10,000 Israeli medical permits for Gazans this year

The JCPA has an enlightening table: Table 1 Referrals and Permits to Enter Israel for Medical Care, Gaza, 2006-2008 Month No. of patients applied for permits No. of patients given permits Proportion of patients given permits 2006 January 741 719 97.0% February 769 716 93.1% March 562 485 86.3% April 274 209 76.3% May 453 404 89.2% June 474 400 84.4% July 185 171 92.4% August 293 267 91.1% September 438 402 91.8% October 380 345 90.8% November 509 455 89.4% December 392 359 91.6% Total 2006 5470 4932 90.2% 2007 January 506 452 89.3% February 595 540 90.8% March 681 607 89.1% April 515 460 89.3% May 737 665 90.2% June 412 368 89.3% July 859 765 89.1% August 985 787 79.9% September 715 591 82.7% October 1103 850 77.1% November 654 422 64.5% December 1041 669 64.3% Total 2007 8803 7176 81.5% 2008 January 2590 1618 62% February 2324 1670 72% March 2569 1747 68% April 1959 1263 64% May 1908 1346 70% June 1851 1152 62% Total (6M) 2008 13201 8796 66% Sources: COGAT and WHO, Jerusalem Office 2008. Data from Jan. 2008 ff not yet confirmed by WHO. Which means that during this horrible "siege," Israel has been doubling and re-doubling the number of patients allowed from Gaza to Israel or the PA for treatment. While the percentage of permit approvals has dropped, the number of permits has increased dramatically, despite these salient facts: During this period there were some 30 foiled attempts at terrorist infiltration, including at least 20 incidents where Palestinians used medical missions to attempt terror attacks. In June 2006, a female suicide terrorist was arrested at the Erez crossing while on her way to carry out an attack on an Israeli hospital. In May 2007, two female bombers received permits but were caught after slipping through security checks.7 On May 22, 2008, a truck loaded with 4.5 tons of explosives exploded just before reaching the crossing. The ISA published reports on 11 individuals, including those just cited, who used permits for medical care or for family visits to patients already in Israel for the purpose of carrying out terror-related activities. At Erez, three patients admitted under questioning that they had purchased referral notes with bogus medical information from doctors in Gaza. According to the ISA, terror organizations were making a special effort to recruit women, including those who are pregnant, who are less likely to be closely examined and whose heavy clothing more readily conceals suspicious objects.8 PHR-I forwarded these patients for approval, unaware of their true status. Another point is that the number of patients traveling to Israel via Gaza dwarfs the number who go to Egypt. Here we have another example where Israel's humanitarianism towards a hostile Gaza population, which is is under no obligation to provide, is used as a weapon against it.