Israel’s Coordinator of the Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) today would neither confirm nor deny that blood units transferred to the A-Sahaba Hospital in Northern Gaza as part of what they call an “humanitarian initiative” were diverted from unsuspecting Israeli donors.
According to their website, COGAT is “the official Israeli unit tasked with the coordination and facilitation of humanitarian initiatives, doing so in coordination with the international community.”
In a November 19 announcement, COGAT said the transfer was coordinated by COGAT Gaza through Erez Crossing. They said transfer was “in collaboration with international organizations for the ongoing medical treatments in the hospital and the maintenance of essential hospital services.”
However, many Israelis are asking where the blood came from.
Jewish Home News asked COGAT and Magen David Adom (MDA) to clarify which international organizations are referred to, and where the blood originated. While COGAT abruptly ended the communication when the issue of transparency came up, MDA sent an automatic reply that an answer will arrive “no later than 30 days.” Jewish Home News will update as details become available.
COGAT did not respond further.
COGAT maintains an “archive of daily updates” to publicize their activities. According to their website, “The IDF maintains a clear distinction between the terrorist organizations and their infrastructures and the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.”
Indeed, the State of Israel has never adopted a war policy in consonance with Jewish law, which mandates pursuing war objectives according to the formula: “As they show you no mercy, so shall you show them no mercy.” (Tanchuma, Shoftim; 15)
Jewish Home News asked Rabbi Chananya Weissman to clarify the Jewish position on the question of humanitarian aid to enemies in wartime.
“According to the Torah, in a time of war not only do we not strengthen our enemies, we besiege them until they are completely subjugated,” he said. “This should be common sense, but because Man has the ability to outsmart himself, the obvious often needs to be stated.”
Rabbi Weissman continued: “This would be true even if there were not so many of our own people who were in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, and by all rights come first. It is unconscionable that our soldiers are not being fed and outfitted properly, and have been reduced to beggars receiving handouts from all over the world, while the regime taxes the people to death and sends truckloads of supplies to our enemies.”
