Israeli Doctors Sign Open Letter Urging IDF to Bomb Gaza Hospitals
Chris Menahan
Around 90 Israeli doctors signed an open letter urging the Israel Defense Forces to bomb hospitals in Gaza.
From Mondoweiss, “Israeli doctors urge the bombing of Gaza hospitals”:
Only last week, dozens of prominent Israeli rabbis had already assured Israeli leaders that they have a right to bomb al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, and this week’s letter signed by “Doctors for the Rights of IDF Soldiers” urges the bombing of any and every hospital in Gaza.
The letter states, in no uncertain terms, that due to suspicion of “terrorist activity,” the hospitals are “a legitimate target for annihilation.” They claim that “ambulances that are evacuating patients to the south in order to be treated elsewhere are at their disposal.” It does not mention that these ambulances, too, are being bombed by Israel, or that the south is also being mercilessly pummeled.
The doctors claim that “the residents of Gaza… are the ones who brought their annihilation upon themselves” — echoing the genocidal rhetoric of centrist Israeli politicians who have even claimed that “the children of Gaza have brought this upon themselves.”
The doctors apply the terms “snakes,” “wasps,” and “terrorist nests” in the dehumanization of the enemy, which appears to be expanded from Hamas to the whole of the Palestinian people.
The original letter with an initial list of 9 doctors was posted today by Quds News Network, and has already been signed by an additional 83 signatories and has been circulated by various Jewish orthodox sites (such as here and here).
We have identified the initial 9 signatories below, who include various gynecologists and pediatricians, several of them with a clear religious-Zionist settler leaning and affiliation (see some details in brackets in the signatory list).
Mondoweiss shared a full translation of the letter from Hebrew:
We, the undersigned, doctors who work in the healthcare system responsibly and professionally, hereby urge:
The moment that murderous terrorist organizations built murder and terrorism headquarters as an integral part of hospitals, they turned the hospitals into legitimate targets by their own hands.
For years the citizens of Israel have suffered murderous terror, while the head of the snake and head murderers enjoy complete shelter and protection, as they built terror headquarters within the hospitals, understanding that no harm would come to them.
After the Simhat Torah [Oct. 7] massacre, the many murdered and kidnapped, and the hair-raising atrocities, which we have no room here to detail and write, there is complete agreement in the Israeli security forces that the terror organization Hamas should be eradicated to dust, which is worse than ISIS.
This is the same terror organization that isn’t above cruel murder and unprecedented atrocities towards men, women, and children — therefore, any place where its men hide and/or is used for terrorist activity is a legitimate target for annihilation, including hospitals.
Whoever mixes hospitals with terrorism must understand that he has no safe place and cannot seek refuge in hospitals in order to produce terror and enjoy protection.
Ambulances that are evacuating patients to the south in order to be treated elsewhere are at their disposal.
No more! The residents of Gaza, who saw fit to turn the hospitals into terrorist nests in an attempt to take advantage of Western morality, are the ones who brought their annihilation upon themselves — terrorism must be eliminated everywhere and in any way.
Attacking terrorist headquarters located inside of a hospital is the right of the IDF [Israeli army] and its duty.
It is unthinkable that the citizens of Israel are abandoned, and arch-murderers are protected only because they are hiding in hospitals.
After the IDF repeatedly warned the hospitals to stop the cynical use made of them for terrorism, and after all citizens were asked to evacuate the area in light of the presence of terrorists, there is an obligation to destroy the wasps’ nests and the hospitals they use to shelter them, the sooner, the better.
We, the undersigned:
Dr. Tal Nir (pictured top) [elected “most dedicated doctor” under COVID in 2021, orthodox Jewish Chabad member]
Dr. Audray Azran [Gynecologist, Haifa]
Dr. Shlomi Ben-Nun [Pediatrician, retired 2022, Afula]
Dr. Hannah Katan [Religious-Zionist gynecologist, founded the Family Center at the settlement of Elkana, serves as its president]
Dr. Ori Attias [Pediatrician, Intensive Care Rambam Hospital, Jerusalem]
Dr. Hannah Kremer [family doctor at the Elkana settlement clinic]
Dr. Yeruham Priner [pediatrician, Beitar Illit settlement]
Dr. Carmit Almog [specializes in Nephrology, high blood pressure, Rabin Medical Center, Tel Aviv area]
Dr. Menuha Vilk [pediatrician, Jerusalem]
Are the members of this “Doctors for Bombing Hospitals” group going to get “canceled” just the same as all those pro-Palestine students in America filmed tearing down pro-Israel posters in their communities?
Dr. Hannah Katan [Religious-Zionist gynecologist, founded the Family Center at the settlement of Elkana, serves as its president]https://t.co/ZhN6GF3zs8 pic.twitter.com/M1fUgzEUfN
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) November 5, 2023
We all know the answer is no.
This letter comes just days after Israel conducted a horrific bombing of an ambulance convoy at the entrance of Gaza’s biggest hospital, killing men, women and children.
