Amnesty Presents the "Hamas Report" as Theirs!!

Amnesty's report on this summer's conflict between Israel and the Hamas terror group accuses Israel of wrongdoing while producing no evidence. It is a report which could easily be interpreted as a plagiarized Hamas report

The report ignores documented war crimes perpetrated by Hamas, including the use of human shields, as well as ammunition storage and firing at Israeli civilian population centers from within schools, hospitals, mosques and civilian neighborhoods in Gaza.

The report does not mention the word terror in relation to Hamas or other armed Palestinian groups, nor mentions tunnels built by Hamas to infiltrate Israel and perpetrate terror attacks. By ignoring the nature of the enemy Israel faced in Gaza - a terror group recognized as such by the European Union, the United States and others - Amnesty's report fails to contribute to the important discussion needed to solve the conflict. Instead, Amnesty serves as a propaganda tool for Hamas and other terror groups.

In Israel, investigations are currently underway by several bodies, inside and outside the Israel Defense Forces, into over 90 incidents. Two criminal investigations are underway. These measures are dismissed by Amnesty as insufficient yet in comparison to Israel's rigorous procedures Amnesty's own methodology raises questions: The report was not written by Amnesty staff but by local contractors not mentioned by name and referred to only as "field workers". Their own credibility in producing the testimonies detailed in the report is never questioned; independent verification of their claims apparently not deemed necessary.

The extreme bias of the report is best displayed in its recommendations: Hamas is not mentioned, as if the group has no responsibility for the bloodshed; meanwhile, the report dismisses Israel's security challenges. Amnesty should understand that producing a narrow, decontextualized report restricts its capability to advance positive change. 

Christian in Haifa Expresses his Vews

A view of one of, what I believe, is the silent majority. what a pity that they feel threatened when expressing the opinions. 

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JH. is not an ordinary man. J who was born in Haifa identifies himself firstly as an Israeli citizen: secondly as a Christian and lastly an Arab. An Israeli-Christian-Arab in that order. He has a strong conviction that the Jews have a  claim on Israel. Two things make Joseph extra ordinary: his thoughts about Jews and his lack of fear in expressing those views.

 He is 38 years old, married with 4 children, two sons and two daughters. After high school Joseph studied accountancy and business management at Haifa University. His acquired knowledge helped him build a business making custom made furniture in his workshop in Downtown Haifa. He speaks with pride when he says he owns is own home and can provide for his family.

J. admires the Jewish people and calls them ‘brilliant’.  ‘From nothing’ he says ‘they have built a great nation’. He sees them as a people with unique God given abilities that think creatively and make good managers in business. He also believes that the Jews have a historical right to claim Israel as their national homeland with Jerusalem as the capital. These views would cost J. his life if spoken in the West Bank or Gaza: even in some Arab communities within Israel he could expect persecution by way of rejection. He states that many Christian Arabs feel this way but are too afraid of speaking out.

J. wants a strong Israel. When Israel shows weakness he says Christian Arabs feel insecure. With concern he sites the recent wars and compares them with the Yom Kippur war in 1967 when Israel took Jerusalem for its capital. Since 67 Israel have gained nothing from their battles. He highlights the recent war in Gaza and asks after all the losses on both sides what has Israel gained? Hamas lives to fight again. This he says is a weakness of Israel’s leadership and a recipe for disaster.

J. says to survive in Israel a man needs a dream. His dream is to enter into politics and have a place in the Knesset. He speaks of Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King as men who had dreams and became leaders. Today he is a hard working carpenter: tomorrow could be a different story.

Healthcare for Palestinians

From the Director of International Public Relations - Emek Medical Center, Afula

It borders on the incomprehensible how the western, educated, cultured, democratic and ‘balanced’ world focuses its media-generated wrath against Israel.  Better to remember that no country on this earth is beyond constructive criticism, especially western super-power societies with dubious histories of their own.  But – let’s not go there.

As is our trademark, I want to share with you something positive so as to offer you a choice on what to focus … something positive and uplifting, instead of depressing negativity.     

