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Alaa Oudeh, whose legs were amputated after he was forbidden entry to Israel. (Physicians for Human Rights) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 14:05 06/10/2007 Physicians for Human Rights: Only most severely wounded Palestinians allowed into Israel By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent Israel is allowing only the most severely wounded Palestinians to enter for medical treatment, and not to those at risk of losing limbs or suffering other debilitating handicaps, according to Physicians for Human Rights. Hundreds of people were injured during the June clashes in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Fatah. However, only those whose lives were in danger were allowed into Israel for treatment. Others, whose injuries endangered "only" their quality of life, remained in the Gaza Strip for treatment, PHR wrote to the defense minister and the health minister. Out of 44 requests to transfer injured individuals for treatment in Israel, 16 were refused by authorities in Israel, PHR said. In some cases, this meant physicians in Gaza had to amputate limbs because treatment was delayed too long. Advertisement A senior defense official responded, "No medical prioritization was carried out. From the moment Hamas took power in the Gaza Strip, we lost all communication with the Palestinians on the other side of the Erez Crossing. The only coordinating body is the Red Cross, which indicated to us the status of the injured, and later became a coordinating body. In cases of serious injuries, we brought them for treatment in Israel. There were cancer patients who continued to come to Israel to receive chemotherapy." Alaa Oudeh, 25, from Gaza, is wheelchair-bound. Both his legs were amputated. Oudeh, 25, was marked as a Fatah member, and in the bloody clashes three months ago, that was a good enough reason for Hamas to shoot 14 bullets into his legs. Speaking by phone from Gaza, Oudeh said Hamas activists came to his building and killed a senior Palestinian Police officer. "Right after they took the officer and killed him, they came into my house and forced me outside," he recalled. Oudeh was taken by jeep to a remote place. There, two masked men shot him at close range, he said. "They said they would teach me and everyone else that it was forbidden to cooperate with Fatah. After they shot me, they kicked me in the legs where I had been shot. Then they left me there." Oudeh says an ambulance brought him to Shifa Hospital in Gaza, which was crowded with people bleeding and screaming for help. The blood vessels in Oudeh's legs were seriously damaged, and his leg and thigh bones were smashed. He was rushed to surgery, but four days later his condition was still deteriorating. The Palestinian Health Ministry requested he be moved to Israel for further treatment by experts. His medical file was faxed to the deputy director of Sheba Hospital at Tel Hashomer, Professor Rafi Waldan, a worldwide vascular expert. Walden, who happens to be President Shimon Peres' son-in-law, determined that Oudeh should be brought to Israel within 24 hours to receive optimum treatment; otherwise his legs would have to be amputated. However, the Erez Crossing was closed due to the riots. PHR sent Israeli security officials a request to have Oudeh transferred to Sheba or to Tel Aviv's Ichilov Hospital, but they prohibited Oudeh from entering Israel due to security reasons. PHR then petitioned the High Court of Justice in the name of Oudeh and 25 other Gazan patients blocked from entering Israel. Following a closed-door hearing, the justices ordered the security officials to "reexamine the required balance" between the urgency of medical treatment and the security risk presented by the patients. Meanwhile, Oudeh's situation grew worse. Gaza doctors were forced to amputate his left