Israeli doctors in Congo to aid burn victims get slammed for occupation
Israeli doctors working in Congo learn locals turned out to be good hosts - but working with Western volunteers is more complicated.
By Cnaan Liphshiz Tags: Israel news Gaza warUvira, Democratic Republic of Congo - Having never visited Africa before, Israeli burn specialist Dr. Eyal Winkler was apprehensive about what was in store for the delegation of five medical specialists which he led this week to Congo. The locals turned out to be good hosts - but working with Western volunteers proved more complicated.
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Israeli doctors treating a burn victim in Congo in July 2010. |
| Photo by: Cnaan Liphshiz |
“I came to save lives, but also because it’s important to me to show that Israel is not the Flotilla Country that it is painted out to be,” said Winkler, deputy director of the department of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Sheba Medical Center.
On Tuesday Winkler arrived at the city of Uvira to treat 50 Congolese who were severely burnt in a fire that claimed more than 230 lives in the nearby village of Sange, where an oil truck had overturned and caught fire. Winkler’s five-man squad was the first team of specialists to arrive in the district of South Kivu to treat the injured.
They were there with Daniel Saada, Israel’s ambassador to Congo, as an official delegation of the Israeli foreign ministries Mashav aid agency. The team crossed remote border crossings with ease under the supervision of South Kivu’s governor, Jean-Claude Kibala. The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, telephoned the delegation to thank them.
But the relationship with the volunteers of Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) Netherlands, who arrived at Uvira the previous week, began on a sour note, according to Winkler and the other Israeli specialists.
Winkler said he got the impression that some volunteers for MSF - which has accused Israel of war crimes and obstructing medical care for Palestinians - did not want to be around him or the other team members, Drs. Shmuel Kalazkin, Gil Gragov Nardini and Ariel Tessone, and nurse Noa Anastasia Ouchakova.
“This is the reality today: Doctors from international aid organizations treat a delegation of volunteer Israeli doctors to Congo as though we were occupiers”, Winkler told Nati Harush, the foreign ministries deputy chief security officer who accompanied the delegation.
Inevitably, perhaps, this lead the eight Israelis seated around the breakfast table at a hotel situated on the shores of Lake Tanganyika to engage in that popular Israeli pastime: Arguing loudly about politics. Some of the participants in this political discussion - surprisingly, the first to break out since the group left for Africa 72 hours earlier - blamed the occupation for the perceived situation. Others said it was unrelated.
“This is an emotional time, and there are obvious political sensitivities,” Dr. Geert Morren, a doctor from Belgium who arrived at Uvira with MSF Netherlands, said after meeting the Israeli delegation. MSF has accused Israel of "devastating disregard" for civilians during its 2009 Gaza invasion.
"Unfortunately, it's true. International aid organizations here are very pro-Palestinian and not too friendly to Israelis," said Gila Garaway, an American training specialist who immigrated to Israel in 1983 before leaving for Congo in 1997. She has worked in cooperation with the Israeli foreign minister on various aid projects over the past 15 years.
Morren and the other MSF team members declined to be interviewed about their cooperation with the Israelis, explaining they needed authorization from the main office.
When the Israeli doctors told Morren that they felt as though an MSF anesthesiologist from Canada would not stay in the same room with them, he explained she had not been feeling well.
Despite the initial tense atmosphere, the Israeli doctors forged a partnership with Morren, one of the 10-odd MSF volunteers working in Uvira and Sange.
Morren, a surgeon, stayed with the Israeli team the first and second day. Together they completed a total of five complicated operations requiring extensive skin grafting. The Israeli team was wearing heavy protective gear for fear of contracting HIV and other diseases in the stifling heat of a makeshift operation tent. After consulting with the local Congolese doctors, they took off some layers, realizing risk was lower than they initially assessed.
“Politics is only politics, and you have to know how to make it melt away,” Winkler said. “Our mission is a humanitarian operation through and through, as part of the vision of Sheba and its director general, Professor Ze'ev Rothstein.”
He said that Dr. Morren “helped us a lot at the hospital - he took over communicating with patients and with hospital authorities and did stuff for us that we could never have done ourselves.”
Still, some MSF volunteers were not too pleased about the musical selection that the Israeli team brought with them, to play on their iPod during the operation. Asked what she though about the Israeli singer Gidi Gov, Julie, an MSF anesthesiologist from Canada, said: “I’d rather have some quiet so I can hear myself think.”
The Israeli team members were not moved. “The anesthesiologists at Sheba aren’t always pleased with the musical selection either,” said Winkler. “But it helps us cope with the intense pressure that we experience during these complicated, messy and life-saving operations.”
During their stay, the Israeli medical staff trained Congolese doctors in performing skin grafts. They will leave behind approximately one ton of medical equipment.
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which is trapped in the islamic web of lies...
Arabs don't give aid, only subversion. Look at the aid they give-wahhabist schools, slavery, dimmi status, honour killings, lies. etc
It's simple....stop giving or never give money to Doctors without Borders. Politics and medicine is anathema. Better to give it to "Doctors without Bias"......better known as Magen David Adom.
In a democracy the government receives its legitimacy from its people, it does not (or must not) work autocratic. Thus, yes, as Israeli people you are accountable for what is happening. It is not only THE government, and me personally, I'm not involved. Otherwise you would have no democracy! Any other attitude is wrong.
Burns doctors aware of the horrendous injuries and burns inflicted on civilians by Israels use of white phosphorous over Gaza may well have some bearing on this attitude. There is a huge difference between accidental burns and those inflicted through callousness which were avoidable.
One thing is for sure,these doctors who have so much against Israel,can learn alot from Israel's doctors. Israel's moral standing,far outways their MSF colleagues.