Nivin was born in Ramallah (in the Palestinian Authority), married and now lives with her husband in East Jerusalem.  Her battle with breast cancer brought her into the sphere of Sonja Dinner, a Swiss-based international philanthropist who cares deeply about the plight of women in Arab societies.  Sonja is providing invaluable support for the creation of Emek’s Comprehensive Breast Care Center and decided to step out of the box and bring Nivin to Emek for a sensitive and necessary surgical procedure. 

Get the picture?  A Muslim Arab woman living in a society where such things are not even openly discussed, from an area that could be the flashpoint for another war, traveling through checkpoints with her Palestinian Muslim husband to Israel’s Emek Medical Center – the mecca of coexistence through medicine – to be treated by a team of Jewish & Arab Israeli physicians for a disease that women in her society suffer from in silence.

Nivin, her husband and Sonja met with Emek’s Professor Dan Hershko (Head of Surgery ‘B”) and Dr. Azziz Shoufani (Head of Plastic Surgery).  She was examined and later operated on in what proved to be a highly successful procedure.  With Sonja’s help and encouragement, Nivin is now a role model for other women in her society and is helping to break through Arab taboos surrounding this deadly disease.                  

  

Sonja Dinner (left) with Nivin in her East Jerusalem home

Expert medical attention (unavailable in the Palestinian healthcare network) was called for and they came to Israel, to Emek.  Another in a long line of Palestinians who have been saved here.

I’m proud to be living in a country where offering such help is the norm.  I’m even more proud of Emek’s humanitarian professionals who, through their fingers and hands flow the magic of healing and ultimate reconciliation. 

It is unsensational acts such as these that represent real hope.  Do you understand that?  

Hamas dependants can go to Israeli hospitals but not Gazans!

Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Major General Yoav Mordechai, on Monday accused Hamas of a double standard for allowing the daughter of the group's leader Ismail Haniyeh to receive medical treatment in Israel.

"When there is a personal interest, Hamas has no problem in allowing patients to come into Israel," Mordechai said during an interview with the Palestinian news agency Ma'an.

Mordecai criticized Hamas conduct during Operation Protective Edge, claiming that the group's leaders prevented injured Gazans from reaching the field hospital set up by Israel on the Gaza border.

The hospitalized girl is one of Haniyeh's 13 children. She suffered complications from routine treatment, was transferred to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv via the Erez Crossing, and sent back to her home last week.

When Israel receives a request for treatment, it is not interested in the relatives of the patient, whether it's Haniyeh or some other people," said Mordecai.

"Haniyeh's daughter is one of more than the one thousand patients from the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Authority areas, both adults and children, that we treat each year," said Ichilov Hospital in response.

A Palestinian source told the Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that the treatment and transfer of the patient had been coordinated with the Palestinian Authority, and that relatives of other Palestinian officials had also been treated in Israel in the past.

Diplomatic Assault More Dangerous than Hamas

By Michael Oren, former Israeli Ambassador to the USA

In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas proved that he is not a partner for peace.  And a Palestinian leader who accuses the State of Israel, which arose from the ashes of the Holocaust, of committing genocide in Gaza, apartheid and ethnic cleansing, has no intention of becoming a partner for peace either.

In his previous General Assembly speeches, Abbas denied the Jewish people's historical connection to the Land of Israel and Jerusalem. But this time he conveyed an unprecedented message: He does not want negotiations - not even American-brokered talks - and is not interested in durable pace based on security arrangements and mutual recognition...

Abbas' plan basically sets an impossible ultimatum for Israel : He has asked the UN Security Council to impose a nine-month period of negotiations, during which the core issues will be discussed based on the 1967 borders, without security arrangements and with a solution to the refugee problem.  If Israel refuses to accept these conditions - and there is not a single Israeli government, even a left-wing one, which will be prepared to accept them - Abbas will turn to the International Criminal Court in order to impose sanctions on Israel as an occupying force of a UN member state...

We must not forget that we are not operating in a void. The United States and President Barack Obama are currently dealing with significant threats in our region, led by ISIS . When Obama said in his UN address that the establishment of a Palestinian state was part of the war on ISIS, he was basically demonstrating how the regional challenges are only increasing the pressure on Israel...

We must not wait for the point in which we have lost control over our future. Our approach is to initiate for our future.

