Physicians for Human Rights-Israel strongly condemns the decision of the High Court of Israel in the case of Muhammad al-Kourdi from the Gaza Strip.
According to the decision, the patient can be “removed” from an Israeli hospital on Tuesday, 3 October - in spite of his severe medical condition - because of his inability to pay for an escort by a court imposed private security company.
Background:
Muhammad al-Kourdi, age 20, was denied entry into Israel on “security grounds", thus he was unable to receive emergency life saving health care unavailable in the Gaza Strip. Efforts made by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel led the Israeli security forces to agree that al-Kourdi will be allowed in, provided that he funds a private security company to accompany him 24 hours a day for the length of his hospitalization within Israel. However, the patient is poor and unable to pay the daily NIS 1,500 ($350). Physicians for Human Rights-Israel and Mr. Al-Kourdi, represented by Adv. Yohanna Lerman, appealed to the High Court, and agreed to its request to fund a week, so as to allow the court, and the state time to give their principle position on the question.
As a result, Mr. al-Kourdi entered Israel on Monday, and was hospitalized at Tel HaShomer Hospital.
The High Court yesterday, 27 September 2006 decided that it is the sole responsibility of the Palestinian Authority to pay for the private security company, and that the State of Israel bears no responsibility for the life of Al-Kourdi. It ordered that if payment is not ensured, the patient can be “taken out of hospital”.
This decision is a blow to both human rights and medical ethics, as it does not consider the patient’s inalienable right to health and the autonomy of medical professionals to decide regarding a patient’s discharge.
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel condemns the court’s ruling, as it:
§ Relieves Israel from any responsibility to protected persons in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
§ Allows Israel to deny access to health by forming yet another economic obstacle (funding private security company), while its own policy of closure and boycot of the tax revenues create a deep economic crisis in the oPt.
§ Supports the privatization of the security of Israeli citizens (if al-Kourdi is indeed as dangerous as the State claims).
§ Demands NGOs like PHR-Israel, to pay and fund, what is under the State’s responsibility.
In light of this decision, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel will turn today to the international community for any assistance in ensuring that Mr. Al-Kourdi is not sent back to Gaza until he is discharged by his doctors based on their professional and independent medical opinion: this is the only acceptable criterion for discharge.
For more information:
Maskit Bendel, Director, Occupied Territories Project, +972-54-7700477
Shabtai Gold, Public Outreach, +972-54-4860630
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel http://www.phr.org.il
According to the decision, the patient can be “removed” from an Israeli hospital on Tuesday, 3 October - in spite of his severe medical condition - because of his inability to pay for an escort by a court imposed private security company.
Background:
Muhammad al-Kourdi, age 20, was denied entry into Israel on “security grounds", thus he was unable to receive emergency life saving health care unavailable in the Gaza Strip. Efforts made by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel led the Israeli security forces to agree that al-Kourdi will be allowed in, provided that he funds a private security company to accompany him 24 hours a day for the length of his hospitalization within Israel. However, the patient is poor and unable to pay the daily NIS 1,500 ($350). Physicians for Human Rights-Israel and Mr. Al-Kourdi, represented by Adv. Yohanna Lerman, appealed to the High Court, and agreed to its request to fund a week, so as to allow the court, and the state time to give their principle position on the question.
As a result, Mr. al-Kourdi entered Israel on Monday, and was hospitalized at Tel HaShomer Hospital.
The High Court yesterday, 27 September 2006 decided that it is the sole responsibility of the Palestinian Authority to pay for the private security company, and that the State of Israel bears no responsibility for the life of Al-Kourdi. It ordered that if payment is not ensured, the patient can be “taken out of hospital”.
This decision is a blow to both human rights and medical ethics, as it does not consider the patient’s inalienable right to health and the autonomy of medical professionals to decide regarding a patient’s discharge.
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel condemns the court’s ruling, as it:
§ Relieves Israel from any responsibility to protected persons in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
§ Allows Israel to deny access to health by forming yet another economic obstacle (funding private security company), while its own policy of closure and boycot of the tax revenues create a deep economic crisis in the oPt.
§ Supports the privatization of the security of Israeli citizens (if al-Kourdi is indeed as dangerous as the State claims).
§ Demands NGOs like PHR-Israel, to pay and fund, what is under the State’s responsibility.
In light of this decision, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel will turn today to the international community for any assistance in ensuring that Mr. Al-Kourdi is not sent back to Gaza until he is discharged by his doctors based on their professional and independent medical opinion: this is the only acceptable criterion for discharge.
For more information:
Maskit Bendel, Director, Occupied Territories Project, +972-54-7700477
Shabtai Gold, Public Outreach, +972-54-4860630
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel http://www.phr.org.il