Dr. Elihu D. Richter exhaustively studied the issue of Israeli medical permits for Palestinians to obtain treatment in Israel.
4,932 Palestinians granted medical permits for treatment in Israel in 2006.
90.2% Proportion of medical entry requests granted in 2006.
7,176 Palestinians granted medical permits for treatment in Israel in 2007.
81.5 % Proportion of medical entry requests granted in 2007.
45 % Increase in overall number of Gazans obtaining medical treatment
8,796 Palestinians granted medical permits for treatment in Israel in the first six months of 2008.
66 % Proportion of medical entry requests granted in the first six months of 2008.
20 Incidents where Palestinians used medical missions to attempt terror attacks.
3 “Patients” who admitted purchasing forged medical referrals to carry out terror attacks.
11 “Patients” who admitted purchasing forged medical referrals to visit relatives in Israel.
[sc:midsignup ]200 Approximate number of rockets and mortars fired since the disengagement at the Erez crossing — a “medical sanctuary” where Palestinian patients are transferred to Israel.
0 Statements from the World Health Organization or Physicians for Human Rights condemning attacks on the Erez crossing.
170 Palestinians killed in Hamas-Fatah violence in July, 2007 alone.
Hadassah Hospital
123,000 Approximate number of Palestinians treated in Jerusalem’s Hadassah hospitals annually.
$3 million Annual subsidy provided by the Hadassah Medical Organization to treat Palestinians.
32 Cases of deaths allegedly following denial of entry permits. Dr. Richter took a closer look at the 32 deaths and found the following:
10 Did not receive medical permits for security reasons.
3 Were denied permits to enter Egypt by Egyptian authorities at the Rafah crossing.
5 Refusals attributed to lack of available beds.
1 Patient who Physicians for Human Rights claimed died, turned up alive in Gaza.
1 Patient who died in Gaza after receiving treatment in Israel.
2 Patients with advanced cancer who would not have been saved anyway.
Featured image CC BY flickr/Gigi Ibrahim
[sc:bottomsignup ]
© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025
