BMJ  2005;330:254-255 (29 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7485.254-b

Letter

Palestine: the assault on health and other war crimes

Response from Israel Medical Association

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

EDITOR—I write with regard to Summerfield's much debated article.¹ Many of the things that he cites, besides resonating with hatred, are presented in a complete vacuum, and we were surprised to see them published in a respectable medical journal despite the author's clear political agenda and the total lack of corroboration of any claim made.

Israel is required to defend its citizens daily from terrorist activity, an obligation that in no way contradicts the reality in which Israel, on a daily basis, provides medical care to Palestinians.

According to a report of the health coordinator of the civil administration for the West Bank, in the first half of 2004 alone, more than 200 Palestinian children received treatment in Israeli hospitals, and more than 19 000 patients were given permits to receive medical care in Israel. The civil administration also clarified 1000 delays of patients and medical personnel at . . . [Full text of this article]

Israel Medical Association, 2 Twin Towers, 35 Jabotinsky St, PO Box 3566, Ramat Gan 52136, Israel estish@ima.org.il

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