Israel admits harvesting organs from Palestinians who didn't need them any more

[7uongo]

I have no stance on either side of this war, but I found this practice to be very disturbing

Israel has admitted pathologists harvested organs from dead Palestinians, and others, without the consent of their families – a practice it said ended in the 1990s – it emerged at the weekend.

The admission, by the former head of the country's forensic institute, followed a furious row prompted by a Swedish newspaper reporting that Israel was killing Palestinians in order to use their organs – a charge that Israel denied and called "antisemitic".

The revelation, in a television documentary, is likely to generate anger in the Arab and Muslim world and reinforce sinister stereotypes of Israel and its attitude to Palestinians. Iran's state-run Press TV tonight reported the story, illustrated with photographs of dead or badly injured Palestinians.
Ahmed Tibi, an Israeli Arab MP, said the report incriminated the Israeli army.

The story emerged in an interview with Dr Yehuda Hiss, former head of the Abu Kabir forensic institute near Tel Aviv. The interview was conducted in 2000 by an American academic who released it because of the row between Israel and Sweden over a report in the Stockholm newspaper Aftonbladet.

Channel 2 TV reported that in the 1990s, specialists at Abu Kabir harvested skin, corneas, heart valves and bones from the bodies of Israeli soldiers, Israeli citizens, Palestinians and foreign workers, often without permission from relatives.

The Israeli military confirmed to the programme that the practice took place, but added: "This activity ended a decade ago and does not happen any longer."

Hiss said: "We started to harvest corneas ... whatever was done was highly informal. No permission was asked from the family."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009...rvested-organs

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by 7uongo

I have no stance on either side of this war, but I found this practice to be very disturbing



http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009...rvested-organs

Call me skeptical

But does.....

Hiss described how doctors would mask the removal of corneas from bodies. "We'd glue the eyelid shut," he said. "We wouldn't take corneas from families we knew would open the eyelids." - Toronto Star

equal ORGAN?? Why would they torque it as organs? Hmmm....

That said the man was fired under very suspicious circumstances....

[mac_82]

a charge that Israel denied and called "antisemitic".

Speaking out about something Israel did is not antisemitic. That term is thrown around way to loosely these days.

[Bleeding Red]

Originally Posted by mac_82

Speaking out about something Israel did is not antisemitic. That term is thrown around way to loosely these days.

The term is thrown around a lot these days, and at times one would have to consider the accuser (often the accuser does not recognize true antisemitism or has their own agenda for making the accusation).

In this case the quote you use is taken out of context.

Accusing Israel of purposely going out and killing Palestinians for the sole purpose of harvesting their organs for use in Jewish hospitals is a modern version of the age old blood-libel (like Jews needing Christian baby's blood to make motzah for Passover) and is an antisemitic slur. This was the gist of the Swedish article.

Accusing Israel of using the organs of dead Israeli soldiers, Israeli citizens, Palestinians and foreign workers without a relative's permission is indeed a valid policy arguing point (and a bit grotesque). I can understand a doctor's argument that this practice saves lives and that hospitals in Israel do not discriminate (it is just as likely that a Palestinian patient received an Israeli organ as the other way around - heck, a Palestinian doctor may have performed the operation on an Israeli patient). However, without a relative's permission this practice is both unethical and amoral and I am very disappointed that it ever happened.

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by Bleeding Red

The term is thrown around a lot these days, and at times one would have to consider the accuser (often the accuser does not recognize true antisemitism or has their own agenda for making the accusation).

In this case the quote you use is taken out of context.

Accusing Israel of purposely going out and killing Palestinians for the sole purpose of harvesting their organs for use in Jewish hospitals is a modern version of the age old blood-libel (like Jews needing Christian baby's blood to make motzah for Passover) and is an antisemitic slur. This was the gist of the Swedish article.

Accusing Israel of using the organs of dead Israeli soldiers, Israeli citizens, Palestinians and foreign workers without a relative's permission is indeed a valid policy arguing point (and a bit grotesque). I can understand a doctor's argument that this practice saves lives and that hospitals in Israel do not discriminate (it is just as likely that a Palestinian patient received an Israeli organ as the other way around - heck, a Palestinian doctor may have performed the operation on an Israeli patient). However, without a relative's permission this practice is both unethical and amoral and I am very disappointed that it ever happened.

And disgusting. If Canadians were doing it I'd be a wee bit more than "disappointed."

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Bleeding Red

The term is thrown around a lot these days, and at times one would have to consider the accuser (often the accuser does not recognize true antisemitism or has their own agenda for making the accusation).

In this case the quote you use is taken out of context.

Accusing Israel of purposely going out and killing Palestinians for the sole purpose of harvesting their organs for use in Jewish hospitals is a modern version of the age old blood-libel (like Jews needing Christian baby's blood to make motzah for Passover) and is an antisemitic slur. This was the gist of the Swedish article.

Accusing Israel of using the organs of dead Israeli soldiers, Israeli citizens, Palestinians and foreign workers without a relative's permission is indeed a valid policy arguing point (and a bit grotesque). I can understand a doctor's argument that this practice saves lives and that hospitals in Israel do not discriminate (it is just as likely that a Palestinian patient received an Israeli organ as the other way around - heck, a Palestinian doctor may have performed the operation on an Israeli patient). However, without a relative's permission this practice is both unethical and amoral and I am very disappointed that it ever happened.