One reaps what one sows, so Israelis cannot blame others for despising them for the actions of the government whom they elect to power. Sending a few doctors to the Congo as a propaganda stunt does not make up for the many deplorable actions that Israel has committed and continues to commit against the those living under its occupation.
It does not matter, that The israeli doctors, didn't like those jokes, made by their collegues from the Netherlands. the work must go on, the congolese need it, a little professional jealousyis to be expected. It does not mean they don't like Israel or prefer Hamas.
How is I srael an illegal state? Who are you to say that their services should have not been accepted, you weren't in need of their superior skill? Did you help? Recall in 1948 the UN mandate of the Balfour Declaration?
Isn't the Jewish State collectively punishing all the people of Gaza, even denying toys, clothes and milk to the children and babies, because Jews don't like Gaza's government ? So why should others not regard those sent as representatives of the Jewish State as collectively guilty of the crimes of committed in the Gaza concentration camp by the Jewish State ?
it's amazing how israel will send doctors and nurses to aid all those in dire need of treatement overseas for a short time, it's only a photo op, just like haiti, in and out before you knew it.
Do not try to tell Israelis what to do, until you get the taste of their problems. Is the Muslim Brotherhood invisible in the Netherlands?
Any aid or life saving task you might perform anywhere in the free world would not make people of human conscience change their mind about what you're doing (like:occupation,and killings,recreating another nazi camp) to your neigbours. Charity begins @ home! sorry your effort is scene for what is propaganda. and unfortunately ,your using congolese situation. to distract people. the palestinians is what you need to make progress with . peace now!
I guess it's too much to ask for these liberal aid workers to put aside their own political agenda and just help the needy of Africa. Very sad.
really encouraged by what I perceive as a pro-Israel, pro Jewish turning point on this blog. I think folks Jewish and non are fed up with the lies and propaganda coming from the Pali side and the unholy alliance that supports them:Hisb, Hamas, Lebanon, Syria, Iran. and it happening on Haaretz of all places. it is the Palis firing rockets after they were given control of Gaza, its Abbas failing indirect talks, its Nasrallah playing the Vampire and keeping bodies and the cruel treatment of Gilad Shalit. and the extermination talk from the Iranian regime. It's not perfect but its getting better. As for MSF I stopped my contribution the first time they became political.
If you want to really examine crimes against humanity, then just read up on "the agents of King Leopold II of Belgium massacred 10 million Africans in the Congo. Cutting off hands as we see in Sierra Leone today". Quote is from the book: The Butcher of Congo By Baffour Ankomah, New African, October 1999" What about having a real war crime trial but this time against a country who did it in a big way in Congo: Belgium. The book review also reference mass killings by the French and , so what is new, also the Germans.
I write this with feeling, for I have had to deal in the past with certain disasters. I was in Rwanda, in fact I was in Goma. I saw these International groups of underfunded miracle workers that were always short of either medicines or the correct instruments, in fact I witnessed cases where certain medical personnel were not qualified enough for certain proceedures. Sure, they did their best, furthermore one cannot but admire their resiliance in the theatre of operations, where occasionally a stray bullet would fly through a medical tent. However, lets get real. When Israeli doctors are sent to any part of the world, whether Kenya,Haiti or in this case some obscure village in the Congo, they arrive with all the correct medical staff, the full and necessarry compliment of medical equipment, mobile hospitals that most certainly neither MSF could ever hope of transporting through such difficult terrain. Israel and its rapid deployment medical teams have proven their worth. The political overtones by those that cannot compare with Israeli medical skills are well documented, known by many and shared in some perverse manner by those forces who somehow wish to equate Zionist Entities as an evil that in fact tarnishes those dedicated and worthy members of Israels medical profession. Israeli doctors, specialists, nurses or techincians have no political affliliations unlike those from MSF and their affliates found in many parts of Africa. Once again, I am proud, that the world has woken up and acted in a manner befitting the medical profession. For those, the unfortunate victims, my condolences.
Winkler said “Our mission is a humanitarian operation." Weren't the Turkey ships a humanitarian operation also? Whatever it is, it's ok when it's with Israel. But another people, then it's terrorism automatically!
You can't criticize Israel for the support it gave the Congolese despot without first dealing with the obscene and inappropriate relationships that we in the west have with other regimes around the world. The US and Britain maintain the Saudi monarchy against its population to name but one example. As an Arab, i say brilliant work, and congratulations to the Israeli team - that kind of work does make a difference. On the MSF note, their conclusions with regards to Cast Lead is an important one. That organisation deserves respect, and to lightly brush aside its conclusions shows the arrogance of many Israelis with regard to the international community.
Israelis always claim the victim role...rather than looking at what might possibly cause the international community to view them the way they do. It is sad.
boring boring boring...... anybody with even 1/2 a brain knows what would happen to the jews if the arabs could defeat the IDF....
longest occupation after the WWII. No responsible person takes it lightly. If the doctors are opposed to the occupation it's hard to imagine any volunteer would still give hard time for them. The way I see it, the doctors are being given hard time because they are probably giving apologetics to the occupation. If that's the case then why would anyone feel sorry for the doctors?
I wish some of these so called european doctors should go to the sheba hos;ital and see our doctors working on children with heart problems coming from Gaza because no one can help them there. Out of about 10 children in this ward 6 were from the so called occupied area.
The world has far too much tragedy to be throwing political invectives at Israel or anyone else who commits their nations medical resources to abetting the pain of others. As a non-Jewish American I commend Israel for it's generoisyty
Like searching an Pal ambulance but not mentioning Pals carrying weeapons and fighters in ambulances. I stopped supporting them yrs ago IRC annouinced when they couild no longer pretend it was not happening,that they were "shocked"
More and more prices to be paid for occupying another nation for over 42 years in 21st century. And still there are people who find excuses for the ugly occupation..so why complain..more to come.
