Dateline Jerusalem — What country is a major destination for medical tourism? What country is one of the first responders to world disasters with medical personnel, field hospitals, medicine and surgery centers? What country is a frequent host for international medical conferences? What country is a world leader in stem cell research with the largest number of articles, patents and research studies per capita? What country continues to develop and produce sophisticated medical equipment for both diagnostic and treatment purposes worldwide? What country headquarters the largest pharmaceutical generic drug manufacturer in the world? What country has the second highest percentage of people engaged in scientific and technological inquiry and the amount spent on research and development in relation to gross domestic product in the world? The answer to all of these questions: Israel.
Despite Israel’s medical, technological, and humanitarian achievements, 71 British physicians have put pressure on the World Medical Assn. to revoke the membership of the Israel Medical Assn. The Brits falsely claim Israeli doctors perform medical torture on Palestinian patients. After unsuccessful attempts at boycott and divestment with respect to Israeli products and businesses, British and Scandinavian anti-Semites are focusing on Israeli doctors, scientists, and academics. The Israel association has been successful in the past in countering the false accusations and calls for boycotts. Now, though, there is a constant concerted effort to isolate and destroy Israel. The British medical journal Lancet often attacks Israel. Considering that Britain was the first country in the world to expel Jews, as far back as 1290 of the Common Era, 200 years before the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal, it is not beyond comprehension that their ingrained anti-Semitism rears its ugly head today.
Interesting, isn’t it, that Israel’s doctors, hospitals and outstanding medical treatment make Israel the medical destination of choice for Palestinian leaders and their families, Arabs from Gulf countries and throughout the Middle East, and even Syrian fighters. As for the false claims of Israel being an apartheid country, not only do Israeli hospitals employ Arab doctors, but Israel’s Health Dept. Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria (aka West Bank) coordinates with the Palestinian Ministry of Health on transferring Palestinian patients to Israeli hospitals and providing medical training for Palestinians in Israeli hospitals. Israeli taxpayers have paid millions of dollars to send Palestinian doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other medical personnel for training in Israel. Israel even sets aside a budget to cover the medical costs for critical medical procedures of Palestinian patients who are not covered by United Nations or Palestinian health insurance or who are unable to afford to pay privately. So while Israel is continuing to provide and advance healthcare for Palestinians, false accusations of torture are disseminated by anti-Israel physicians.
Look Who Trusts Jewish Doctors
Among the notable Palestinians hospitalized or receiving treatment in Israeli hospitals are the Palestinian leader Abbas’s wife and brother-in-law, the sister of Hamas senior official Moussa Abu Marzouk, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s mother-in-law and brother-in-law and granddaughter.
Not just famous Palestinian leaders’ families enjoy Israeli medical treatment. Many Palestinian children and teenagers are sent to Israel after suffering burns and shrapnel wounds from failed rocket launchings in Gaza. Even when at war with Palestinians, Israeli doctors and medical personnel humanely treated Palestinians.
On another note, where would the world be without Israeli scientists and physicians developing Copazone and Laquinimod, medicines effective in the treatment of multiple sclerosis; Israeli scientists developing Rasagiline for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease; Israelis discovering Interferon, a group of proteins effective against viral infections; Israel being the first country to advanced stem cell research; Israel discovering that Cyathus striatus is effective in treating pancreatic cancer? What about Israeli development of CT scanners, MRI systems, ultrasound scanners, nuclear medical cameras and surgical lasers? Where would the world be without other Israeli innovations such as a controlled-release liquid polymer to prevent accumulation of tooth plaque, a device to reduce both benign and malignant swelling of the prostate gland, the use of botulin to correct eye squint, a miniature camera swallowed in pill form used to diagnose gastrointestinal diseases? At the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, my town, a new MRI system for identifying and diagnosing tumors was developed and is being used in diagnosing breast and testicular cancer. It just received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The world needs Israeli doctors and scientists. They are humanitarians who volunteer and contribute to the betterment of mankind. To allow the hatred of a group of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel boycotters influence world organizations with false and outrageous claims against Israeli physicians not only adversely affects the Israeli medical community and the Palestinian patients they are allegedly trying to protect, but the entire world.
L’hitraot. Shachar
