By Abigail Klein Leichman - April 17, 2018
Originally appeared here in Israel21c
In 2012, four-year-old Rozana Salawhi fell from the ninth floor of her family’s apartment in a village near Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority.
Her mother, journalist Maysa Abu Ghannam, insisted that the child be taken to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem because she knew its expertise in pediatric emergency care greatly surpassed that of the local hospital. This decision most likely saved Rozana’s life.
Half a world away, Hadassah Australia President Ron Finkel watched a video about Rozana’s story and was inspired to use this incident as the basis for a new bridge of understanding by sharing medical expertise between Israelis and Palestinians.
Having lived in Israel for nine years, he knew healthcare is a key sector for engagement.
“In healthcare, every minute of every day Palestinians and Israelis interact in a significant way. A hundred thousand permits are given annually to Palestinians to access treatment in Israeli hospitals,” Finkel tells ISRAEL21c.
And he knew that Israelis were willing to work with equally willing Arab colleagues to improve the standard of care in PA-administered territories and Gaza. Read More