I understand the point. I just disagree. If terrorists took over a hospital, Die Hard style, do you think the doctors are now terrorists if they continue to see patients? That’s not how it works. Hamas is both a terrorist organisation and the de facto government so the line is even more blurry. There aren’t an abundance of other health facilities the doctors can work from. That’s part of the reason msf is there, a lack of suitable health workers and facilities for the population. Even more so in a warzone.
If they took over the hospital a decade ago and you continued to operate in it? Yes absolutely. It’s not like this is something that just happened prior to the war. Doctors without borders could have raised a stink in 2016 until August of this year about it but they chose not to.
There aren’t an abundance of other health facilities the doctors can work from.
Then you don’t work there. Doctors without borders manages to operate in war zones all across the world without operating in military depots. If Palestinians don’t want their help there are millions of underserved people across the world who need their help and won’t force them to compromise their neutrality.
They is who? The government? Hamas the terrorists? Hamas the health authority?
Yes msf should just abandon Gaza hospitals altogether based on unconfirmed rumors (at the time) of the hospitals being used for weapon storage. Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?
MSF work in the environment that is available to them, wherever that is. Hamas is the elected government in Palestine. It just happens the last elections are 20 years ago and half are under 18.
Not operating there since 2007 would be taking a side, which, again, they don’t do. They treat patients.
You’re right, I don’t work for MSF. When I started the volunteer process, a minimum commitment was 2 years and I could not commit to that. I was not looking at Gaza, but Africa.
The whole point of the name is to say they are non political. You kind of don’t seem to understand the practical implications of that and require a purity of apolitical stance that does not exist in a warzone, or even a stable democracy.
The die hard style terrorist you suggested in the previous comment.
based on unconfirmed rumors (at the time) of the hospitals being used for weapon storage.
They should have demanded the right to inspect the facilities because they were “unconfirmed” only because it made the Jews look good. A report like that coming from anywhere else by outlets like Reuters and the BBC would be seen as fact unless proven otherwise.
MSF work in the environment that is available to them, wherever that is.
There are plenty of places they could be where they’re not. They’ve hardly saturated the worldwide need for charity doctoring. A volunteer stationed in Palestine is one you can’t station in Ethiopia, Hati, etc…
Every doctor in Palestine could be doing just as much good elsewhere in the world.
Not operating there since 2007 would be taking a side, which, again, they don’t do. They treat patients.
If they had refused to serve in military depots; Hamas would have either been forced to provision them a safe place to work. Ignoring your integrity is choosing a side too.
and require a purity of apolitical stance that does not exist in a warzone, or even a stable democracy.
Honestly, “don’t operate in a military installation” is hardly a purity test. Even in active wars the Red Cross will establish field hospitals that doctors like this could work out of and remain apolitical.
If you’re working in a military installation you’ve chosen a side. Thats the point.
I understand the point. I just disagree. If terrorists took over a hospital, Die Hard style, do you think the doctors are now terrorists if they continue to see patients? That’s not how it works. Hamas is both a terrorist organisation and the de facto government so the line is even more blurry. There aren’t an abundance of other health facilities the doctors can work from. That’s part of the reason msf is there, a lack of suitable health workers and facilities for the population. Even more so in a warzone.
If they took over the hospital a decade ago and you continued to operate in it? Yes absolutely. It’s not like this is something that just happened prior to the war. Doctors without borders could have raised a stink in 2016 until August of this year about it but they chose not to.
Then you don’t work there. Doctors without borders manages to operate in war zones all across the world without operating in military depots. If Palestinians don’t want their help there are millions of underserved people across the world who need their help and won’t force them to compromise their neutrality.
They is who? The government? Hamas the terrorists? Hamas the health authority?
Yes msf should just abandon Gaza hospitals altogether based on unconfirmed rumors (at the time) of the hospitals being used for weapon storage. Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?
MSF work in the environment that is available to them, wherever that is. Hamas is the elected government in Palestine. It just happens the last elections are 20 years ago and half are under 18.
Not operating there since 2007 would be taking a side, which, again, they don’t do. They treat patients.
You’re right, I don’t work for MSF. When I started the volunteer process, a minimum commitment was 2 years and I could not commit to that. I was not looking at Gaza, but Africa.
The whole point of the name is to say they are non political. You kind of don’t seem to understand the practical implications of that and require a purity of apolitical stance that does not exist in a warzone, or even a stable democracy.
The die hard style terrorist you suggested in the previous comment.
They should have demanded the right to inspect the facilities because they were “unconfirmed” only because it made the Jews look good. A report like that coming from anywhere else by outlets like Reuters and the BBC would be seen as fact unless proven otherwise.
There are plenty of places they could be where they’re not. They’ve hardly saturated the worldwide need for charity doctoring. A volunteer stationed in Palestine is one you can’t station in Ethiopia, Hati, etc…
Every doctor in Palestine could be doing just as much good elsewhere in the world.
If they had refused to serve in military depots; Hamas would have either been forced to provision them a safe place to work. Ignoring your integrity is choosing a side too.
Honestly, “don’t operate in a military installation” is hardly a purity test. Even in active wars the Red Cross will establish field hospitals that doctors like this could work out of and remain apolitical.