Bill for the Establishment of a Hospital in the City of Sakhnin (Legislative Amendments), 5783-2023

The bill proposes the establishment of a public hospital in the city of Sakhnin. To facilitate this, it proposes amending three existing laws: 1. Public Health Ordinance: Adding a clause requiring the Director General of the Ministry of Health to establish a public hospital in Sakhnin. 2. Israel Land Authority Law: Amending the law to mandate that the Israel Land Authority allocate land for the hospital in Sakhnin within one month of the application submission, in accordance with section 3 of the law. 3. Planning and Building Law: Amending the law to require planning institutions to discuss and decide on the hospital's construction plan within one month of the application submission. The proposal states that cities like Sakhnin and surrounding localities have experienced significant population growth, while medical services have not kept pace, leading to reduced quality of care and longer travel times to hospitals. Currently, there is no government hospital in any Arab locality, and Sakhnin, a central city in the region, is approximately 40 kilometers from the nearest public hospital. While the Galilee is divided into medical zones with hospitals in cities such as Haifa, Nahariya, Afula, Tiberias, and Safed, the Sakhnin area is not adequately covered. The hospital would serve all regional residents, both Jewish and Arab, and improve access to public health services. The bill is submitted by MKs from various factions, noting that similar bills have been tabled in the past.

Source: הצעת חוק לדיון מוקדם