There is a dispute taking place between the Ministries of Health and Defense over which ministry is responsible to pay for treating 50 Syrians wounded in the civil war, brought over the border for life saving care in Israel.

The injured were received in Israel during the last two months, admitted to Ziv Hospital (Tzfas), Poriah Hospital (Tiveria), Rambam Medical Center (Haifa) and the Nahariya Hospital. According to the daily Maariv, the cost of their combined treatments is 3 million NIS and each ministry insists the other is responsible to pay.

Officials report there is an agreement in place between the government hospitals and the ministries, but it is unclear just where the financial responsibility falls in this case. If a Gazan resident is treated in Soroka Medical Center or Barzilai Hospital for example, the bill is sent to the PA (Palestinian Authority) and/or the family of the patient. In this case, this is not going to occur.

Ziv has treated 26 Syrian, with full IDF cooperation, but officials state the agreement that was in place expired and there was no agreement during the period the 26 were treated. Negotiations are taking place at this time to renew the agreement.

Since February 2013, the Defense Ministry paid the emergency room bill for the Syrian wounded, but no one seems willing to pay for the hospital stay. The Nahariya Hospital treated 20 patients from Syria and administration finds itself in the same bureaucratic snarl, looking for its money.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)