FYI Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 19 Mar 1996 23:48:07 +0200=20 From: Daniel Ben-Avraham <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Closures in Palestine - MoH Report (fwd)=20 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 14 Mar 1996 20:43:18 +2:00 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Professor Carmi Margalit <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Closures - MoH Report Dear Carmi, Please find enclosed a report & appeal from the Palestinian Ministry=20 of Health, for your perusal. Thank you. _____________________________________________________ MINISTRY OF HEALTH PALESTINE NATIONAL AUTHORITY Report Number 3: March 14, 1996 THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CLOSURE ON ACCESS=20 TO ESSENTIAL HEALTH SERVICES IN PALESTINE Today marks the 11th day of the continuous total closure imposed by the=20 Israeli Authorities on each and every Palestinian city, town and village. T= he=20 closure entails:=20 =FA_=09Confinement of all Palestinians each to his/her place of living and = denial=20 of exit from it. Including denial of access to essential medical services a= nd=20 to food supplies. =09 =FA_=09Denial of all Palestinians access to Israel, including access to ess= ential=20 medical services not available in Palestine as a result of the 28 years of= =20 occupation. =09 =FA_=09Denial of all Palestinians access to travel abroad irrespective of t= he=20 purpose. =FA_=09A standstill of all trade and business activity between the differen= t towns=20 and villages. =09 =FA_=09Loss of sources of living for several hundreds of thousands of worke= rs. The Palestinian Ministry of Health views this confinement of the Palestinia= n=20 population in totality as an unwarranted act of collective punishment. The= =20 difficulties imposed on the Palestinian people as a result of this closure = are=20 unprecedented in magnitude and harshness. The consequences of the=20 closure are starvation, and health catastrophes. The Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people have openly denounced= =20 the acts of violence committed against Israelis and vouched to continue the= =20 struggle for peace. Violence takes forms other than bombings. These include= =20 denial of access to essential health services. Denial of access to work whi= ch=20 is leading to starvation. Combating violence applies to all the forms it ta= kes.=20 Examples of what has occurred have included the following, only to mention = a=20 few: =FA_=09A newborn baby from Qalqilia requiring urgent admission to hospital = in=20 Tulkarem died at the Tulkarem checkpoint as a result of denial of entry to= =20 Tulkarem. =09 =FA_=09A lady in labor was denied entry to hospital in Bethlehem. She deliv= ered=20 at the checkpoint. The two newborn twins died at that checkpoint. =09 =FA_=09A 50 year man from Rantis village with a heart attack was denied ent= ry to=20 Ramallah. He died at Rantis checkpoint. =09 =FA_=09A 54 year old lady suffering from intestinal obstruction was kept fo= r five=20 hours at the Eretz checkpoint. She died on the way to hospital. These forms of violence are inseparable from the bombings. Those who claim= =20 to be opposed to the violence and who are exercising all that is in their p= ower=20 to stop it, should not be practicing violence themselves. We appeal to all people in the world, to the leaders of all the nations, to= the=20 co-sponsors of the peace process, the Presidents of the United States of=20 America and of the Russian Federal Republic, to the International=20 Organizations, the United Nations, the Humanitarian Organizations, the=20 International Committee of the Red Cross, and the World Health=20 Organization. We appeal to them to exercise pressure on the Israeli=20 Authorities to immediately lift the closure and put an end to the human=20 catastrophes resulting from it. We declare that the following is resulting from the closure: _1_.=09Thousands of medical staff in governmental and non-governmental=20 hospitals are denied access to their places of work. This has weakened=20 the ability of the medical services to cope with the increasing demands=20 imposed on them as a result of the closure. =09 _2_.=09Thousands of patients are denied access to hospitals and health cent= ers=20 in all the Palestinian cities, towns and villages. =09 _3_.=09Ambulances, and other vehicles transporting patients are not permitt= ed to=20 travel to and from the Palestinian Authority areas. =09 _4_.=09Palestinian villages are deprived from essential curative and preven= tive=20 medical services. =09 _5_.=09The Israeli Authorities insisted at the negotiations to standardize = the=20 immunization program for both Israel and Palestine. As a result of the=20 closure, the Essential Program of Immunization has now stopped in the=20 Palestinian cities, towns, and villages due to inability of both patients a= nd=20 medical staff to reach the health centers. In addition, supplies of vaccine= s=20 have run out. We are unable to replenish supplies as these are obtained=20 through Israeli sources. We here would like to ask the Israeli Minister of= =20 Health how he can accept on principle that Israeli children continue to=20 receive their immunizations whilst Palestinian children are being deprived= =20 of them. This imposes a health hazard not only to Palestinian, but also to= =20 Israeli children and other children in the region. =09 _6_.