Posted on 12/07/2005 8:20:41 AM PST by Alouette
It turns out the Israel Defense Forces are sovereign not only in the West Bank, but also in the hospitals. The views of a 19-year-old soldier and a Military Police (MP) officer overrule that of a medical doctor in the matter of the conditions under which a patient is held. A 14-year-old Palestinian wounded by IDF fire and taken to Schneider Children's Hospital had his hands and legs shackled, despite being guarded by two MPs and not being able to walk because of his wounds. The professional view of the hospital doctors was that the wounded youth, who two days earlier underwent surgery on his leg, should be freed from his shackles - but they were overruled.
According to Health Ministry regulations from 1999, "The authority to shackle a patient in hospital care lies with the law enforcement agency in charge of the patient and responsible for guarding them... In any case where shackling the patient could, in the opinion of the treating doctor, harm the medical treatment, or is not necessary in his view, the doctor must demand of the security official the release of the patient from the shackles... In the case of a difference of opinion, a `decision forum' made up of a representative of the hospital and security body, decides."
However, various sources claim the Health Ministry has been working for some time on changing the rules so that the medical/professional view and common sense overrule the tendency of the "law enforcement authorities" to shackle patients and ignore the doctors' arguments. Apparently the constant complaining by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and other institutions about the readiness of the security officials to use shackles and about the doctors' fears to intervene in the "judgment" of a policeman or soldier are having an effect.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
It doesn't take much for a determined terrorist (and yes, Amira, a "14 year old" can be a determined terrorist) to find a weapon in a hospital and slit the throats of infants.
This is a CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL!
If the Israelis were even a fraction as eeville as Amira's hallucinations, this terrorist would not be in the ground, not in a hospital.
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
The Palestinians randomly murder scores of innocent people but this is what the Israeli's get criticized for. No bias here! (sarc)
"had his hands and legs shackled, despite being guarded by two MPs and not being able to walk because of his wounds."
This would be common in US hospitals, too, where a violent felon has been wounded and is being treated.
Meanwhile, have we ever seen any Palestinian hospitals treating Israeli victims of terror?
This brings to memory the story of the woman who was badly burned. The Israeli's saved her life and later she thanks them by showing up with a suicide bomb strapped to her.
By all means turn this kid loose and give him an opportunity to kill. Just be sure the Doctor who reccommended the shackles be taken off is on duty .
Not likely that the boy could slip away and "find a weapon . . . and slit the throats of infants", while being guarded by two IDF MPs. If the doctors are going to be asked to treat people brought in by the IDF, a certain amount of discretion really ought to be left to the doctors, who I'm sure aren't eager to get themselves or their other patients killed or maimed by a terrorist. If in the doctors' judgement, the boy was unable to even walk, and the shackles were getting in the way of medical staff caring for the patient, it sounds like the shackles should have come off. And the IDF personnel presumably weren't certain this boy was really a terrorist, or they'd have finished the job, instead of bringing him to the hospital.
I notice that with all the wailing and handwringing going on, the reason this little POS was shot is not mentioned, discussed or even acknowledged!
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