Israel`s Contribution to Palestinian Healthcare in 2013.

(With thanks to Charles Abelson of TbT – Truth be Told)

Quick Overview:

Since 1967, when Israel captured the areas of Judea and Samaria, Palestinian infant mortality has been reduced from approximately 100/1,000 to 13.49/1,000. Gaza: 15.46. Life expectancy has risen by about 10 years.

1)  Life Expectancy

a)    Judea, Samaria 75.69 years

b)    Gaza 74.64

c)    Jordan 74.10 years

d)    Egypt 73.45 years.

e)    Turkey 73.29 years.

f)     Israel 82.1 years (higher than USA)

2) Mortality Rate

Palestinian Territory’s low rate of Infant mortality also belies any accusation of "genocide".

Infant mortality rate compares the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year, and is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country

Both the West Bank and Gaza have a lower rate of infant mortality (13.49 and 15.46) than Egypt. (22.41 deaths per thousand births), Syria (15.79), Jordan (15.73) and Turkey (21.43).

In spite of all evidence to the contrary, the enemies of Israel and the enemies of truth continue to bandy about spurious accusations of "genocide".

Massacre? Genocide? “Do not care”? You decide.

2013 Judea, Samaria:

Health Permits: Israel permits the transfer of Palestinian patients for treatment in Israel whenever required due to inadequacies in the Palestinian health system. The number of medical permits issued were (previous years also stated):

2011:   197,713

2012:   210,469

2013:   225,410

Due diligence: for each patient, one permit was issued for a family member accompanying the patient. Thus for 2013 there were about 110,000 patients (over 400 each weekday) and about 120,000 permits for family members.  

Massacre? Genocide? “Do not care”? You decide.

Emergency transfers:

In emergency situations the rapid transfer of patients in dire need of advanced medical treatment to be examined in Israeli hospitals is permitted.

In 2013 the number of emergency medical evacuations rose, with Israel providing 2,207 evacuations by ambulance (up from 600 in 2012) and 11 medical evacuations by helicopter (up from 10 in 2012).

Israel also arranged for the overseas treatment of five Palestinians whose medical needs were unable to be met in Israel.

Massacre? Genocide? “Do not care”? You decide.

Children:

The number of Palestinian children from the West Bank who received medical treatment in Israel in 2013 stood at 40,000, an increase from the previous year's 21,270.

Israel was responsible for the coordination and funding of 10 "fun days" for 250 Palestinian children, who were also joined by members of their families.

Israel spent more than a million NIS to provide various treatments for dozens of Palestinian children hailing from families unable to afford the necessary medical bills (probably unable to afford Palestinian health insurance payments).

Massacre? Genocide? “Do not care”? You decide.

He who saves a life saves the world. The story of one Palestinian child, Yakub Bachziat, 16, Bethlehem

Yakub was born at Sharei Tzedek Hospital (Jerusalem) in Israel and was immediately diagnosed with acute kidney failure. His condition led to several other medical problems, and he had to undergo several treatments in the hospital. None of his family members were compatible donors, so the family, completely despondent, turned to Dalia Basa, the Israeli Health Coordinator with the Palestinian Health Authority for help. Three days after Dalia met with the child, a donor was found: a deceased Israeli child whose parents had agreed to donate his kidneys. Immediately, Yakub was transferred to Schneider Medical Center (Petach Tikva) for the life-saving transplant. The operation and medical expenses at Schneider were covered by Israel, at the cost of 200,030 NIS. Since the surgery Yakub has maintained perfect health.

Training

Israel promotes the development of the Palestinian health system through several different programs and training.

 In 2013, 2,314 Palestinian doctors, nurses, and other medical health care professionals attended 159 courses, conventions and programs that Israel hosted.

Israel provides a special program for training physicians, nurses and technicians at Israeli hospitals, for  the sake of operating hospitals in Judea and Samaria, and to improve the Palestinian health system.

Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital (Jerusalem) trains 60 Palestinian interns who are replaced every year. Also, technicians and nurses from the Bet Jala Hospital (Palestinian Authority) are trained in cancer treatment, while a program operates out of Augusta Victoria Hospital regarding diagnostic medicine.