=09While the Israeli Authorities yesterday declared that they would per= mit the=20 passage of essential drugs to the Palestinian Authority, they have=20 imposed unacceptable conditions and obstacles regarding the transfer=20 process. In addition, the Palestinian pharmaceutical companies are=20 rendered unable to produce their usual quantities because of the=20 impossibility of their work force to get to their work locations. In additi= on it=20 is impossible to distribute pharmaceuticals that happen to be in stock. =09 _7_.=09Cancer patients in Gaza, and West Bank cities are still prohibited f= rom=20 going to Israeli hospitals to receive treatment. There are sixty such=20 patients. Dr. Levanon, Health Coordinator for Gaza, has suggested that=20 these patients may be sent to Israeli hospitals, however, there is no=20 possibility for their return. =09 _8_.=09Since February 25, 1996, ninety eight applications for patients from= Gaza=20 requiring treatment in West Bank hospitals have been submitted to the=20 Israeli Authorities to permit their passage from Gaza to the West Bank.=20 Only eight patients were permitted. =09 _9_.=09A serious drop in the pharmaceutical stocks in the Palestinian Autho= rity=20 has occurred. This requires immediate replenishment. =09 _10_.=09Children suffering from chronic renal failure are not permitted pas= sage to=20 dialysis units in Israel. =20 =09 _11_.=09Adult patients suffering from chronic renal failure, for whom dialy= sis=20 facilities are available in Nablus, Hebron, Ramallah, Gaza, and Khan=20 Younis are denied access to the relevant health facilities . =09 _12_.=09We are unable to make available the necessary medical solutions for= =20 chronic renal patients who are undergoing continuous ambulatory renal=20 dialysis at their homes. =09 _13_.=09We are unable to provide the hospitals with the necessary oxygen=20 supplies, and other important medical supplies . Surgical threads and vital= =20 drugs come under this category. =09 _14_.=09The National Vaccination Day against Poliomyelitis is due, as agree= d=20 following last years vaccination day, to be on February 21, 1996 in=20 Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. All children up to five year= s=20 of age should have received this vaccine. One million and one hundred=20 thousand doses should be distributed on that day. Given the current=20 closure, we will not be able to vaccinate our Palestinian children. The=20 danger of spread of Poliomyelitis amongst Palestinian children will be=20 very high. =09 _15_.=09On March 11, 1996 a few cancer patients were given very special=20 permission to pass through the Eretz check point as they required=20 lifesaving treatment in Israeli Hospitals. The vehicles transporting them= =20 were not allowed to pass. How were they expected to get to hospitals in=20 Tel Aviv in this very strict closure. Walk from Gaza to Tel Aviv on foot ? =09 _16_.=09Palestinian physicians who work in villages are not permitted to ge= t to the=20 villages where they work. Consequently, these villages are being deprived= =20 from essential primary care services. =09 In spite of our continuous appeals to the Israeli Ministry of Health and to= the=20 Israeli Minister of Health, Dr. Ephraim Sneh in person, to rescue our child= ren=20 and patients and help with the essential medical supplies and vaccines, we= =20 have unfortunately received no response. The so called coordinator of Health Services for Gaza, Dr. Levanon, has not= =20 responded to any of the letters or telephone calls from the Director-Genera= l=20 of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. Is this the so-called coordi= nation=20 ? The Israeli Authorities have been asking for cooperation and coordination= =20 with the Palestinian Authority. We have been working jointly to create a=20 center at Eretz check point to treat both the Palestinians and the Israelis= .. The=20 Israeli Authorities coordinated with the Palestinian Ministry of Health at = very=20 high levels for purposes of workshops and study days. Today we experience= =20 extreme suffering, when our children are dying at the military check points= ,=20 when our elderly are dying inside ambulances not permitted to get to=20 hospitals, when our ladies are giving birth at the check points and the=20 newborns are dying there, we do not even find a listening ear from the Isra= eli=20 side. The following is a list of tragedies that have resulted from the imposed=20 closure: 1 Yasser Amen Ebrahim Nazal, 55 years old, from Kabatya, suffering from=20 Combined Fracture of the Left Hip, was not permitted to go to Makassed=20 Hospital. 2 Hussin Mahmood Hussin Al- jamal, 62 years old from Tulkarem. He was=20 prevented from going to Al-Watany Hospital in Nablus. 