It is a sick society that harasses, humiliates dying patients

[Violet_Crumble]

by Gideon Levy
September 29, 2004

One out of every nine women gets breast cancer. There are doctors who say that statistic has worsened lately and now stands at one out of every eight. The disease is particularly violent in younger women and the primary growth in the breast spreads rapidly to the liver, the lungs, the bones and the brain. Is there anything worse than being a young woman with cancer whose chances are slim? It turns out that there is - being a young Palestinian woman with cancer whose chances are slim.

For 10 days now, F., a 28-year-old resident of Gaza, has been trying to get to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer for urgent chemotherapy in the oncology department. The story of what has happened to her during these 10 awful days sounds unbelievable, even to someone who has already heard horrible stories. The reality has succeeded in superseding even what the sickest imagination could invent.

<snip>

The Israel Defense Forces spokesman says that, "in light of a number of attempts by terrorists to enter Israel in the guise of needing medical treatment, the IDF must be extra cautious with regard to anyone who does not pass the security check, even if he has the appropriate medical documents in his possession. The claim concerning inappropriate conduct by the soldiers at the crossing point has been investigated and found to be without any basis. However, the consideration of the request by the senior command levels is still underway."

No danger of a suicide terrorist can justify such behavior. It is possible to protect ourselves against female terrorists without losing our humanity. F.'s story is not exceptional, even if part of it is particularly shocking; there are hundreds of Palestinian patients in a similar condition and every injustice always has a security excuse. There is terror, everyone is only carrying out orders and they are going by the book. But a book that prevents medical treatment to dying patients, hassles them and humiliates them, is a wicked book, and a society in which only the metal detector speaks is a sick society.

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=22&ItemID=6322

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. Gee, you're not a racist or anything...

[Jackie97]

3. I'm suddenly reminded....

of when a saw a poster up saying that Israel is a good country because they support women's rights (in contrast to Palestine).

In America, women's rights means being for abortion rights and stuff. I e-mailed the guy and said that I'll worry about a Palestinian woman's right to an abortion when she can get to a hospital or the right doctors to begin with.