When Israel withdrew from Gaza, you shot thousands of missiles after them into civilian communities in Israel. It seems you need to be occupied to prevent your murdering and kidnapping. And that was before any blockade. Start acting civilized and maybe you'll be treated in a civilized way. We in the US have had our eyes opened to your kind from our experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. You seem to think you have some God-given right to kill as you please without any consequences.
Israel left Gaza in 2005. Stop the accusations! There in NO occupation in Gaza. And enjoy the gorgeous new shopping mall just opened in Gaza. Looks like you are really suffering
Honor is more important than life to some. But I have spoken to many arabs in Israel who have been to Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Saudi-- and ALL prefer the good life they have in Israel. If this is called "occupation" -so be it. At least the occupying force is HUMANE! All those checkpoints are a necessary evil so that some crazy arab doesn't murder in cold blood. Just a precaution based on evidence and history.
euhm.... 2010 is about 9 or 10 yeart in the 21st century, not 42... furthermore egypt and jordan let go of gaza strip and west jordan bank some years ago. out of free will. most probably because the inhabitants were so bothersome. most of it is now unclaimed terotry. some significant parts are claimed. why bother?
If you are an israeli, you occupy the majority of the people. That is the people of palestine. And for the fools who say "Oh there was no palestine before the creation of israel" Well there was no israel either. It wasn't israel before israel, it was PALESTINE, and it will remain palestine. And as long as you live and breath as an israeli, you should understand that you are there illegitimately. And you are an occupying force. Israel lobbys the US to side with it. And no one trusts you here in america, and no one even cares for you. Its only the government and a small number of radical evangelicals. Zionism is racisim, thank god israel is not the voice of the jewish people. God bless the jewish people, and god bless all muslims. They lived for many years in peace until ZIONSIM.
Kudos to the doctors yet when compared to the immense damage done to Congo by the former despot Mobutu, Israel's policy of support for the said despot of Congo certainly weighs heavy on the scales of good and and bad deeds in Africa. In 1981 Sharon, then minister of defense, paid a visit to Israel's good friend, President Mobutu of Zaire [latterly Congo]. The Israeli party was asked by their host to use their good offices to get the US Congress to be more forthcoming with aid. This the Israelis managed to accomplish. As a quid pro quo Mobutu reestablished diplomatic relations with Israel.
I hope our politicians didn't know about the plans of this despot. In any case, I am sorry about this.
It's amazing that Israel is the only country remembered as being friendly to Mobuto (except for the U.S.). Did I read in your comments that the U.S. also gave him aid? What of the immense damage done by them. It is interesting that when Israel gives aid without reward, people like you find reasons to condemn them.
Israel and Jews need to stop kissing up To the world These cowards from Netherlands are just another bunch of cowards who are willing to throw the Jews to the lions of it ment they will save themselves(considering all the Muslims in Netherlands it is no surprise they are sucking up to them) Israel needs to grow a pair and say either the coward volunteers have to go home or Israel should go home let the coward appeasers be the ones who have to sit their and have egg on their faces
The Arab world suffers from a split personality. It seems to forget the days of the Hebron Massacre and a time in the early 1900's when the concept of a Jewish state was embarrassing to Arab Nationalism. When suicide bombings and murders in Munich didn't work, you switch gears to peddle for sympathy from the international community, everytime Israel RESPONDS to an attack on it, not INITIATES an attack. The truth is the only thing that the Palestinians and Arabs are being "occupied" by....
They are under Israeli occupation, that makes you an occupee and a victim.
People don't know about the fact that Hamas bombed Israel for 7 years, and kidnapped Shalit - without red cross visit, and this was before the "siege". The "cast lead" operation and arm siege is a consequence. People don't know about Palestinians from Gaza getting medical care in Israel regularly. People don't know Israel supplies electricity and water to Gaza. People don't know that Egypt also has a siege on Gaza, because Hamas helps "Muslim Brotherhood" fundamentalists to overthrow the regime. They don't know or don't want to know? If you are honest with yourself and for peace, think: Young Israelis want to do high-tech, not to watch fences over Gaza! We tried the "no siege" method, and got shelled. We were in 67' borders before 67, and the world watched as we were about to be annihilated: Why should we try this again? If you're anti-semitic no argument will help, but if you are for prosperity of mankind and peace, why don't you say to Palestinians: "accept that also Israel has the right to live, as well as you, and live side by side, and prosper together" (this is not the Hamas charter see for yourself).
they're bottle rockets. more israelis have died of car accidents than hamas "attacks". i wish i could say the same of gazans dead from the idf, but alas.
You're wrong, the world is well informed about the ME. The problem is, we no longer accept the world's 5th military power oppressing and occupying a stateless people, whilst presenting themselves as victims. Those doing humanitarian work have strong views on right and wrong, thus their inevitable reactions when they meet Israelis. As for the Hamas charter, have you bothered to read the Likud platform on "Judea and Samaria"?
May I suggest you try to investigate about the origins of the name "Judea"?
that should be lol. I guess Israel should be grateful that the rockets only killed 35-40 people over the years. i say the biggest mistake israel made was giving Gaza back. but after we shoot a few at you lets see if you are still laughing. lol
about the ME. Gaza was given free will as they say in the bible. and it chose to use its freewill to fire rockets at Israel, who used its free will to defend itself. For a test of free will how about we get some rockets fired at Oslo, what do you thonk the norwegian govt would do? kiss the rocketeers on both cheeks?
with all your intense brown nosing of the Palestinians and anti semitic demonstrations participated by minister Halvorsen and others, Arab Terrorists are arrested in Norway. What are you getting wrong? Or simply don't understand?
and their crazy "leaders" who don't lead them with dignity?
