Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised former Health Ministry director-general Moshe Bar Siman Tov at a Thursday ceremony marking his departure, Walla reported.
"You have voiced your opinion and stood up for it against waves of criticism, sometimes cruel criticism that I would call evil and baseless," Netanyahu said.
"You did it quietly, confidently and responsibly, and voiced it to the public."
Bar Siman Tov is being replaced by Prof. Chezy Levy.