“We do not let Politics into our Premises”
A reply to the Boycott by the Director General of Hadassah Hospital Rapid Responses, British Medical Journal, 6 August 2007

In the wake of the debate on the boycott of Israel, Rapid Responses of the British Medical Journal has published a letter from the Director General of Hadassah Medical Organisation, Prof Shlomo Mor-Yosef, M.D.;M.P.A.

In his letter, Prof Mor-Yosef refers to Hadassah as a center of goodwill where the benefits of medicine transcend politics, religion and national politics. “We consider is our mission to serve as a bridge to peace by forging links between peoples of all nationalities, races and religions who come to its doors for healing. We did not let politics into our premises when we saved lives of Palestinian suicide bombers who were injured while assassinating hundreds of Israelis during the recent Intifada...We ignore political aspects when we conduct dozens of collaborative research and clinical projects with Palestinian physicians...”

Prof Mor-Yosef then details seven examples of cooperative work with the Palestinians.

He concludes by writing that a decision to boycott Israel will include Palestinian physicians, nurses, social workers and other health professionals who work at Hadassah and consider it their hospitals. “It will boycott the small but real steps we make here to get here everyday towards fulfilling our wish to have peace in the region.”

The whole letter can be viewed on www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/335/7613/234#174139

Hadassah Medical Organisation: The Hadassah Medical Organisation is an academic centre that consists of two hospitals and five academic medical schools in Jerusalem, Israel. A world-class university medical institution, it has achieved a global reputation for excellence in healing, teaching, research and outreach. It is distinguished by its innovative approach to complex medical problems and the cooperative efforts of its medical and research teams.