I don't know where you live but if you were living like the residents of Southern Israel, you might well be talking differently about those "bottle rockets." The point is not that "ONLY" such and such a number of people were killed during those years. The intention to kill and to terrorize, to make normal life impossible, was surely there. If they didn't kill, well, it wasn't for lack of desire. Second of all, people could not conduct a normal life,. They were relentlessly terrorized. Every day another siren. Would you like to live like that? What would you expect your country to do if you were afraid - ON A DAILY BASIS - that your kids would get killed at school or in their beds? I can almost hear you thinking "Israelis deserve it because we are occupiers." Well, this was after we left Gaza. Yes, it was an imperfect gesture, but it was a gesture and well, every Israeli remembers what we got in response. How dare you, actually, make light of those "bottle rockets"? Why should any population have to endure that? Oh, I forgot. We're Israelis. We're different.
18 israelis have died I believe, thats about 2.5 a year. 5000 + dies every year in car accidents.
It is a moral failure in all times. to keep the Muslim Brotherhood alive, Tehran is an acceptable ally. Are the supporters of Gaza really enemies or the ordinary Gazans?
what about bus bombs, cafe bombs, etc. another ignorant bigot supported by haaretz
to israel launching mortars at a family picnicking on the beach from a ship, where they killed 8 out of 9 of them, leaving one little girl an orphan. The next day shalit was captured and then Israel cut off power and fuel to Gaza. This stuff doesn't happen in vacuum.
They are mapped out http://lawrenceofcyberia.blogs.com/news/2005/12/the_other_road__1.html
try and send your kids to school not knowing if the bottle rockets will land their and every time you hear one you wonder if the school was hit.As for palestinian dead in gazza well they are not exactly trying to defend their civilian by attacking the "mighty israel" knowing the response will come....palestinian kill brother palestinian that is a fact
the likud party made peace with egypt and jordan. who did the hamas ever made peace with? not even with their palestinian brothers from the fatah..or you choose to ignore this fact,i wonder why...you are misleading eighter from ignorance or just propaganda.
Its pretty funny that some of you are thinking that this is a good thing. Are you looking at the good that comes out of this? Or you going to blame the israeli gov. The israeli governors and the doctors are two different............ So is what you are saying.....that bec i was born in israel....i cant do any good bec you dont like my gov policies?
I have lived in many places and I am quite open about being an Israeli citizen- including to Palestinians and other Arabs/Muslims- and I have never had a negative response. People are generally curious, uninformed, biased but always pleasant.
Wakeup! smell the coffee! People are very fed up of seeing occupation and death of palestinians all the time ! one might understand your indiference or ignorance .( in the last sixty years you have been shielded from your responsibility to your neigbours ,you get tremendous military aid,but yoe are using it to futher your mindless ambition to have all of palestine because the bible say so! keep going , according to you everybody treats you "pleasantly" .That's exactly whats wrrong ! people treat you pleasantly because they know what happen to jewish people (holocuast) but uninform the reality on the ground (isreal's way!) those pleasantries are numbered. holocaust is stopped people where punished for it. and another genocide is happening in gaza now. occupation ,open prison . is not in their minds its realty on the isreal's ground. don't worry everything's fine ,you can go anywhere in the world as israeli! one day you will get the message! that the world would not sit by and let palestinian bei exterminated in isreali's hand anymore.
Most israelis blame people from Gaza to have voted for Hamas to the extend that they deserve to be killed by bombs of the israeli army Do not be surprised if other peoples in the world blame israelis to support war crimes of their army and government in Gaza and the occupation and apartheid in the West Bank , that represent only 19% of Palestine before the creation of Israel and that Israel want to occpy leaving zero territory to Palestinians
exactly!
No, you shouldn't. They do an excellent needed work all over the world. But I Understand you anger in that case
please do. they are a french org. and thus anti semitic as hell
As long as Israel denies proper medical care and the freedom of movment to the Palestinians, we should continue to reject their selective humanitarian missions. This is Israeli PR and nothing more. Nice try Israel.
Is when Hamas fires rockets into Israel from apartment buildings, and then begs the camera man to come film the dead babies that the response brought on... You want freedom for the Palestinians? why don't you have courage and ask Hamas if they give it first before Israel?
Israel goes above and beyond treating its enemy to medical care. remember this is still a war zone, now going on 62 years.
They don't need to be best friends
No Chris, they don't need to be best friends, that's not why they went. But your attitude needs serious adjusting. Why take time to read Jewish community newspapers yet have temerity as outsider to speak in negative tones? Anti-semitism perhaps??? NWhat are
Chris.....no they don't need to be best friends, not the purpose; but your attitude needs serious adjusting. Why the negative vibes? You read a Jewish newspaper as an outsider acting self-righteous and rude. Haaretz readership is so anti-semitic.
No blame hamas,hezbollah,,assad and the rest of the crap that roams the roads and streets of the arab world. Hate Israel is the word of the day everyday. What has caused this mess for over 60 years?"if you are honest the arab world will be your answer.
How is I srael an illegal state? Who are you to say that their services should have not been accepted, you weren't in need of their superior skill? Did you help? Recall in 1948 the UN mandate of the Balfour Declaration?
I seriously consider to stop my yearly donation to MSF, an oganization whose aims are most laudable in principle and will rather provide support to another orgaization that does not use to blend the higher task of human aid with self-righteous morality lessons and hateful behaviour towards dedicated people who want to help people in need.
They probably feel it is their duty to apologize for terrorists, and to abandon the rest of the Palestinians.