3 Zakya Al - Shaarawi , 34 years old, High risk delivery, she was not allow= ed=20 to reach Al- Makased. 4 Amjad Maher Abu Ayshh, 12 years old from Beitlahim, he suffered from=20 Kidney failure, he was not allowed to go to Shaare Zedek Hospital. 5 Mustafa Kaleel Ibraheem Dar Mohamed, 25 years old from Jerico, suffering= =20 from Oseophageal Perforation, and because the closure he could not reach=20 Ramallah. 6 Riyad Rafidi, he is 42 years old from Ramallah, he is suffering from=20 Myocardial Infarction, could not reach Al Makased Hospital. 7 Akif Suliman Abu Aram, 32 years old from Hebron, suffering from Spinal=20 Fracture, he could not reach Al-Makased Hospital. 8 Jamal Abu Labn, 23 years old from Beitlahem, suffering from Hemophilia,= =20 Upper Gastro-intestinal bleeding. It was impossible for him to get to Al- Makased Hospital. 9 The child Shaker Basem Shawahneh, a 21 day old newborn from Qalqilia,=20 he suffered from Pneumonia, he died at Tulkarem check point. 10 Mohamed Abd Al-rhman Mohamed Al-deek, 83 years old from Qalqilia,=20 suffering from Skull Fracture, he was prevented from going to Nablus. 11 Mohamed Daood Aodeh, 3 years old from Qalqilia, he is suffering from=20 Skull Fracture, he was not allowed to reach Nablus. 12 Hana Anadony, 10 years old, from Beit Jala suffering from Chronic Renal= =20 Failure, he could not reach Hebron=20 13 Basema Khalaf, she is 17 years old, from Nablus, suffering from=20 Hemorrhage requiring Platelet Transfusion, due to Hemophilia, we are still= =20 unable to bring the platelets from Israel. 14 Nadera Omar Fotyan, 19 years old, suffering from Hemorrhage requiring=20 Platelet Transfusion, due to Hemophilia, we are still unable to bring the= =20 platelets from Israel. 15 Maher Abu Al- Rub, 28 years old, suffering from Hemorrhage requiring=20 Platelet Transfusion, due to Hemophilia, we are still unable to bring the= =20 platelets from Israel. 16 Mfaddy Yousef Mohammed Bsharat, the coordination for his passage=20 lasted for 10 hours before permit was issued to him, so that we can possibl= y=20 transfer him from Jericho to Jenin. 17 Admon George Habash, died at mental Hospital at Beitlaheem. The=20 coordination lasted for more than 5 hours at the check point. He was checke= d=20 for two hours at the check point. 18 Mustafa Abd Alwahed Nayef, 54 years old, suffering from Acute=20 Myocardial Infarction, he died at checkpoint Rantice on 13\3\1996. 19 Hanan Omar Zayed Twins from Hussan. The Twins Died at Biet Lahem=20 check point. 20 Khadijeh Mohammed Adwan. She is 54 years old from Biet Hanun=20 suffering from Intestinal Obstruction, she was kept at Eretz check point mo= re=20 than 5 hours, and died before reaching hospital. 21 Ahmad Abd El Hameed Abu Amran, 4 years old from Dier Al Balah=20 suffering from Cerebral Hemorrhage. He was not permitted to reach Tal=20 Hashumair Hospital. 22 Ahmad Zanoon, He suffers Acute Cerebral Hemorrhage permit to transfer=20 him to Alshefa Hospital in Gaza was denied. 23 Ala' Al Deen Said, 35 years old from Gaza he suffers Lung Cancer ,he=20 was prevented from reaching Tal Hashumair Hospital=20 24 Manal Araf Mushtha, 31 years old from Gaza, she suffers leukemia, she=20 was not able to reach Haifa. =20 25 Rami Riyad Jaber, six year old child from Gaza. He needs badly=20 Ophthalmic surgery, but could not reach the Ophthalmic Hospital in=20 Jerusalem. 26 Eehab Hussun Allah , 4 years child from Gaza , he was stopped from=20 going to the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem . 27 Salah Mohmood Kraar, 37 years old from Gaza, requiring Neurosurgery,=20 he could not pass to Al-Makased Hospital. 28 Zeinab Al-aswad, 46 years old from Gaza, suffering from Leukemia, she=20 could not possibly reach Assuta Hospital. 29 Hamdi Abu Ghalyon , 28 years old , from Gaza , requiring Vascular=20 Surgery, he was not able to reach St. George's Hospital. 30 Mayson Abu Wadi, four years old, from Gaza, suffering from Congenital=20 Heart Disease, was unable to get to Al-Makased Hospital. 31 Ahmad Jaber Madi, 3 years old , Ventricular Septal Defect, was not=20 permitted transfer from Al-Naser Hospital in Gaza to Al- Makased Hospital i= n=20 Jerusalem. 32 Fayad Madi, 18 years old, suffering from Ventricular Septal Defect, was= =20 unable to get transfer from Al-Naser Hospital in Gaza to Al-Makased Hospita= l. 33 Suria Hassan Abu Sultan, 51 years old , suffering from Acute Myocardial= =20 Infarction, was unable to move from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza to Al-Makased= =20 Hospital in Jerusalem. 34 Ahmad Shhadeh Shaheen, 11 years old ,died from Cardiac Arrest, having=20 been denied access Al-Makased Hospital in Jerusalem . 35 Musa Shhadh Hasnain 45 years old, suffering from Heart Attack, was=20 unable to reach Al- Makased Hospital. We therefore ask the international community to intervene and put an end to= =20 the human catastrophe being caused in the name of stopping violence and=20 promoting peace. Finally, let us pray together that there will be an immedi= ate=20 end to this suffering. Signed: Dr. Munzer Al-Sharrif, Deputy Minister of Health, Palestine National Authority.