leg, and PHR petitioned the High Court again. Security officials persuaded the court that Oudeh was a security risk. A week later, his other leg was amputated. "A person is sitting in a wheelchair. How can he be a security risk to the state? To be so dangerous in that condition, he'd have to be a super-terrorist," said Ran Yaron, the PHR coordinator for Oudeh's case. "We asked the security establishment to transfer him to Jordan under guard, but they refused this, too. We feel like this is a matter of principle not to let him out," Yaron added. "I don't understand why they won't let me in. I never did anything bad," Oudeh said. The Shin Bet security service responded that Oudeh's request posed a danger to state security, and that they told this to the High Court. "Those in need of chemotherapy or high-level orthopedic treatment come to Israel," a security official said. "Israel is in permanent contact with the Palestinian health coordinator, Ahmad Abu-Reza. If he approves the transfer, it is a pledge by the Palestinian Authority to fund the treatment. If not, the patient pays. If the Shin Bet objects for security reasons, the whole process is called off. But the Shin Bet often grants requests for the transfer of injured individuals." Related articles Rights group protests death of Bethlehem teen at checkpoint Rights group: Shin Bet denies vital treatment to Palestinians Imprisoned illegal waited a year for hernia operation Bookmark to del.icio.us Public discontent Teachers are replacing port workers in the public's mind as the 'official, serial national strikers.' Bad for academia? A Haifa professor says funding from corporations gives rise to some ethical conundrums.   1.   pals must understand as must these docs no nice goodies so ong as 03:25  |  ralph 05/10/07   2.   No sympathy here 03:33  |  * BEN JABO 05/10/07   3.   As Qassams fall on Sderot, Israeli physicians treat Palestinians 03:37  |  Murray of Montreal 05/10/07   4.   Poor Oudeh, so sad for him(not) 03:41  |  Boss Hog 05/10/07   5.   Lessee here... 04:00  |  Colin Wright 05/10/07   6.   tough you know what 04:03  |  vik 05/10/07   7.   palestinian aid 04:19  |  real vision 05/10/07   8.   That sucks 05:11  |  Nik 05/10/07   9.   Colin Wright and hypocrisy 05:32  |  Alex 05/10/07   10.   Ohh brother 06:16  |  Boris 05/10/07   11.   #9, Alex and inaccuracy 06:17  |  Silvienne 05/10/07   12.   #*Ben Jabo. Bullets don`t `roost.` They lodge! 07:12  |  Maureen Ann 05/10/07   13.   The Apartheid state 07:14  |  steve 05/10/07   14.   We risk.... 07:19  |  Esther 05/10/07   15.   Re #11 07:25  |  Esther 05/10/07   16.   are there no hospitals in egypt? 07:44  |  scallywag 05/10/07   17.   I can`t believe what i`m reading.... 08:11  |  R 05/10/07   18.   Re- # 4 08:30  |  sam 05/10/07   19.   Pothetic Article 08:30  |  Nephtaly 05/10/07   20.   hospitals 08:31  |  j10 05/10/07   21.   Wright you`re wrong: because they`re talking about Gaza 08:34  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 05/10/07   22.   Silvienne 08:39  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 05/10/07   23.   Xenophobic Steve? 08:42  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 05/10/07   24.   Pal girl,treated at Ber-Sheva hospital wanted to blow up the hosp 08:51  |  Absolute Sweden 05/10/07   25.   RE-#16 08:53  |  SAM 05/10/07   26.   RE-#19 NEPHTALI 09:08  |  sam 05/10/07   27.   Send them to hospital.... 09:14  |  Stan 05/10/07   28.   RE-#20 (j 10) 09:19  |  sam 05/10/07   29.   Re #17 09:20  |  Esther 05/10/07   30.   Esther,you better worry about Peretz bodyguard who lost his legs 10:28  |  Absolute Sweden 05/10/07   31.   Esther pleading for help from the Arabs.. 10:47  |  Miriam Ashkelon 05/10/07   32.   # 27 Stan in Hooverville 10:50  |  marsam 05/10/07   33.   TO STEVE OF USA 10:52  |  Roland 05/10/07   34.   Re #129 Rephrase please? 11:06  |  MaryRose 05/10/07   35.   