Don't forget Bernard Kouchner and other great jewish European doctors founded MSF
One thing is certain. Whenever there is a need for international aid you will not see an Arab delegation.
Just a few months ago a team of surgeons from the Emirates went to Haiti on a medical mission... People really need to get off their high horses and stop speaking in absolute terms.. If you want to see Palestinians send a delegation, then maybe you can help them get equal access to education and medical supplies?
Sorry. One country out of 23 Arab countries sent a delegation. As for hospital equipment there is absolutely no embargo and why should we educate people who publicly state that they want to destroy us in our Universities. Let them take some of the billions of dollars stolen by Fatah and set up a medical school
...before posting nonsense. Do you know ANYTHING about the humanitarian work, hospitals, schools, education, vaccination campaigns around the world being funded by Arab countries? Start checking out Qatar. They just don't beat their chests as much as Israelis do.
Facts is that much of the "humantarian" help to Africa is accompanied by massive efforts to convert people to Islam. And no, I am not speaking out of "hearsay", but because I have been several times in Africa. In formerly completely non-muslim areas, you got entire converted communities. And worse still: the imams are trained in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, etc. who adhere to the worst kind of Islam (Salafi/Wahhabi). This is called colonialism and is unethical by any means. This is NOT humanitarianism!!! Btw: my criticism also applies to christian missionaries.
no one knows about anything you just mentioned because it is propaganda pure and simple. No one every mentions arabs giving to the world except terror. They cannot even give their women the tiniest bit of civil rights..
The difference is that Arab countries and others don't use disasters like this for propaganda purposes. They just go to help, without first sending a media team to blow their horns, as Israel does. We're just sick of the hasbara.
I believe they culturally feel it is improper to beat their chests about it.
Saudi Arabia, Iran, the various Emirates, and any other Shair'a-run country for its shameful record on Women's rights, LGBT, and religious and ethnic minorities. Until the world puts an identical (or greater) pressure on those countries as it does on Israel, Israel will keep "beating its chest" for being treated unfairly by the world. Because like it or not, Israel is held up to a double standard, even though there is injustice against Palestinians.
While Israel builds hospitals and schools, invents and discovers life-improving tools and medicines, tries to help her citizens to have a good life ... all Hezbollah and Hamas (and El Khaida) do is build tunnels to spread death ... invent and discover different forms of war-fare ... condemns its citizens to a nightmare life. Am I the only one asking WHY?
Do you? Please supply facts - I could not find anything on the internet about all the good work these filthy rich few do for the poor majority ... thank you
While I think not every Israeli should be singled out because of what Israel does, poltiics isn't just politics in this case. It has real consequences, it means death and mutilation to people. It means cutting off water resoruces to people. It means a never ending war just to get more land and dispossess another people. It means racism. I am sure that as individiuals these doctors are about as good as any other person, but the anger they perceive from others is because we know that the Israeli public isn't doing enough to stop the war. saying it is just poltiics shows how little understanding the consequences of their government's actions.
The only racisim I see in this story is the one by the MSF doctors who believe to have the monopoly of good in the creation. When you say death and mutilation are you reffering to the victims of the bomb in Mike's Place, or some of the many buses that blew up in the air in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beer Sheva, etc? What never ending war are you talking about? You have no idea. The war can end at any moment. Recognize our rigth to exist, stop attacking us, kidnapping our citicens and it will end. What water resources are being cut off? Once again, you have no idea; you are just repeating like a parrot propaganda. You belive to be a do-gooder but you are no less than a self-righteuos blind.
Agreed that individual Israelis should not be judged in any on the basis of the worst of Israeli behaviour, ie the occupation, house demolition etc but I think the frustration of people from Western democracies, whether from USA, Europe, Australia and so on, is that OUR governments routinely protect Israel, and in the case of USA give obscene amounts of money to it. OK, this article is not about the BDS, but I link the growing support for BDS from people in Western democracies with our growing frustration with OUR governments to not only hold Israel to account in any way but go out of their way to support and praise it. It is this, rather than some comparison of Israel to other less than democratic states that motivate us. If OUR governments won't act, then we have to - however we can and even though our individual efforts are little in themselves. Israelis, whether they be the worst of settlers or the best of doctors engaged with humanitarian aid need to understand this. It may not always be fair but please don't think that PR regarding aid to other states in need, will ever provide any cover for the racism and crulty Israel routinely meets out to Palestinians.
Also, check out your maths on the relative deaths on each side. Incidences like these may be unfortunate, but there is an element of hypocrisy too in sending doctors to places like the congo as though Israel is concerned about saving lives when it is responsible for so many civilian deaths in Gaza. Short term PR exercises are no substitute for fixing the real issue over your countrys treatment of 1.5 million Gazans. That is the only way to regain international respect, which Israel has systematically squandered over the last 40 or so years.
Maybe Israel should do "good" for the Palestininas before traveling all over the world. These doctors should be stationed at checkpoints where Palestinians die waiting to get access to urgent medical care
Israel is ready to leave if the Pals agree to recognize Israel and live side by side in peace. The so called "moderate" Fatah has still not recognized Israel, Hamas wants to fight until they destroy Israel. The West Bank never belonged to Pals, Jordan relinquished her rights to it after losing the war the Arabs started.
Keen observation, John.
The palestinians deserve nothing.They created their hell by being oh so greedy and pinning all of their hopes on a victory in '48. They smelled the death of the Jews and the taste of reaping fhe homes of the Jews. Didn't work out did it? Now they cry. Boo hoo.
