Letter to the WMA
A Letter to the President of the World Medical Association Concerning the Attacks of Israel
Dear Yoram Blachar,
I am writing you this letter because I remember our long discussion during my and my colleagues visit to Israel and Palestine on behalf of the Turkish Medical Association (TMA) in January 2003. I remember your concern as you underlined our common values in the medical/health environment while you were sharing with us your position “Regarding the IMA's position on Professional practice and medical services in times of armed conflict” that the Israeli Medical Association (IMA) prepared in April 2002.
Today being the president of the Israeli Medical Association (IMA) at the same time as holding the office of the president of the World Medical Association offers you new opportunities and but I believe also gives you certain responsibilities.
The incidents in Gaza Strip that we have been observing with great concern, deep sorrow and extraordinary quietness in last few weeks - and beyond questions about reasons, justification, solutions or who is right or wrong and which are of course important - compel us to intervene in the incidents as physicians and health organisation.
Information concerning the attack on medical staff/physicians and health vehicles from several organisations including the Israeli Physicians for Human Rights Organisation and our common values in our documents, especially “the world medical association regulations in times of armed conflict”[1] make an URGENT action plan obligatory.
Some examples of the “Attacks on Medical Personnel and Serious Obstacles to Evacuation of Wounded within the Gaza Strip”[2]
“Attacks on medical personnel:
December 31, 2008: Helicopter fires on medical crew evacuating wounded: in Jabal Kashif in northeast Gaza a crew set out to offer assistance. While approaching the bleeding victim on foot, they were hit by helicopter fire. Dr. Ihab Madhun, medic Muhammad Abu Hasireh, as well as the injured victim, were killed.
January 3, 2009: Second attack on a house after medical crews enter to evacuate the wounded: The house of the Dabbabish family in Sheikh Radwan had already been bombarded. As a crew of medics dressed in medical vests arrived on the scene to tend to the wounded the house was bombarded for a second time. One person was critically wounded: Ayyad Ahmad.
January 4, 2009: Ambulance belonging to the Al Awda Hospital in Beit Lahiya was hit by helicopter fire. Arfa Abd al Daim, a senior volunteer medic was killed and two other medical personnel were critically injured.
January 4, 2009: Tank fires on ambulance during attempts to evacuate a family in Tel Alhawa. Inass Fadil Naim, Yassir Shabir and Rifaat Abdel Al were killed.”
We witness that in these cases authorities often claim that the medical instruments such as ambulances and medical uniforms were used for military purposes to legitimate their interferences. Of course the “Privileges and facilities afforded to physicians and other health care professionals in times of armed conflict must never be used for other than health care purposes”, a subject that you shared with us during our visit and also included in the document of WMA, have great importance. Keeping these principles in mind, I believe that you also agree that none of those incidents mentioned above can be justified with such reasons nor can they be natural.
The state of war is against the very reason of being of our profession, thus it is unacceptable to us physicians and health professionals.
I believe that making a public statement and calling for an urgent WMA meeting concerning the attack of Israeli government on Gaza Strip,
-to apologise for our colleagues who were killed and call upon the authorities to make the necessary inquiries about their deaths,
-for the protection of our colleagues and their work conditions under attack,
-to strengthen the solidarity with our colleagues and other health staff who have been working under harsh conditions,
-to ensure the travel freedom of the medical personnel and patients,
-to ensure the circulation of goods, medical supply and drugs foremost,
-for the protection of the lives of the civilians, children and women foremost
will resonate in our conscience and would also relieve your heart as the president of the World Medical Association.
I am convinced that these steps that you will undertake as the president of both Israeli and World Medical Association are both, opportunities and responsibilities in a time where the state of war seems to be absolute in our region while the anti-war point of views of the physicians and their proofs for the disasters of war are being ignored.
I believe that after these steps - and feeling all the sufferings - the Israeli, Palestinian and physicians from other countries that we met together with you, will catch an opportunity to create a peace bridge between Israel and Palestine.
Please, let us not abandon our values and documents, easily understandable to all and which were produced bearing in mind the sufferings of the history of humanity. The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey which is specialised on human rights issues, torture and trauma problems will certainly undertake the necessities in this and similar subjects.
I am sending you my best wishes hoping to hear from you soon.
Dr. Metin Bakkalcı
Secretary General
Human Rights Foundation of Turkey
[1] http://www.wma.net/e/policy/a20.htm
[2] “Physicians for Human Rights-Israel Gaza Update 5.1.09”
