[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
According to a report released by Kol Yehudi News, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita told an Ichud Hatzalah EMT “If you detect a terrorist, do not treat him”.
The comment from Rav Chaim was reportedly made as the two were speaking about treating terrorists at the scene of a terror attack. The Torah giant was asked if the terrorist is to be treated first if he is more seriously wounded, which would be in line with new regulations recently released by the Israel Medical Association (IMA).
It was explained to the Posek Hador that at times, responders are not certain regarding the identity of a victim. Rav Chaim told them that until such time one is certain of the identity of the terrorist, one should treat the victims but if it becomes clear the victim is a terrorist, one should no longer treat him.
Unlike the position announced by the IMA, Zaka founder and CEO Yehuda Meshi-Zahav announced his organization will continue working as it always has, and the terrorist is last on the list of those receiving treatment.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
Why was it even a Safek, the terrorist should be killed period!!!!
Why are we giving any care to the terrorist period he’s a rotzeach
To #1 & #2, because every single Emergency Caregiver is trained on ethics. When it comes to treating people you go with the triage system and a person has no right to judge based on the persons behavior or who it is. And it is accepted worldwide and you will see it at any MCI. And if we start changing these rules it can create huge issues and chilul hashem and it might danger other Jews worldwide
The question is once the terrorist is down is he still a רודף. This question the rav didn’t answer. Because if he is then not only shouldn’t they treat him but they should kill him. All he said was that they shouldn’t give him preference. Now that can be even if he’s not a terrorist but just because he’s not Jewish.
#3 I think you are correct that th medical code of ethics forbid a doctor to make value judgments such as these. On the other hand, halacha clearly works with value judgement, incorporating the person’s value into decisions on who to help and in what order. This applies to pikuach nefesh and it applies to tzedaka, as you are aware of.
You suggest that aiva allows us to disregard the halachik approach. This may or may not be so. Perhaps there is no aiva if we can point out that our ethical system is different. At any rate, it certainly is the province of a halachik decision, best left to a Rav.
good for Rav Kanevsky for speaking out and saying what we all in Israel feel. Let the terrorist bring his own medical attention people to treat him.
We should let him lie on the street in pain dying like the low life he/she is.
#3
Medical ethics are not Jewish ethics. We are Jews and do not want to help the Arab terrorists.
It could be pikuach nefesh not to kill him because the stupid Israeli government could possibly let the terrorist free one day if he survives so he can go kill some more innocent Israelis for no reason. I think the people that say that you should treat the terrorist first (if he’s more severely wounded) should sit for about two minutes and think about what they’re saying. If after that they stil say that they should be labeled insane.