Palestinian Authority Refused Medical Aid Donated By Israel Twice In One Week

It has come to light that the Palestinian Authority, formerly the PLO, now headed by Mahmoud Abbas, twice refused millions of dollars worth of medical aid from Israel in the last week.

As the war between Israel and Hamas rages in the Gaza Strip, with allegedly over 1,000 dead Palestinians and many more injured, Israel has taken steps to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the strip by setting up a field hospital for Gazans and offering to send medical supplies over the border to help the injured Palestinians.

It seems Israel is the first army in history to simultaneously offer assistance to the civilians and combatants in a territory where it is fighting by attempting to send medical supplies for the injured. At the same time, it is obliged to maintain a strong air and ground offensive in an effort to prevent the terror rockets being fired on its own civilians.

A senior Health Ministry official told an Israeli publication that the aid was funded out of the ministry’s own budget, which comes from the Israeli tax payer’s pocket, and included medicine, and medical equipment that were ready to be transferred to the Palestinian Authority, after having been approved by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.

But in order to make sure Israel always looks like the big bad bully no matter what they do, the Palestinian Authority, which is effectively in a unity government with Hamas, refused to accept the medical aid, despite the alleged humanitarian crisis of its own people.

Last week, when the Health Ministry in Israel attempted to transfer a large amount of blood to assist the Palestinian wounded, that was also blocked by the PA.

In addition, as mentioned, Israel went as far as to set up a field hospital, operating from the Erez border crossing, a border crossing between Israel and Gaza, to treat injured Palestinians. However, Hamas refused to let their injured be treated by Israel, preferring instead to let them suffer for the P.R. value and die in Gaza.

Health Minister Yael German told Ynetnews.com:

“Israel is going through a very difficult time, but we still got supplies from our stocks and budgeted aid worth millions of shekels for the residents of the Strip, in addition, we offered full medical treatment to the Gaza citizens in any of our hospitals and will continue to offer that. The State of Israel has no desire to hurt the people of Gaza. We didn’t go to war to kill, but rather to defend the people of Israel, and will continue offering full humanitarian aid to the Palestinians for as long as we can.”