Suit: Jerusalem hospital's refusal to admit Palestinian may have caused death
Suit states MDA paramedic spent 20 minutes pleading with the guards to let stabbing victim in, but was turned away.
By Fadi Eyadat Tags: Israel news East Jerusalem PalestiniansA Palestinian taken by ambulance to a Jerusalem hospital was denied entry by hospital security, which may have been a factor in his death, according to a suit filed last week in the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court.
The man died en route to another hospital.
The incident occurred in 2006. The man, Mohammed Hanafsa, 28, a resident of Abu Dis, had been stabbed in the chest during a brawl. The Palestinian ambulance that came to treat him decided to take him to Hadassah University Hospital because of the severity of his wounds, and contacted Magen David Adom, the suit stated. A MDA paramedic joined the ambulance crew at a roadblock.
Palestinian ambulances generally are not allowed to enter Israel. Instead, patients from the West Bank are transferred to MDA ambulances. In this case, however, because of the severity of Hanafsa's injuries, the Israel Defense Forces allowed the Palestinian ambulance to enter Jerusalem.
Hanafsa reportedly lost consciousness at that point. The vehicle was allowed to pass through the outer gate of Hadassah University Hospital, Mount Scopus, after the paramedics explained the circumstances.
When it reached the inner gate, however, the guards would not let it go any further. The MDA paramedic spent 20 minutes pleading with the guards, and offered that they search the ambulance, but it was ultimately turned away, the suit stated.
The ambulance then left for Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem. Hanafsa died en route.
According to a medical opinion attached to the suit, there was a reasonable chance that Hanafsa's life could have been saved had he received proper medical treatment.
A spokesman for the hospital said this week that it had not yet received the complaint, and would respond afterward.
Hanafsa's father said his son's murderer was a cousin of former Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qureia.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
Can you imagine sitting there in your house a grenade thrown in the house on fire one of your children killed the other on big hole in side where you stuffed towels. The whole neighborhood shot up by helicopters you lost your id and your injured as well. NO place to sleep that night. NO insurance paper no anything. No money and you carry your child to a hospital they wont wait on you. Your a Jew they said. Can you imagine two days later it happens to a Palestian? Three days later it happens to a Jew again. Next it happens in Ireland, next in China. When is it going to end? Hate eventually has to stop. We are 10 years behind in peace negotiations. We are 10 years behind in intelligence of advancement technology. Why didnt you help? Rankoo-Karoon
The distance from the guard post in Hadassah hospital to the emergency room is a few tens of meters. Why didn't they carry him into the emergency room on a stretcher?
"you show me one Arab Muslim country where a Jew would get the same treatment".... Jordan, except that when Jewish tourists are taken to the hospital, they refuse treatment because the doctors aren't Jewish!
Lest we forget, the sad death of Mr. Hanafsa is among many who suffer as he does. Palestinian women going into labor at checkpoints, elderly and the disabled being denied access to healthcare, not allowing people to get the surgeries and care they need abroad, and so forth.
"I am always amused at the perception that Israeli`s think a Jews life is worth more than a Palistinian`s. Whenever it comes down to "swopping" people, it is the Palistinians who set and demand a skewered value, namely, 400 prisoners for the body of one dead Israeli, or 20 women for 1 video recording. Why dont the Pals ever accept 1 for 1. The fact that they are prepared to "pay" more for their own, only proves that they care more for their own" Are you kidding me with this? Have you considered the possibility that when there are 11,000 Palestinian men, women, and children imprisoned by Israel - and just one single Israeli being held by the Palestinians, that when Israel massacres at a ratio of 100:1, when Israel forces 4 million people into abject poverty and dehumanization, that maybe, just maybe it is Israel who sees the Palestinian as less of a human being than an Israeli?
Would be interested to know how many people have died in some countries (the ones which are shining examples of humanity to the rest of the world), because they have been shunted from one hospital to the next because they do not have the right, or insufficient medical insurance. That is ensuring the security of their bank account....which to me is far worse
I am always amused at the perception that Israeli's think a Jews life is worth more than a Palistinian's. Whenever it comes down to "swopping" people, it is the Palistinians who set and demand a skewered value, namely, 400 prisoners for the body of one dead Israeli, or 20 women for 1 video recording. Why dont the Pals ever accept 1 for 1. The fact that they are prepared to "pay" more for their own, only proves that they care more for their own
I have read about numberous IDF attacks on ambulances but have seen no proof of the bomb carrying ambulances. To even suggest that Israeli racism is the Palestinians own fault is the sum total of propaganda that you seem to have swallowed. Does it give one that clear of a conscience? These Israeli security gaurds are no more than an Israeli version of 21st century brown shirts.....PEACE EVER?
Unfortunately, Israeli security guards are not known for being friendly, compassionate, open-minded or happy. They are usually intimidating, verbally abusive, impatient, arrogant and uneducated people. This applies to hospital security guards also. (Of course, there are exceptions, but this applies to most of them.) This story is shocking, disgusting and almost cannot be believed. Yet, I do believe it. The security guards who refused to let a dying man in an ambulance enter the hospital should be prosecuted for manslaughter. If not for their actions, the patient would most likely still have been alive.
Please be honest and quit behaving like hungry rats looking for the one spoiled piece of cheese. If you set one foot in any hospital in this country you would see that there are no borders and this country does more for its pallestian neighbors than the countries that surround it. I was recentl in Mt Scopus for a week and The doctors, patients, workers are Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Orthodox, Secular.. do we screw up sometimes sure.. but please be honest and quit looking for tid bits.. you show me one Arab Muslim country where a Jew would get the same treatment...oh never mind we were kicked out.. PUHLEASE
The Moslems have decided that missiles are more important than hospitals, and then have the Chutzpah to blame the Jews for not caring for them!
And self righteous Israelis complain about the Goldstone report and are shocked by Turkish TV dramas that portray Israeli soldiers as oppressive tyrants...
would not be the first time. blame the blessings of Pal terrorisme.One more friendly victim this Hanafsa. Had the red crescent ambulance first gone to the Makassam hospital He might not have died. Whatever the murderer belongs to the Qureia clan
If Arabs have not spent the last decades using ambulances to transport terrorist, arms, bombs and every other dirty trick imaginable than this poor man might still be alive. Anyway, why is Israel blamed for his death and not Ahmed Queria's cousin?
For some Jews apparently only Jewish life has any value. There ale lot of proofs in halacha, anyway.
"security reasons"