Prof. Nachman Ash to Replace Ronni Gamzu

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein agreed Tuesday on the appointment of Professor Nachman Ash as head of Magen Israel. He will start Wednesday, with an overlap with Prof. Roni Gamzu.

Ash, 59, married and father of three, until recently headed Maccabi’s health division and is an associate professor in the Department of Health Systems Management at Ariel University in the Shomron.

In the years 1989-91, he served as a doctor in the General Staff Reconnaissance Regiment. He then specialized in internal medicine at Sheba Medical Center. In 1992, he was chosen to participate as a force doctor in Operation Bramble Bush, and took part in training the model for the operation in which the Tze’elim II accident occurred. Ash rushed to the scene and was the first doctor to treat the patrol wounded.

From 1994 to 1995, Ash served as the Chief Medical Officer of the Yehudah and Shomron Division.

In 1997, he completed his internship in internal medicine and was elected to head the medical branch at the headquarters of Chief Medical Officer.

In 1999 he went to study in the United States, where two years later he received a master’s degree in medical computing from a combined program of Harvard and MI universities in Boston. Upon his return to Israel, he was appointed Medical Commander of the Southern Command.

In 2007-2011, he served as Chief Medical Officer, and served in his role among other things in Operation Cast Lead.