MDA announced the renewal of regular services throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

Following a protest by the Yesha Council and its appeal to Knesset members Smotrich and Litzman, who promised that the budget will be settled within three weeks, MDA Director-General Eli Bin responded to the request and announced the return of services.

MDA Director-General Eli Bin announced Monday evening the eve of 15 Teves that the organization would accede to requests from MKs Smotrich and Litzman, and renew his services in Yehuda and Shomron, after he announced the cessation of services. The sharp step was taken after two years of demanding in MDA that the financing of the operation be arranged by the state and the local authorities. The letter was submitted by the Yesha Council, which stated that there is no substitute for MDA services in Yehuda and Shomron, and demanded that the subject of the budget be arranged immediately in the Finance Committee.

MDA Director-General Eli Bin: “For a long time, MDA has repeatedly appealed to all the authorized bodies and to the heads of the settlements in Yehuda and Shomron to arrange payment for MDA services in the area. Unfortunately, despite the many requests on the subject, all the parties ignore the requests and shirk their commitments to finance the activity.

“Despite this scandalous behavior, and in light of the appeal of Knesset members and Yesha Council representatives, we decided to continue operating the points in Yehuda and Shomron for another three weeks, in the hope that this will be the subject of the budget. During the last two years, MDA has been forced to pay the salaries and operating expenses from its current budget, which, exceptionally, to rescue organizations around the world, does not enjoy government support and is based on collection and donations from Israel and abroad. And the ongoing activities of MDA, which is Israel’s national rescue organization through Knesset committees, public figures and other bodies.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)