This is so true, good deeds begins at home and close to you.
and cries foul when israel stops an ambulance but closers their eyes to Pals using ambulances to carry weapons and fighters. Ditto for the Red Cross for a long time till the Red Cross could no longer pretend it was not hapenning then they wrere 'shocked"
At this very moment many palestinians are beeing treated in Israel, even if we are at war. To station doctors at checkpoints riscing to be blown up by bombs in ambulances is maybe not such a great idea. Maybe arab medical personel would help?
Ask a French MSN volunteer when their government will be willing to "free the Corsicans", or grant some kind of cultural autonomy to the "Bretons", or start treating the migrants from North African better. The reply will be very French! The same goes for most of the European nations who are still fairly "nationalistic" about their own, while they find ways of taking advantage of other EU nationals who have come to live within their borders. It may not be a denial of aid, or a boycott, but when, say Bulgarians who have a two-week yearly paid vacation vie for jobs as well as a series of lower National Health compensations with French job seekers, the employers will save money by hiring those "other Europeans". Likewise, Italians and Greeks might be offended if you reminded them of the ways they try to keep Albanians from entering their nations illegally. Or Germans, for that matter regarding the "Southern Europeans" from the Balkans who have come to settle in the BundesRepublik It's not the same, or at the same level, but to point fingers at Israel for being bad guys ignores that every country has its "other side" that it would rather not reveal. As an incident its more "obvious", but I guess Jews, and Israel aren't allowed the luxury of trashing ethnic minorities who live within their borders, and adjacent to them with impunity.
I don't remember the french bombing Corsica to a pile of dust, or the italians, or the greeks, or ... I don't remember either one of them violating Geneva conventions, UN resolutions, commiting war crimes, .... these past years. Israel is a pariah state, it will stay that way and only get worse until you start to realize what you're doing is horrific and wrong.
Although I do not question the skills of the doctors from the Zionist state, and I am sure they did a good job, their services should not have been accepted. They come from an illegal state, and the boycptt of this state needs to be foolproof, even to the extent that some must suffer. Sometimes one must make huge sacrifices for moral principle. As the Savior reminds us, "What shall it profit a man if he gaineth the world but loseth his soul?"
I think, you are not being honest. Try to suggest to those who were in pain that the help from Israeli doctors should have been rejected! It is not realistic. In reference to the scripture and the saviour, that is a misapplication of the same. To the reference to the saviour, that is misapplying the scripture
doctors first and overriding duty is the care of the Patient. What would you have them do? Sit there and watch their parents die, while perfectly capable doctors are sat in the next room twiddling their thumbs?
Yes, like it or not Israel, the jewish state is zionist : for the right of the jewish people to have a country of their own on part of their historical Land as stated by the UN 1947 Plan. Yes, we all know who accepted this plan and have a beatiful and powerful country and who refused it pushing the region in 60 years of wars. Your prejudiced reaction reminds me of the world reaction against arabs after 9/11. And one more time, it's not the existence of Israel which is illegal but your denial of it's right to exist, along with a palestinian state.
a full boycott of israel would mean, by the way, not using a computer. why dont you lead the way by stopping going online and writing what jobless, bored people scream in the streets of brussels (on weekdays preferably of course)
what a thoughtless comment. if you were seriously injured, surely you would be glad of ANY medical attention, regardless of who was providing it. whether the Israelis were there for PR, or just to "give", they helped, and unless you are in a position to do the same, you shouldn't judge.
if your savior is JC well he grew up in Israel
I have no doubt, that if a doctor would see a patient suffer and was forbidden because of his passport to help, he would stamp on it, and help the patient. Doctors should have different morals than others, unfortunate (not these doctors) but some doctors in Israel proper have really bad moral dealing with stolen human parts.
Please stop posting these ridiculous statements, not everything is invented by israelis and jews. And definitively not the IC, condensator, transistor and modern cpu. Also P4 was a failure, and Intel backtracked to P3, which was developed in cooperation with Palestinians in GAZA. And it was even named GAZA which they later changed...wonder why.
ow, please shut up. what does it matter if your life is at stake of what religion the doctor is? ( assumed all profs know and pleged to hippocrates (in the revised oat used after '45).
What gall. Who are you to say that Israel is an illegal state? It is as legal as the country you live in, whatever that is! And I would like to see you refuse to be treated by an Israeli doctor if your life depended on it. Let's see where you would put your moral principles then.
People around the world have little opportunity and no power to object to Israel's policies. When confronted with Israeli's in person, it gives them an chance to express their displeasure. This did not prevent all the doctors working together and getting the job done. I think Israel should expect more incidents like this in the future unless it changes how it interacts with the world. Incidentally, I'll bet the Palestinians could have used some burn specialists after Cast Lead and the white phosphorus attack.
How about the Israelis that have been murdered and maimed for life by the thugs who blew up busses, pizza stores, discos. The unbelievable civilian damage to Jews, affecting every Israeli. And YOU don't mention the damage your buddies caused. Cast Lead was caused by Hamas, not Israel. Israel will defend herself, wether you and your buddies like it or not.
They are once in congo for a week giving a few tones of medical equipment, but their good deeds will be talked about for years contrasting the crimes against humanity in the occupied territories and apartheid in proper Israel. As someone else said, good deeds begin at home. Lets see how good and nice we are at home then we can spread the real news about our true image and not the image we delude ourself into.
Its time msf grew up, stopped thinking themselves as angels betond reproach and get on with the task at at hand ie to treat and save lives - this should be their mission. Be hipocratical, not hypercritical. You are medical doctors, not politicians - rise above the polityical morass.
you never treat phosporous attack victims in Gaza during cast lead...world still remembers the photo which shows Israeli phosporous attack...
the Jews do.
Israel did setup a field hospital in Gaza, but Hamas forbade Palestinians to seek medical care there.
