The Israeli government is refusing to pay the cost of medical care for an American-Jewish activist who lost an eye when Border Police officers fired a tear gas canister at her during a demonstration.
Haaretz
Emily Henochowicz, an American-Israeli Art student studying in Israel was injured by a tear gas canister during a protest of the Gaza Blockade near Qalandiyah checkpoint
According to the IDF, demonstrators began to throw stones at the Border Police, after which the army responded by firing tear gas canisters.
According to Henochowicz, one policeman shot a canister directly at her face, shattering her jaw and causing her to lose her left eye. A Haaretz reporter witnessed the incident.
If it was an accident, shouldn't it be covered? If it was an assault, shouldn't it be covered?
Following her her treatment at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, Henochowicz's father, who had traveled from the U.S., was handed a bill for NIS 14,000. Under advice from his lawyer, Michael Sfard, he asked the Defense Ministry cover the expense, but officials refused
Hadassah, and the Hospital was founded by Henrietta Szold. An American and an Amazing Lady Hadassah Hospital is a similarly amazing institution that provided care for all comers, regardless of status. Hadassah Hospital
The hospital was founded by Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, which continues to underwrite a large part of its budget today.
Supported by Americans, and nominated for a Nobel Prize.
In 2005, Hadassah was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in acknowledgment of its equal treatment of all patients, regardless of ethnic and religious differences, and efforts to build bridges to peace.[
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According to Avi Issacharoff, a HAaretz correspondent:
Avi Issacharoff, an Israeli journalist from the newspaper Haaretz, witnessed the incident and says, "The police fired a tear-gas grenade, and then another and another. I remember that what surprised me was the volley of grenade fire directly aimed directly at the demonstrators, not at the sky."
Having some experience with these munitions, one delivers them by lobbing them up and into a cluster of folks to disperse them, or skip them on the ground to deliver the gas. A flat trajectory results in the payload whizzing by the target area. Gothamist
Emily has a new perspective:
Now back in the U.S., Henochowicz has been putting a brave face on the injury, and says, "The cool thing about this is that paintings look more 3-D to me now. It's your stereoscopic vision that makes paintings appear flat. I guess I can be grateful to the IDF for giving me the chance to see the world in a new way
"Either way, even if wounding of my client was the result of negligence and not criminal intent -even then the State of Israel has a moral, ethical and legal obligation to pay for her treatment," Sfard wrote.
The Defense Ministry responded: "From our reports, we know that the Border Police acted in accordance with the law at the violent demonstration at Qalandia, and that the shooting of tear gas canisters at demonstrators was justified. Of course, we regret that Emily Henochowicz was wounded in her eye. But under such circumstances, the Defense Ministry does not cover the expenses of medical treatment."
Haaretz
So, it was all apparently quite proper and legal.
The US apparently responded vigorously to the maiming of one of our fellow citizens. AN investigation must be launched.
Following the attack, U.S. Embassy officials and Henochowicz's parents insisted that Israel launch an investigation into the incident. Some demonstrators were throwing rocks, but an online video suggests Henochowicz was standing away from those protesters and that she posed no threat to Israeli soldiers before they fired in her direction.
Henochowicz said she was waving an Austrian and a Turkish flag but wasn't standing near anyone throwing rocks.
"I stupidly didn't think it was going to be dangerous," she said, adding that she had protested at dozens of demonstrations throughout the semester.
Emily still loves and supports Israel, as do many Americans who are pained by the ominous course of events in the region, and those who have sufficient conviction to accept personal risk to seek justice and peace for others.
So, a hospital founded, managed and supported by American charities, in a state with Universal Health care, bills an American and Israeli citizen for care (which I am sure was excellent) for an injury received while protesting.
Emily is a constituent of Chuck Schumer, whom I am confident is aggressively seeking a prompt and thorough investigation of this matter. As he did in the death of Furkan Dogan, another constituent.