The Health Ministry assigned a private security detail to its director of public health services after police determined that the official was the target of credible death threats.
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Dr. Sharon Elroi Preiss is seen by many as the face of the government's pandemic policies. In the past months she has become the target of opprobrium by anti-vaxxers.
The ministry said in a statement that it was "working in liaison with the police and all reports of threats against any ministry employee are examined and dealt with in accordance with the information and security assessments."
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said "the anti-vaxxers' fake news war against Elroi Preiss and others has to stop. The vaccines are our Iron Dome against coronavirus. They save lives and allow us to keep Israel open and functioning. Ignore the fake news, go get vaccinated."
Police have launched a criminal probe into threats made on social media against Elroi Preiss.