Margie #22 11:12  |  Guido 05/10/07   36.   no sympathy for the devil--rolling stones 11:18  |  matilda 05/10/07   37.   Guido 11:34  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 05/10/07   38.   Matilda are you really in Israel? I doubt it 11:37  |  Hamuda 05/10/07   39.   Re 30,31,34 and like-minded 11:43  |  Esther 05/10/07   40.   Please explain WHY IL must feed,provide Medical Treat etc to Gaza 11:49  |  Alan 05/10/07   41.   Sam 11:55  |  j10 05/10/07   42.   Oh - Israel exists when you want it to? 12:04  |  Yered Shmuel 05/10/07   43.   Esther,closters in Sweden lack nuns,join them 12:34  |  Absolute Sweden 05/10/07   44.   Good point Yered 12:35  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 05/10/07   45.   # 11 Silvienne 12:38  |  Lynn 05/10/07   46.   Inhuman acts 12:42  |  Nano 05/10/07   47.   hamauda 12:43  |  matilda 05/10/07   48.   Colin Wright # 5 12:43  |  Lynn 05/10/07   49.   #42 Yered Shmuel,you are the first one to point it 12:44  |  Hastaroth 05/10/07   50.   # 13 Steve of Minn 12:47  |  Lynn 05/10/07   51.   Nano of Sweden on inhuman acts 13:00  |  Lynn 05/10/07   52.   Yered Shmuel 13:05  |  Lynn 05/10/07   53.   Israel has no obligation to people who shoot Kassams at us 13:09  |  Joel 05/10/07   54.   #42..Yered Shmuel 13:12  |  Nemesis 05/10/07   55.   Is Ran Yaron suffering from amnesia? 13:18  |  Amos 05/10/07   56.   to marsam in Amman 13:28  |  Stan 05/10/07   57.   ESTHER CHAS VA CHLILAH ....... 13:35  |  Miriam 05/10/07   58.   Re Absolute #42 13:55  |  Esther 05/10/07   59.   Esther -the woman with a big W 14:04  |  Anne 05/10/07   60.   SPEND SOME OF THAT EU MONEY ON A DECENT HOSPITAL! 14:05  |  SM 05/10/07   61.   This Is Not Israel`s Responsibility 15:30  |  CHGODMK 05/10/07   62.   SM/60 15:31  |  Anne 05/10/07   63.   Esther,don`t worry about being Jewish,nobody`s perfect 15:32  |  Absolute Sweden 05/10/07   64.   Wright you`re wrong: 15:34  |  Settler Babe 05/10/07   65.   Aren`t Jews the Enemy 15:54  |  Motti 05/10/07   66.   As it should be 16:04  |  David Teich 05/10/07   67.   #62..Anne 16:27  |  Nemesis 05/10/07   68.   I have sympathy here 16:38  |  Ron 05/10/07   69.   Absolute Sweden(really swedish?) 16:40  |  Anne 05/10/07   70.   He`s Lucky 16:50  |  Chick 05/10/07   71.   Ron/ Your sympathy... 16:54  |  Anne 05/10/07   72.   #12 Maureen Ann 17:01  |  * BEN JABO 05/10/07   73.   The inconvenience of the Occupying Power 17:03  |  Tosefta 05/10/07   74.   #11 Silvienne 17:04  |  * BEN JABO 05/10/07   75.   #5 Colin Wrong 17:09  |  * BEN JABO 05/10/07   76.   no. 50 Lynn 17:26  |  Steve 05/10/07   77.   Not an aspirin until Red Cross sees Shalit. #73 Tosef. is wrong 18:06  |  Dr. L. Brnd 05/10/07   78.   #1 Read the article again 18:08  |  Outsider 05/10/07   79.   #19 18:14  |  outsider 05/10/07   80.   Having said all that 18:21  |  Outsider 05/10/07   81.   For Anne 18:36  |  Esther 05/10/07   82.   For outsider #78 18:52  |  Esther 05/10/07   83.   To Anne, 71 18:54  |  Ron 05/10/07   84.   Israel has lost its moral right to exist 19:04  |  John 05/10/07   85.   #77 Oy vey, doctor, Gaza is still legally occupied 19:12  |  Tosefta 05/10/07   86.   #77 Dr Brand refuses to understand 19:21  |  Tosefta 05/10/07   87.   This is immoral--two wrongs don`t make a right 19:33  |  Dutch 05/10/07   88.   David Teich, If your goverment had any decency.... 19:46  |  Dutch 05/10/07   89.   So Anne 19:51  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 05/10/07   90.   Send them to Cairo 19:54  |  Palestinian Brit 05/10/07   91.   John how moral is Hamas`s existence 19:55  |  Jy praat twak 05/10/07   92.   #69, Anne 19:58  |  Silvienne 05/10/07   93.   #69, Anne 19:58  |  Silvienne 05/10/07   94.   they chop heads 20:32  |  Insano 05/10/07   95.   What is wrong with going to Egypt,nearest hospital is2 hours away 20:32  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/10/07   96.   