Netanyahu finally agrees to Sarkozy request to rebuild Gaza hospital
PM told French President he wished to accommodate Paris due to 'strident stance that France has taken on Iran's nuclear program.'
By Barak Ravid Tags: Iran Nicolas Sarkozy Israel news GazaPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally agreed Tuesday to a request by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to rebuild a Gaza hospital damaged during Operation Cast Lead.
Netanyahu told Sarkozy by phone Tuesday that he had decided to approve the project as a humanitarian gesture. The premier also said he wished to accommodate Paris due to the "strident stance that France has taken on Iran's nuclear program."
Sarkozy made the request during Netanyahu's visit to Paris earlier this year. The hospital in question is Al-Quds Hospital, which is managed by the Red Crescent Society in Gaza.
Sarkozy added that the initiative is a joint venture between France and Qatar, the wealthy Gulf sheikhdom that broke off relations with Israel during the Gaza war.
The prime minister told Sarkozy earlier this year that Israel would consult with the defense establishment on the matter, yet in practice nothing materialized.
Last week, Netanyahu and Sarkozy met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly opening session in New York. A source in the prime minister's bureau said that Sarkozy raised the issue again during the meeting. Netanyahu, in turn, promised to update the French leader within a number of days.
Upon his return to Israel, Netanyahu instructed defense officials to make the necessary preparations to allow for the hospital's reconstruction.
Yesterday, Sarkozy called Netanyahu, who gave the go-ahead for the project.
"We have decided to allow the rebuilding of the hospital," Netanyahu told Sarkozy. "I am doing this as a humanitarian gesture and in light of the great friendship between us."
Officials in both the Defense Ministry and the Foreign Ministry had proposed that Israel condition its acquiescence to the initiative on a gesture from Qatar.
Netanyahu, however, rejected these ideas, insisting that the move was a bilateral gesture toward France.
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Re: What about schools and universities Jews destroyed? What about them? When Ismail Haniyeh hides in a bunker beneath Al-Quds Hospital, is he "safe" on base, or simply transforming the hospital into a target? Hamas certainly doesn't have any qualms about targeting Jewish kindergartens in Sderot; why should ISrael cavil to go after the Hamas rocketeers' master, even if he hides underneath a hospital? Moreover, I lift my hat to you for describing Israel as "Jews". You've drawn the lines in crystal-clear terms, no apologies needed. No more pretense that you can say "Israel" and pretend that you aren't using some code for "Jews". The gloves are off, along with the mask.
"Allowing" a hospital to be rebuilt as a "gesture" is pathetic and reinforces everyone's belief that Israel is not the peace loving moral beacon that it claims to be. Should have been done a long time ago. We alreay know Hamas is evil--nothing new there. Israel needs to separate itself.
Is actually the HQ of Hamas and where Hamas' arch terrorist hid during Israeli reprisals.
No support should go to repairing buildings used to house Terrorist leaders and their infrastructure of terror. Once again France aids the bad guy. We saw this in Lebanon with the rescue of Arafat, we saw this Iraq as France helped build Iraq's nuclear facility, and we saw this in Syria, Morocco and Lebanon when French soldiers sided with the Axis and fired upon Allied soldiers during WW2. Which side is France on?
Why so much time to re-build a hospital? Why keep oppossing these civilians..
Israel finally blinked. Admitted that IDF damaged a hospital. Sure sounds like an admittance to a war crime.
Naming a hospital with a revisionist name will not further the Palestinian cause nor will their callous and cowardly use of the facility during wartime to purposely draw Israeli fire and in turn, international ire against the IDF. Hamas will insist on a heavily reinforced underground safety bunker at the hospital while they'll chip in for the "No Civilian Trespassing" sign to be posted there by them during the next conflict.
We can have every confidence the materials will be allowed in, just like pasta was allowed in. Nobody's starving quite yet and cholera hasn't yet broken out. But 10,000 are now living in tents with another winter coming on. Bibi must be ecstatic!
How big hearted of Netanyahu! What empathy! Humph! How pathetic that France and Qatar need to embark on the rebuilding of a hospital bombed by the "chosen!"
to permit the rebuilding of a hospital that the IDF destroyed. Would this be the same getleman that sings 'natural growth' when settlements are discussed it seem that in his view the palestinian population is shrinking and they dont need to rebuild damaged hospitals not to talk of new ones.
Inspectors must verify building materials aren't diverted towards the construction of bunkers and rockets.