I really don't see this practice as that immoral. Your organs will begin to rot within a few hours of death. They might as well go somewhere productive. I understand the religious, human rights arguments against such practices, but this is a practice that could literraly save hundreds of millions of people if implemented on a global scale.

I guarantee you the people who crying foul on this would not hesistate to get in line for society to save them when they get sick.

[gargamel]

Originally Posted by blankall

I really don't see this practice as that immoral. Your organs will begin to rot within a few hours of death. They might as well go somewhere productive.

With consent, it's great. Without consent, it's grave robbery.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by gargamel

With consent, it's great. Without consent, it's grave robbery.

I definitely see why the thought of having your organs taking without consent is disturbing, but I think the good from such a practice far outweighs the fact some people might be disturbed.

In this case, it was a temporary policy put into place by one hospital in the middle of a war. However, I guess the bigger question is, how long do your rights carry on after you die?

[_Q_]

Of all the amoral behavior that Israel participates in, this is probably the least disturbing out of all of them. Why waste an unwarranted "antisemitic" accusation on something as trivial as this?

[mykalberta]

Dont some "groups" cut off the heads of prisoners? I see no problem with this personally so long as they wernt prisoners and then harvested. If someone goes on a suicide run against a set of border guards, and he/she dies I have no issues with them harvesting his/her liver or whatever to serve the people he/she was trying to kill.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Bleeding Red

The term is thrown around a lot these days, and at times one would have to consider the accuser (often the accuser does not recognize true antisemitism or has their own agenda for making the accusation).

In this case the quote you use is taken out of context.

Accusing Israel of purposely going out and killing Palestinians for the sole purpose of harvesting their organs for use in Jewish hospitals is a modern version of the age old blood-libel (like Jews needing Christian baby's blood to make motzah for Passover) and is an antisemitic slur. This was the gist of the Swedish article.

Accusing Israel of using the organs of dead Israeli soldiers, Israeli citizens, Palestinians and foreign workers without a relative's permission is indeed a valid policy arguing point (and a bit grotesque). I can understand a doctor's argument that this practice saves lives and that hospitals in Israel do not discriminate (it is just as likely that a Palestinian patient received an Israeli organ as the other way around - heck, a Palestinian doctor may have performed the operation on an Israeli patient). However, without a relative's permission this practice is both unethical and amoral and I am very disappointed that it ever happened.

Ya, when I first read the headline it made me think that Israel had some kind of policy of harvesting organs from Palestinians exclusively... and my first thought was how horrible and disgusting that was. I'm glad I took the time to read the whole article because it wasn't like they were targeting Palestinians over anyone else.

It's definitely a moral dilemma, but not evil.

[burn_this_city]

Israelis' taking whats not theirs? Color me surprised.

Truthfully I can see both sides of the argument. But its really up to the family if they want their organs donated. Plus I doubt these organs ever made it to Palestinians who needed a transplant.

[bcb]

Before people start throwing accusations at Israel, people should realize that any type of organ harvesting is strictly prohibited under Jewish Law. Does this mean it hasn't happened? Not necessarily, but even judging from some of the comments posted here, many people, especially in the mainstream media seem to hold Israel to standards no country could live up to.

[bcb]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Israelis' taking whats not theirs? Color me surprised.

Truthfully I can see both sides of the argument. But its really up to the family if they want their organs donated. Plus I doubt these organs ever made it to Palestinians who needed a transplant.

You'd be surprised how far the Israeli medical system goes for Palestinians.

[mikey_the_redneck]

Israel should get back to what they do best, murdering innocent people with the fancy weapons the U.S. gives them....

[troutman]

This thread is not kosher!

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

Israel should get back to what they do best, murdering innocent people with the fancy weapons the U.S. gives them....

Haha, innocent. You are right, they should give up all their fancy weapons and do what the other side does, strap C4 to the sides of rockets and just fire them blindly. Some land on targets, some dont. If they happen to land on civilian targets there is a built in excuse - brilliant.

Isnt there some UFO conspiracy that needs someones attention.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Haha, innocent. You are right, they should give up all their fancy weapons and do what the other side does, strap C4 to the sides of rockets and just fire them blindly. Some land on targets, some dont. If they happen to land on civilian targets there is a built in excuse - brilliant.

Isnt there some UFO conspiracy that needs someones attention.

You know you're right all palestinians are militants/terrorists. Its amazing how many smart bombs seem to land on civilian targets.

[bcb]

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

Israel should get back to what they do best, murdering innocent people with the fancy weapons the U.S. gives them....

God, where do I begin?

IMO, your post equates to antisemitism.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by bcb

God, where do I begin?

IMO, your post equates to antisemitism.

Why is it always antisemitism to criticize Israel. I think most people that disagree with Israel's policies don't actually hate Jews, but hate the genocide that is happening. The way I see it, Israel is a modern day apartheid South Africa that happens to be majority Jewish.