American Funding Cutback to East Jerusalem Hospitals: A Blow to the Health of the City

We wish to protest the recent decision by the US government to withdraw funding of up to $25 million from the East Jerusalem Hospital Network.¹ This network comprises six institutions: Makassed Islamic Charitable Hospital, Augusta Victoria Hospital, Red Crescent Maternity Hospital, St John’s Eye Hospital, Princess Basma Rehabilitation Centre, and St Joseph’s Hospital. As pointed out by the World Health Organization:

They have been the main providers of tertiary referral care for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip for health services for which the [Palestinian Authority’s] Ministry of Health is unable to provide, such as cancer care, cardiac and eye surgeries, neonatal intensive care, children’s dialysis and physical rehabilitation of children.²

Over the years, the American people have been very generous, both to Israelis and Palestinians, in many domains, including health, and we are grateful for this aid. The US government is of course entitled to decide whom they wish to support, in what domains, and in what way.

However, it is evident to the undersigned that a sudden and significant cut of support for medical services will cause imminent and serious harm to the health and well-being of those residents of the city who are well served by these hospitals and medical centers.³

Although we, the authors of this editorial, have diverse political views, as medical professionals we are uniform in our conviction that health cooperation is an area in which we urge decision makers to distance themselves from politically related considerations. We view this sudden withdrawal of support for such health care institutions as anathema to our prime commitment as medical professionals, and we see no benefit whatsoever and only harm accruing from such a decision.

Accordingly, we respectfully request that this decision be reconsidered and hopefully reversed to avoid clear and certain medical harm and deleterious consequences for the health of patients served by the hospitals of east Jerusalem.