New health minister faces crisis in Israel

Israel has appointed a new health minister. Dr Ephraim Sneh is the first physician ever to hold the post in Israel, and he takes over four months after the previous minister resigned when his version of a national health insurance bill was rejected.

Dr Sneh, who served as head of the West Bank's civil administration and has been a member of the Labour party for two years, spent 18 years as a physician in Israel's defence forces, during which time he acted as head of the medical team that took part in the rescue of Israeli hostages in Entebbe, Uganda, in 1976. He comes to office at a time when the country's largest health insurer is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and asking to …