Sorry Physicians for Human Rights, Arabs had pipe bombs in limbs 20:34  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/10/07   97.   Hey Steve, forget the Mexican-American War? 20:48  |  Scharker Yid 05/10/07   98.   There is no day passed that one does not 21:05  |  Mireille 05/10/07   99.   #71..Anne Re:Ron 21:08  |  Nemesis 05/10/07   100.   #7 real vision, UR right there 21:17  |  Walid 11 05/10/07   101.   #77 Dr Brand refuses to understand 21:35  |  Tosefta 05/10/07   102.   Mireille you are welcome to tend them 21:42  |  Israeli 05/10/07   103.   sharker no. 86 21:47  |  steve 05/10/07   104.   Brnd 22:14  |  Steve 05/10/07   105.   Having a Heart In Dealing With The Heartless 22:17  |  Yoram 05/10/07   106.   Scharker--pt. 2 22:23  |  Steve 05/10/07   107.   What is wrong with going to Egypt,nearest hospital is2 hours away 22:25  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/10/07   108.   Dr. L. Brnd is right of course and thinks sensibly. 22:35  |  Genuine Tosefta 05/10/07   109.   #11 23:26  |  Moshe 05/10/07   110.   #72 *Ben Jabo - living in the wild west. 23:45  |  Maureen Ann 05/10/07   111.   Fake ("genuine") Tosefta Alert 23:50  |  Tosefta 05/10/07   112.   #78 Outsider 00:08  |  * BEN JABO 06/10/07   113.   Outsider to #19 00:11  |  * BEN JABO 06/10/07   114.   Anne - Go ahead tell me 00:16  |  * BEN JABO 06/10/07   115.   #84 John - stop the morality BS 00:21  |  * BEN JABO 06/10/07   116.   #92 Silvienne to Anne 00:23  |  * BEN JABO 06/10/07   117.   The continuing nonsense of Steve #103 and Tosefta 00:39  |  Dr. L. Brnd 06/10/07   118.   Esther, likes 00:43  |  k 06/10/07   119.   Not getting it (Dr Brand #117) 01:24  |  Tosefta 06/10/07   120.   To Dutch 87&88, her next act! 02:02  |  Ron 06/10/07   121.   #109, Moshe... 04:00  |  Silvienne 06/10/07   122.   #116, Ben Jabo... 04:04  |  Silvienne 06/10/07   123.   #121..Silvienne 04:43  |  Nemesis 06/10/07   124.   #121 Silvienne to Moshe 05:04  |  * BEN JABO 06/10/07   125.   Silvienne re: Sweden 05:06  |  * BEN JABO 06/10/07   126.   ISRAEL IS 100% RIGHT... 06:50  |  LUIS 06/10/07   127.   #123, Nemesis... 06:51  |  Silvienne 06/10/07   128.   #125, Ben Jabo, Sweden... 06:54  |  Silvienne 06/10/07   129.   So Tosefta and I agree, he just hates to admit when he`s wrong 07:44  |  Dr. L. Brnd 06/10/07   130.   Israel has thr right 08:56  |  r.m. 06/10/07   131.   Pity 09:34  |  Nechama 06/10/07   132.   Silvienne & Tosefta 09:45  |  Jasmine Murphy 06/10/07   133.   Israeli right`s `intellectuals` 10:04  |  H50 06/10/07   134.   #88 doris you are right they should transfer all arabs to jordan 11:24  |  victor hardman 06/10/07   135.   #19 13:29  |  opinion 06/10/07   136.   Tosefta vs `Genuine Tosefta` 14:09  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 06/10/07   137.   sorry for the bodyguard of Peretz 14:26  |  k 06/10/07   138.   Nechama 14:34  |  k 06/10/07   139.   real vision 15:15  |  k 06/10/07   140.   R-yes you live in the USA 15:23  |  k 06/10/07   141.   opinion 135 15:26  |  ChanahS 06/10/07   142.   Roland 15:31  |  k 06/10/07   143.   Matilda 15:36  |  k 06/10/07   144.   k 15:39  |  Nechama 06/10/07   145.   Silvienne talking about "inaccuracy"? ROTFL 16:16  |  David Teich 06/10/07   146.   H50 closer to H2O: All wet 16:21  |  David Teich 06/10/07   147.   WHAT RUBBISH FROM THE SHIN BET SECURITY SERVICE 16:37  |  Dutch 06/10/07   148.   THIS ARGUMENT IS RUBBISH FROM SHIN BET SECURITY SERVICES 16:50  |  Dutch 06/10/07   149.   #128 Silvienne - Sweden 17:14  |  * BEN JABO 06/10/07   150.   Physicians for Human Rights 17:14  |  des coughlan 06/10/07   151.   Anne - Friendly reminder 17:16  |  * BEN JABO 06/10/07   152.   No. 140 Couglin 18:12  |  Steve 06/10/07   153.   I believe Shin Bet Security is exaggerating the threat to Israel 19:55  |  Dutch 06/10/07   154.   Too easy Steve Google Hamas Charter 22:25  |  MaryRose 06/10/07   155.   #151 Demented Dutch 02:14  |  * BEN JABO 07/10/07   156.   Steve - straight from the Horses`s own mouth`s 02:18  |  * BEN JABL 07/10/07   157.   If it would be up to me.... 02:58  |  Misha 07/10/07   158.   # Well, muhamet.... 03:03  |  Misha 07/10/07   159.   It is Israel`s responsibility because Israel controls access to 04:02  |  jack 07/10/07   160.   #121 04:06  |  Moshe 07/10/07   161.   Israel strictly controls medical supply imports into GAZA. 04:18  |  jack 07/10/07   162.   Reading this article and many responces 04:19  |  TOMY 07/10/07   163.   rights groups? 05:06  |  Shmuelshachor 07/10/07   164.   Histrory always has a ironic streak 07:07  |  Kris 07/10/07   165.   # 40 ...because of the Geneva Convention 07:14  |  Kris 07/10/07   166.   161 - Israel strictly controls supplies 08:07  |  Palestinian Brit 07/10/07   167.   Jack which cancer remedies are prohibited and how are they used 08:55  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/10/07   168.   #164/165 kris you will make more sense if you write in german 09:12  |  victor hardman 07/10/07   169.   Margie 11:45  |  Sarah 07/10/07   170.   #164 Kris 11:58  |  Sarah 07/10/07   171.   Margie - careful! 12:16  |  Palestinian Brit 07/10/07   172.   Sarah 13:11  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/10/07   173.   PalBrit 13:16  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/10/07   174.   victor HARRIS PAUL hardman 13:22  |  phil 07/10/07   175.   Reply to k (Post 137) 13:24  |  Johnny Weintraub 07/10/07   176.   Ben Jabo, The real joke & cowards are the Israelis 14:25  |  Dutch 07/10/07   177.   Margie 15:35  |  Sarah 07/10/07   178.   Palestinian Brit 16:50  |  JonathanInTelAviv 07/10/07   179.   Sarah 16:52  |  JonathanInTelAviv 07/10/07   180.   #176 Demented Dutch 16:54  |  * BEN JABO 07/10/07   181.   88: Dutch muttering about decency? 15:48  |  david Teich 09/10/07   182.   169: Pal Brit lies again 15:53  |  David Teich 09/10/07   183.   Guns, thugs and bullies 00:19  |  Sabra 15/10/07   184.   #16 00:20  |  Sabra 15/10/07   185.   Dutch 00:23  |  Sabra 15/10/07

Today Online Bradley Burston: Ann Coulter's dream of a Jew-free America Responses: 292 Ministers approve renewal of dig at disputed Mugrabi Gate Responses: 81 Report: Abducted IDF soldiers transferred to Iran after capture Responses: 150 Rice arrives in region to help advance peace talks ahead of summit Responses: 121 Gideon Levy: Israeli journalists can go to Syria and Iraq, but not to the Gaza Strip Responses: 51 Rosner's Domain * New Poll: Is Rice's effort brave, pathetic, realistic or dangerous? * WTR: Clinton's complicated position on Iran * State-religion American-style, a mirror image Israel's formulation * Is it OK for Coulter to want Jews to become Christian? More Headlines 20:24 AG orders probe against PM over new corruption suspicions 19:15 Rice: Only focus on core issues can advance the peace process 16:16 Barak heads to United States to promote Israeli rocket defense 22:11 Rabin killer Amir asks to attend son's upcoming circumcision 14:51 Israel refuses entry to 6 Gazans in urgent need of medical care 22:42 London Jews celebrate U.K. Jewish history in Trafalgar Square rally 21:59 Islamic Movement leader urges fellow Ra'am-Ta'al MK to quit Knesset 17:57 Israeli historian wins German Book Trade's 2007 peace prize 22:52 Organizers call off T.A. peace concert after one in Jericho cancelled 13:33 Israel denies report that abducted IDF soldiers were turned over to Iran 17:54 Teachers, Treasury conclude meeting over strike without breakthrough 14:06 Lieberman seeks to encourage aliyah of Russian Jews from Canada 15:02 Mugrabi excavations delayed due to appeal by Arab minister Previous Editions Select Day 14 oct 12 oct 11 oct 10 oct 09 oct 08 oct 07 oct 05 oct 04 oct 03 oct 02 oct 01 oct

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