Revision/Retraction re: Doctors without Borders & Israel

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Revision/Retraction re: Doctors without Borders & Israel

By editor / May 10, 2015 / No Comments

I have received this from a different friend, with respect to the article below, which I previously sent out.
If you took the first mailing to heart, you must read these criticisms.
Apologies for any and all false or overblown accusations.

I am skeptical of this, although I usually swear by Dershowitz’s accuracy. Here, I think he may have taken hearsay too uncritically.

These allegations against MSF are old — they were leveled in 2011.

The article in Haaretz was more nuanced. It sounds as though there was initial unease between the teams, but that things worked out in the end:

Despite the initial tense atmosphere, the Israeli doctors forged a partnership with Morren, one of the 10-odd MSF volunteers working in Uvira and Sange.

Morren, a surgeon, stayed with the Israeli team the first and second day. Together they completed a total of five complicated operations requiring extensive skin grafting. The Israeli team was wearing heavy protective gear for fear of contracting HIV and other diseases in the stifling heat of a makeshift operation tent. After consulting with the local Congolese doctors, they took off some layers, realizing risk was lower than they initially assessed.

“Politics is only politics, and you have to know how to make it melt away,” Winkler said. “Our mission is a humanitarian operation through and through, as part of the vision of Sheba and its director general, Professor Ze’ev Rothstein.”

He said that Dr. Morren “helped us a lot at the hospital – he took over communicating with patients and with hospital authorities and did stuff for us that we could never have done ourselves.”

Here’s the Huffington Post article, including most of the text of the MSF clarification as a result of its investigation into the allegations: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-spitzer/setting-the-record-straig_9_b_694619.html

It’s true that Doctors without Borders criticized the impact of Israeli strikes on Gaza civilians, and they probably — like all the other do-gooder organizations doing the same — aren’t qualified to assess that. But it’s interesting that, if you read the full Doctors without Borders clarification, their wording makes it absolutely clear that the Israeli strikes on Gaza were in response to Hamas rockets on Israel, which is a lot better than, ahem!, the NY Times! Here’s the quote:

These principles were the basis for MSF’s speaking out in January 2009 during “Operation Cast Lead,” the Israeli military response to rocket attacks against Israel.

Here’s the Doctors without Borders link to the clarification:

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/field-news/statement-clarification-regarding-msf-collaboration-israeli-doctors-eastern

________________________________

Received from a friend:

DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: An Organisation With A Cynical, Hateful & Bitter Culture Towards Israel …. UNBELIEVABLE!

.DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS:.An Organisation With A Cynical, Hateful & Bitter Culture Towards Israel.

THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT:

If you think Médecins Sans Frontières are doing a wonderful job,

please read this:

To:

The Chief Operational Officer

Médecins Sans Frontières

Sent to the Australian Office and New York Office.

Subject: Dismay

Dear Sir/Madam,

When my daughter wed in July 2006, in lieu of gifts she asked for

donations to be made to Doctors without Borders / Médecins Sans

Frontières as our family had always supported the Group.

Well, I have a regret. I’ve just read a presentation by Alan Dershowitz

“Doctors Without Borders” erected borders when it came to Israeli

doctors who flew to the Congo to treat 50 local villagers who had been

severely burned. The Israeli volunteers worked around the clock,

treated the burn victims and trained local doctors to perform skin

grafts, and donated tons of medical equipment.

But Doctors Without Borders refused to work with the Israeli medics

and para medics and treated them “as though we were occupiers.” –

quoted one Israeli medic.

Dr. Marie Pierre Allie, President of the French branch of the

organization, said that “Israel’s actions in Gaza were actually worse

than the Darfur genocide in the Sudan.”

Only a blind wombat could even make such a comparison! MSF has an

apparent problem with one democratic Jewish State but is quite at

ease with the existence and actions of 56 dysfunctional & corrupt

Islamic states. As one critic has put it well, “These are Doctors With

Borders – and without scruples.”

Google “Doctors without Borders Israel” and you will get more

confirmation of the reactions around the world.

My family will no longer donate to Doctors without Borders until this

cynical, hateful and bitter culture towards Israel – which obviously

emanates from the top – ceases.

I shall disseminate this email as widely as I can and shall ask

recipients to forward it on also.

George Greenberg

Melbourne Australia

P.S: Who are the first on the ground when natural disasters strike ?

Who are real heroes and experts during these catastrophes’ ?

Who commits with ‘boots on the ground’ & medical supplies ?

For all concerned,

Hundreds of Israeli soldiers and tons of Israeli supplies are headed to Nepal as part of the relief effort after the massive earthquake in the country.

According to the IDF, Israel will be setting up the first operational field hospital in Nepal — including operating rooms, X-ray equipment, maternity ward, and paediatric care — to provide emergency services to the wounded.

This is the side of Israel you don’t see on the evening news — the incredible compassion of her people.

<http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1YnQD%2FCSLfl0z1nGYanmjM%2B4K2kILt6V> Sign your name to thank Israel and show your solidarity with those suffering from this weekend’s massive earthquake in Nepal

Israeli soldiers will also be conducting search and rescue missions in collapsed buildings. “Because we will be arriving in a relatively short time, we are hoping to find survivors underneath the rubble, so for this stage the main mission is to save lives,” said Col. Yoram Laredo of the IDF.

This is the true story of Israel — a technically advanced country using her expertise to help fellow nations in need. We thank you for helping us tell that story.

.PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL FAR AND WIDE.