The PA apparently believes that the $130 million it pays every year to terrorists in Israeli prison, and to the families of dead terrorists, is more important than to pay to save their own children's lives.A two-year old Palestinian boy from the West Bank underwent a bone marrow transplant three weeks ago. The procedure, which was done at the Tel Hashomer hospital, was funded by the Civil Administration after the Palestinian Authority refused the family`s request to fund the procedure.
“This procedure will save the child's life,” explained Dalia Bessa, the Health Coordinator for the Civil Administration. “When this sort of procedure is needed and the Palestinian Authority refuses to fund it, the Civil Administration steps in, in order to save lives.” The Civil Administration funds hundreds of operations and medical treatments each year, besides this transplant. The budget for medical treatment for Palestinians is 7.5 million NIS; these funds are invested in Palestinians who require transplants and other forms of medical care.
Besides undergoing the transplant, the child is under the care of a social worker who has been attending to the child and family's needs throughout the duration of the hospital stay. “My position entails taking responsibility over Palestinian patients from the minute they are admitted until they are released from the hospital, while coordinating with the Civil Administration and Dalia Bessa,” said Baloum Raid, a social worker who coordinates the hospitalization of all Palestinian patients at Tel Hashomer.
COGAT is part of the IDF.
Which means that the Israeli army puts a higher priority on saving Palestinian Arab lives than the PA does.
Somehow I missed this story in the BBC and the New York Times.