"[...], but also because it’s important to me to show that Israel is not the Flotilla Country that it is painted out to be" Quite honest but no surprise that that part of the mission was not entirely welcome. Israel is the flotilla country.
I am proud of Israel and I am proud of what they did to the Turkish Flotilla. It was none of Turkey's business to challenge Israel and the terrorists aboard the ship paid for it. Stay out of Israel's business..they are trying to survive in a sea of sharks
it is all so vague, that most of it appears to have been imaginings by the Israeli side.
the rest of world Jewry are being made to suffer because of the PERCEIVED situation in Israel regarding Gaza,West Bank etc. If we are being wrongly perceived, we need urgent PR representation to the world..if what they perceive is reality, then we need to change things here.
God forbid the non-Israeli volunteers cooperate with their Israeli colleagues to save lives and do so with appreciation. They may be medical specialists, but they obviously do not have the intelligence to put aside their opinions in order to do humanitarian work together. Whatever you can say about Israeli policy vis-a-vis the Palestinians, and personally i think it is abysmal, I will admit that Israel is always one of the first to send help to others people who need it after emergencies.
Can`t think of a single case where jews were welcomed visitors
Earthquake relief work in Armenia, Turkey and Haiti to name a few. What can you do? Some cultures are intent on destroying lives, others are out to save them. Decent people around the world recognize Israeli humanitarian aid even if political correctness asks that they be discreet about such support.
So the mask is off. That sham that we're not antiSemitic but merely antiZionist has come off. Mustafa, at least, is honest enough to acknowledge in essence that being antiZionist truly is to be antiSemitic.
This is a racist reaction - Does it means if some israelis were in danger for their lives they would do nothing to save their lives just beacause they are Israeli. Start to learn from Israeli doctors before giving lesson to other. Such beahavior are leads in the past to the destruction of the jewish people.
These MSF doctor and volunteers who put their selfish, self-aggrandizing, petty attempts at a boycott of anything Israeli before their duty to the patients don't see the fact that these Israeli doctors are alleviating the suffering of Congolese burn victims. Talk about being blinded by hatred. They're an embarassment to MSF and should be relieved of their duties.
These Israeli doctors are doing this volunteer work to improve the image of Israel, and to show that they are kind and caring, and not savages and killers. those MSF doctors have traveled around the world trying to save lives and have seen the brutality of Israeli soldiers/settlers in dealing with innocent and peaceful people like those 9 on the flotilla, Rachel Corrie, not to mention the thousands of Pals that were killed or beaten on checkpoints and their houses. Israeli's cannot have double standards and expect the world to respect them.
I want to add that a good chunk of Israeli's are kind and have great intentions but unfortunately their goverment's action speaks louder than theirs. The sad part about this is that good/genuine Israeli's are always linked to their goverment's evil behaviour.
Send rockets and bombs into residential areas? You hezbula. Are they not evil? I don't connect all Lebs with them, so you should exercise caution when you think that any kind action by a jew or israeli is a stratefic policy of the Israeli Government. Its a disgusting idea to hold
If you can't see that there are 2 faces to Gaza, too, there is a problem: 1) "Poor liitle Gazans with not luxuries in life" 2) "Poor little Gazans with no luxuries in life, because Hamas wants to keep them that way because it supports and benefits their charter and final solustion. " There is no doubt that life for the Gazans is not luxurious, but you can't just ignore Hamas' existance. Instead of complaining about Israel and showing pictures of the poor little palestinians, why don't you point fingers at Hamas. No Hamas = Peace in Israel between Jews and Palestinians. Or, do you like the suffering, because it makes the Jews look bad. No Gaza Suffering = No Jew Bashing That must be hard to live with.....
Before going on about Israel, maybe you should look at what's happening on your own side of the border. Iranian-backed Hezbollah calling the shots in the south, armed militias making the Wild West look like a cocktail party, a government that hasn't figured out how it can bow even lower to Syria...If you got your act together maybe you could formalize a de facto peace with Israel and be part of the solution, not the problem.
Sending bombs into residential areas was a reaction to something worse that your goverment did. This was retaliation to the IAF biased bombing to civilians, infrastructure, Red Cross, united nation post, etc. Your government’s action connected all Lebanese to Hezbollah and started to bomb everywhere...It's disgusting to remember those days as you guys had no mercy and most of your victims were sadly Lebanese kids. If your army fought with mercy and targeted only Hezbollah, then you might see the world in general taking Israel's side. People are judging you based on a long history of justified terrorism supported unfortunately by the US government.
the Iranian prox.y
If you're talking about the 2006 war, it was started by the hizbollah kidnapping Israeli soldiers and firing Katyushas into the north. Get your facts straight. The Hizbollah are just as guilty of targeting civilians as Israel was in that war, but Israel killed civilians because Hizbollah hid among them, whereas Hizbollah deliberately targeted them.
but the hizbullah hid amongst civilians, their homes, their apartments and their schools and mosques, they are to blame. point your fingers to hizbullah not to israil
I believe I remeber the war started after hisbollah killed and abducted israel soldiers from inside Israel, refusing to send them back. Difficult to target only hisbollah as their weapon sites are in peoples homes.
There are anti-semites among doctors too.
...and discusses about politics, maybe even taking another position? maybe I'm an anti-against-my-brother, anti-father, anti-boyfriend,...?
Guess they apply that to everyone except Israelis. Such humanitarians.
Israel's illegal occupation of the Palestinian territory and its policy of developping illegal settlements is wicked and blamed all over the world. That said, it's stupid to blame it on Israeli doctors, who're only in Congo to help and most of whom, most likely, are neither settlers, nor hard right-wingers.
2 states, Israel and Jordan Palestine. Those are the legal entities for the past 90 years.
