Palestinian health: the truth, the lies, and the statistics

doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7474.1110

BMJ 2004;329:1110 (6 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7474.1110

reviews

PERSONAL VIEWS

Palestinian health: the truth, the lies, and the statistics

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Anumber of articles relating to the conflict between Israeland the Palestinians have appeared in medical journals recently.They all follow the same pattern, presenting uncorroboratedstatistics, condemning Israel for supposedly attacking Palestinianhealth services, and, most disconcerting of all, questioningIsrael's basic right to exist.

Derek Summerfield's article ( BMJ 2004;329: 924[Free Full Text]) is a sterlingexample of this genre. Space prohibits a detailed response toall his claims; I shall therefore limit my response to fourspecific points.

The first is his use of statistics. Summerfield ignores thefact that Israeli casualties are overwhelmingly civilian (www.ict.org.il/)and that many of the aggressors are on the payroll of the PalestinianAuthority, which is heavily financed by the European Union (http://eufunding.org/accountability/NewFPCReport.html).Summerfield's selective application of numbers would not beacceptable in medical research, so why does he present themto BMJ readers?

. . . [Full text of this article]

-->

Simon M Fellerman, principal in general practice

Leeds

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us Add to Digg

Digg

StumbleUpon Add to Technorati

Technorati What's this?

Relevant Articles

Should journals mix medicine and politics?: Kamran Abbasi
BMJ 2004 329: 0. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Palestine: the assault on health and other war crimes: Personal view was one sided and unhelpful: Mark Berelowitz
BMJ 2004 329: 1101. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Palestine: the assault on health and other war crimes: Only way forward is to open up a dialogue: Liz Lightstone
BMJ 2004 329: 1101. [Extract] [Full Text]

Palestine: the assault on health and other war crimes: "But about who's suffering worse—there's no argument": A M Rouse
BMJ 2004 329: 1101-1102. [Extract] [Full Text]

Palestine: the assault on health and other war crimes: More heat than light in this debate: Tom Marshall
BMJ 2004 329: 1102. [Extract] [Full Text]

Palestine: the assault on health and other war crimes: Summerfield's outrage is misplaced: Irwin J Mansdorf
BMJ 2004 329: 1102. [Extract] [Full Text]

Palestine: the assault on health and other war crimes: Personal view from Israel: Alexander J Lustman
BMJ 2004 329: 1102. [Extract] [Full Text]

Palestine: the assault on health and other war crimes: Summary of responses: Birte Twisselmann
BMJ 2004 329: 1102-1103. [Extract] [Full Text]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Thanks for helping to set the record straight: Joy Wolfe
bmj.com, 4 Nov 2004 [Full text]
International justice: Mark Struthers
bmj.com, 5 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Thanks for factually accurate article worthy of BMJ: more facts: Judith Issroff
bmj.com, 5 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Thanks for factually accurate article worthy of BMJ: more facts: Judith Issroff
bmj.com, 5 Nov 2004 [Full text]
the Inner World and the Wider World: susanne mccabe
bmj.com, 5 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Re: Thanks for factually accurate article worthy of BMJ: more facts: susanne mccabe
bmj.com, 5 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Facts from Amnesty International and the Israeli government: Norman Bauman
bmj.com, 6 Nov 2004 [Full text]
THE THINGS IN THE RIGHT PLACE: CELIO LEVYMAN
bmj.com, 6 Nov 2004 [Full text]
The myth of 97%: M. Grant
bmj.com, 6 Nov 2004 [Full text]
We are indeed looking for facts and the truth: Joy Wolfe
bmj.com, 6 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Re: We are indeed looking for facts and the truth: Norman Bauman
bmj.com, 7 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Long Live Personal View: Rupert A Gude
bmj.com, 7 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Editorial Responsibility: Simon AP Jenkins
bmj.com, 7 Nov 2004 [Full text]
The Human Perspective: Isaac Hassan
bmj.com, 8 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Re: Re: We are indeed looking for facts and the truth: Joy Wolfe
bmj.com, 8 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Re: Editorial Responsibility: Adrian S. Blaj
bmj.com, 8 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Shame on BMJ for being bullied into this 'reply': Sami Timimi
bmj.com, 9 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Palestinian health: Jeffrey S Hillman
bmj.com, 9 Nov 2004 [Full text]
The UK is Apartheid: Andrew M Fink
bmj.com, 9 Nov 2004 [Full text]
palestinian health: daniel c hurwitz
bmj.com, 9 Nov 2004 [Full text]
It never fails to amaze me...: Yoav Tzabar
bmj.com, 9 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Re: Editorial Responsibility: Mark Struthers
bmj.com, 10 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Palestinian Health: Vaughan P Smith
bmj.com, 10 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Re: It never fails to amaze me...: Paul Winter
bmj.com, 10 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Response from Derek Summerfield: Derek A Summerfield
bmj.com, 11 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Response to Derek Summerfield: Abraham Dunn
bmj.com, 12 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Dear oh dear, Dr Summerfield: Mark Berelowitz
bmj.com, 15 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Re: Dear oh dear, Dr Summerfield: Mark Struthers
bmj.com, 15 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Response to Dr Berelowitz: derek a summerfield
bmj.com, 15 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Re: Re: Dear oh dear, Dr Berelowitz: Mark Struthers
bmj.com, 16 Nov 2004 [Full text]
Long Live Personal view and Rapid Responses: Rupert Gude
bmj.com, 21 Nov 2004 [Full text]