The Knesset Constitution & Law Committee met last week to discuss the plight of over 8,000 body parts currently being held in the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute. The meeting was compelled by MK (Yahadut HaTorah) Rav Uri Maklev, MK (Shas) Avraham Michaeli and MK (Kadima) Rachel Adatto.

Ynet reported that it is standard procedure for the forensic institute to hold on to body parts for years. According to a representative of the Ministry of Health attending the Knesset committee meeting, the forensic institute has amassed over 8,200 body parts since 2000.

The director of the institute and Israel’s chief pathologist remains Prof. Yehuda Hiss, who has been the subject of many infamous reports addressing desecration of the dead. Hiss has also been connected to illegal autopsies, taking body part and tissue samples from bodies after families prohibited a post mortem, including religious and non religious families. Nevertheless, despite his record of compromising the rights of families, not to mention Halacha, he remains Israel’s chief and expert pathologist.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)