During May 2013, the Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Hanni Abadin, paid an unprecedented visit to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. Dr. Abadin thanked Hadassah for the opportunity to visit and for its services, visited Arab children hospitalized at Hadassah and gave them gifts.

Massacre? Genocide? “Do not care”? You decide.

2013 Gaza:

Health: Erez Crossing (People)

The Erez crossing is open between the hours of 08:00-16:00 Sunday through Thursday, and 08:00-14:00 on Fridays. However, it is staffed 24/7 in the event of emergency.

Medical Permits for Gaza Palestinians

In cases of dire need, Israel permits the entrance of patients in need of medical treatment in Israel. Medical Evacuations- High priority is given to the processing of medical requests. The services requested by those who received permits to enter Israel included hospitalizations, long-term treatment, and short-term emergency medical care. In 2012  there were 9946 cases

In 2013, 13,734 permits for healthcare in Israel were granted, of these - 4,519 were in need of specialized medical transport, which was provided for them.

Despite frequent claims that Israel turns away ambulances carrying people in desperate need of medical services, in 2013, out of the 1,189 ambulances which requested permits, 1,188 received them, and only one was refused.

Amongst the Gazan residents treated in Israel were the sister and granddaughter of Hamas`s leader, Ismail Haniyeh.

Health: Kerem Shalom (trucks)

In 2013, Israel coordinated the entrance of 2,311 truckloads of medical supplies, carrying thousands of tons of medical equipment into the Strip. Included in these shipments were large amounts of polio vaccines, as periodic tests turned up positive for poliovirus in the area. In order to ensure the health of residents in Gaza, Israel took special measures to ensure sufficient shipment of the needed vaccine.

Massacre? Genocide? “Do not care”? You decide.

How did Hamas make payment for these healthcare services? In 2013, a relatively quiet year, there were only 41 rocket attacks on southern Israel.

Gazans Speak Out: Hamas War Crimes

 Mudar Zahran September 19, 2014

Full report at http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4706/gazan-hamas-war-crimes#

Mudar Zahran is a Palestinian writer and academic from Jordan, who resides in the UK.

"If Hamas does not like you for any reason all they have to do now is say you are a Mossad agent and kill you." — A., a Fatah member in Gaza.

"Hamas wanted us butchered so it could win the media war against Israel showing our dead children on TV and then get money from Qatar." — T., former Hamas Ministry officer.

"They would fire rockets and then run away quickly, leaving us to face Israeli bombs for what they did." — D., Gazan journalist.

"Hamas imposed a curfew: anyone walking out in the street was shot. That way people had to stay in their homes, even if they were about to get bombed. Hamas held the whole Gazan population as a human shield." — K., graduate student

"The Israeli army allows supplies to come in and Hamas steals them. It seems even the Israelis care for us more than Hamas." — E., first-aid volunteer.

"We are under Hamas occupation, and if you ask most of us, we would rather be under Israeli occupation… We miss the days when we were able to work inside Israel and make good money. We miss the security and calm Israel provided when it was here." — S., graduate of an American university, former Hamas sympathizer.

While the world's media has been blaming Israel for the death of Gazan civilians during Operation Protective Edge, this correspondent decided to speak with Gazans themselves to hear what they had to say.

They spoke of Hamas atrocities and war crimes implicating Hamas in the civilian deaths of its own people.

Although Gazans, fearful of Hamas's revenge against them, were afraid to speak to the media, friends in the West Bank offered introductions to relatives in Gaza. One, a renowned Gazan academic, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that as soon as someone talked to a Western journalist, he was immediately questioned by Hamas and accused of "communicating with the Mossad". "Hamas makes sure that the average Gazan will not talk to Western journalists -- or actually any journalists at all," he said, continuing:

       "Hamas does not want the truth about Gaza to come out. Hamas 
        terrorizes and kills us just like Daesh [ISIS] terrorizes kills Iraqis. Hamas           is a  dictatorship that kills us. The Gazans you see praising Hamas on TV           are either Hamas members or too afraid to speak against Hamas. Few               foreign [Western] journalists were probably able to report what Gazans             think of Hamas."

Many more comments in the full report at  http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4706/gazan-hamas-war-crimes#