Israel’s largest provider of emergency medical response services, Magen David Adom (MDA), announced on Wednesday that it will reduce operations in Judea and Samaria, beginning Thursday. The announcement, which has become an annual event, comes amid yet another budget dispute with the Israeli government.

Earlier this year, MDA was in the process of shutting five stations in Judea and Samaria over a similar budget dispute. The closures were delayed and eventually canceled after having taken effect for one day.

According to the announcement, MDA will close its operations in the towns of Tekoa in eastern-Gush Etzion, Talmon in the Binyamin district, and in various locations in the Dead Sea-area.

The organization, which is partially funded by the government and partially funded by donations, will diminish its services in the cities of Beitar Illit, Givat Ze’ev, and Ma’aleh Adumim, Modi’in Illit. Other Yishuvim that are also to receive diminished services include, Alfei Menashe, Shaked, Beit Aryeh, Shavei Shomron, and various places in the northern Jordan Valley by the Gilboa Mountains.

Head of the Binyamin Regional Council Yisrael Gantz blasted the ambulance organization for its decision stating that they are putting the lives of citizens at risk.

“The leadership of MDA is endangering the lives of residents in Judea and Samaria, and especially of Binyamin. Apparently it is easier for the organization to fight with the State at the expense of residents of Judea and Samaria – even if that means endangering their lives.”

In response to MDA’s announcement, United Hatzalah (UH) stated that they will once again be diverting extra resources, volunteers and emergency vehicles, to those locations in order to provide coverage for the residents of the affected cities.

The statement read: “Following last year’s budget fiasco and MDA’s threat to cut services, United Hatzalah set out to increase its presence in Judea and Samaria, the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea region. The organization opened up five new chapters in the areas of Binyamin, Samaria, and the Mount Hevron region, and trained an additional 200 volunteers to help provide faster response times in these regions as well as in Gush Etzion, the Jordan Valley and its chapter in Arad and the Dead Sea.”

Founder and President of United Hatzalah Eli Beer said: “With the closure of these areas of service by Magen David Adom, United Hatzalah will be sending additional resources to these locations in order to prevent a loss of life. If need be, we will purchase additional ambulances in order to make sure that the residents of Judea and Samaria receive the proper care and are not held hostage by financial games. Last year we added an additional 200 volunteers to our teams in Judea and Samaria and we will continue to bolster our presence there so that the residents can receive fast emergency medical care. In addition, we will continue our policy of providing all of our services for free, including ambulance transport.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)