Ten opposition lawmakers began a hunger strike Sunday to force the government to solve a crisis in Israel's public health system, plagued by months of labor disputes. In an unusual show of unity, lawmakers from opposite ends of the political spectrum gathered in the hallway of Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir's office to launch their protest. They said they would fast for a week unless an agreement was reached before then between the Finance and Health ministries on how to meet demands by doctors for drastic salary increases. ``We are doing this because there is no other alternative,'' legislator Yossi Sarid of the left-wing Citizens Rights Movement told Israel radio. ``Maybe now the government will listen.'' Added Geula Cohen of the right-wing Tehiya Party: ``The common denominator is human suffering which doesn't distinguish between left-wingers from right-wingers.'' The protest was organized by the left-wing Mapam party. In the past few months, doctors in Israeli hospitals have repeatedly gone on strike and performed only emergency surgery to press demands for higher wages. Doctors make about $750 a month. As a result of the persistent labor disputes, thousands of Israelis have waited for months to be scheduled for crucial operations. Doctors have acknowledged they expect some patients to die because of delays in treatment. In a scenario typical of the past few months, doctors said they would strike Monday in Israel's northern hospitals, and in other regions during the remainder of the week. The Health Ministry has agreed in principle to the doctors' demands, but Finance Minister Moshe Nissim has refused to allocate additional funds to the Health Ministry to cover salary raises. The Finance Ministry is concerned a wage increase would trigger across-the-board wage hikes in the public health system and fuel inflation. Officials from the Finance and Health ministries were scheduled to meet Monday with union representatives in another attempt to solve the crisis. Israel television quoted Shamir as saying if no agreement is reached at Monday's meeting he would convene a special ministerial committee to make a decision this week.
