Following the impending threat by Magen David Adom to withdraw all or partial services from some 15 locations across Judea and Samaria that was supposed to take effect on Friday March 1st, the organization has issued a directive to their staff and volunteers to delay the pullout.

The directive was sent following incredible pressure put on the organization by the heads of the various regional councils in Judea and Samaria and a special request issued by Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman.

The previous directive to curb services by the ambulance organization was issued following the failure of the government to add an additional 5.5 million shekel to the budget to pay Magen David Adom for the services provided by the organization’s volunteers in Judea and Samaria.

Earlier on Wednesday, heads of the Regional councils of Judea and Samaria sent a letter to MDA director Eli Bin with a request to delay the decision. “Should this process take place as planned, we will arrive at a situation where large areas in Judea and Samaria will be left without a proper medical response in cases of emergencies.”

“The response time to transport injured or ill people due to car accidents or terror attacks will be significantly lengthened and there will not be an adequate response for the injured. This is a dangerous decision that very well may cause the loss of life.”

The council heads continued, “We demand that you do not allow the closure of stations and diminishing of services and that you push off the implementation of this decision until after a new government is formed.”

Deputy Minister Yaakov Litzman finally decided to intervene in the matter and sent a letter to Magen David Adom requesting that they push of the implementation by at least two weeks. In return Litzman promised to hold a meeting regarding this matter with the Treasury in order to get the organization the requested additional budget.”

Following the promise by Litzman, MDA issued a letter to the regional council heads notifying them that the organization would be delaying the implementation of the decision until after the Deputy Minister could have his meeting with the treasury.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)