If they ARE Settlers and right wingers??? You don't want their medical expertise to assist these poor people?? What are the Arabs/Palestinians contributing?? NOTHING, as usual. Only Israel is vilified for their humanitarian side, as in Haiti, where they erected a complete field hospital. Keep siding with the thugs. We love Israel.
The so called "Illegal settlements" must be proved being illegal. What do you call natural population growth, illegal occupation?
Anna, I know that you do not like to face, I dunno, the REAL world, in which the international community and thereby international law, state that the so-called aka indeed illegal settlements ARE ILLEGAL!!!! Just a characteristic of the Israeli government to ignore those litlle details!! BTW, Gianni, during the Haiti disaster, next to the HUGE PR stunt of the Israelis, the Gazan people actually did contribute something, maybe on a small scale (blankets), but that says a whole lot from a people who already have scarce means and face a most certainly existing OCCUPATION! Personally, I do think that politics should be left out when treating patients, but I most certainly understand the reaction from those doctors.
The settlements have nothing to do with population growth more to do with establishing facts on the ground
It hurts me to read this article as so much other Israel shunning which is going on and takes such personal forms. Be against a government policy alas, but to be hostile to a doctor team which comes to save lives....it is shameful, what a poor behaviour. So much for "san frontiers" .
Israeli medics donate their time and skills to relieve the suffering of horribly burned people and their colleagues who should be focusing on the same thing use it as an excuse to attack them for the actions of their country. I'm far from a supporter of Israel, but those Israeli medics should have been commended for their actions, not condemned for actions not taken by them.
they would be treating Israel's child victims of white phosphorous in Gaza. This is just more hasbara. These doctors will leave the Congo as soon as they have milked the PR as much as they can, just as they did in Haiti.
You have no idea how much time and money is spent in Israel treating both children and adults from Gaza and the WB? I do, I've been there and helped.
Unfortunately your words of truth will not be recognized by this lynch mob. I, personally, would like to thank you for your words.
unless this good doctor is lying through his teeth
You shoot them and then you treat them, correct?...I am sure the people in Gaza appreciates all your effort doctor to keep them alive after losing few of their organs. This is so pathetic.
they have become another Palestinian mouthpiece
How is it possible to attack doctors going to Africa to help, as Israeli doctors and other helpers have done for tens of years. How??? Except for totally inhuman beings..................
,rather then performing the same services they give to wounded NATO soldiers. Practice revealed in the Danish press some few months ago and defended by the Danish doctors under " quality of life of severly wounded Afghanis would be very low if they survived.."
The Red Cross has also helped train the Taliban to care for their wounded.
fighting on the West's side ,and left to die by the NATO doctors regardless. And wounded Talebans in NATO hospitals should also be tended by the doctors ,if they're doctors that is ,not paid apparatchiks of NATO.
And using civilians as shields, firing from schools and stockpiling rockets in private houses. Had they preferred to fight away from civilians, their casualties would have been smaller, despite Israel's morale standard to avoiding civilian casualties such as phoning ahead at the cost of losing military targets. NATO learned this first hand and if your state is a member, you have no right to criticize.
The Western doctors and nurses have only one psychological defense: they can't fault the Israelis for doing what they, themselves, are doing, so they have to justify their hatred of Jews by blaming the Israelis for the 'occupation.' I guess they took the "Hypocritic Oath" as opposed to the "Hypocratic Oath."
the bigotry of Jewish nation is not an exclusive to Hamas. To the contrary, they only can exist because of this silent layer of Christian Anti - Semites. Stay strong Israel and don't hesistate to knock off some those Canadian anethsesiologists... that's how there own husbands treat them when they gett too high on waterpipes. Bring your own next time.
No use trying to deny that. Now if they had problems with Jews from the US or Europe that would be anti-semitis. As it is, there were just political tensions. (Would you be partying with a team from Iran?)
Doctors are not known for being astute investors or having particularly well informed notions of history and politics. Doctors Without Borders fits the bill perfectly. I love it when I get solicited by these folks. The answer is a resounding no and my reason is the uninformed, anti-Israel, anti-semitic and anti-humantiarian stand that so many of them take on Israel. Jews are deserving of protection and those that try to take their lives quite appropriately expose themselves to risk of life, limb, hunger and deprivation. If the "good-doctors" don't get that, too bad for them. What I don't like is them trading off their humanitarian branding. They have no particular insights or knowledge and, insofar as their views of world politics, economics, policy, have zero insight. Insofar as they provide medical aid to those in need, they deserve cudos, so long as they are not discriminatory in selecting their patient populatoin.
there is not such a thing as anti israel. they are all antisemites calling themselves antizionists. they are so confused with their feeling and ideas that they are uncapable of reasoning. situations which are normal for other nations are considered war crimes or human rights violations for israel.
Could you explain what you mean by occupiers ? Are refering to the 1967 war and it's arab land grab or the arab lands captured after arab lost wars or Even the very presence of the jewish state on part of it's historical land ? It's a complex situation and always bashing Israel as the bad guy is not very clever nor honest
and do the most efficient job as proven in Haiti....
ha ha ha! you wouldnt need to defend yourself if your not where you shouldnt be or take things that doesnt belong to you perod one doesnt need to take other people's proprety to protact yourself as you say. according you no one knows justice like you do .so justice is when you exterminate palestinians and have all their land thats justice? is that what hitler says no to? professor.
od doctors from other occupying nations? Chinese, russians, even british ( Northern Ireland and the Malvinas. Who is and is not a occupier can become a filosofical discussion , even the dutch colonies can be considered occupied, or why not Greenland. I aggree there is a huge palestinian suffering through the situation, but other nations are suffering to, and does MSF act accordingly in their reactions?? I do not think so!