By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel
CHULA VISTA, California —Irony I feel, is a very high form of morality. — JEAN STAFFORD
This morning I received an email about how the Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh turns to Israel when his family needs medical attention.
I know of very few countries that live by the ethic of “turning the other cheek” that is prescribed in Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. Most countries operate by the principle of “tit for tat.” Israel, however, is different—very different indeed!
Sometimes it seems as if we are watching an episode from Rod Serling’s Twlight Zone. If Serling was alive, I have no doubt he would write an episode about this story.
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas has a sick brother-in-law. They did not travel to Turkey, or London, or Paris—they went to the Beilinson Hospital, located in Petah Tikvah–Israel! After receiving treatment, the family returned to Gaza.
Israel’s willingness to treat terrorists and their families is not a new policy. In fact, it’s been going on for decades. Remember the Flotilla attack? Well, most of the prime time television stations did not bother to mention how Israel treats the injured terrorists who got hurt attacking the Israeli soldiers.
One might expect the Israel medical institutions to tell these patients, “Sorry, I suggest you take your injured to Egypt or Turkey,” but the Israelis upheld their Hippocratic Oath. They treated these men with compassion. This story is by no means exceptional. Every month, you can see Palestinian children from the West Bank receiving free treatment for their ailments. The Palestinian Authority along with Palestinian population along with the Israeli government are quietly building bridges for peace.
In Hadassah Hospital, it is not an unusual sight to see a Palestinian nurse treat an Orthodox Jewish patient. According to one New York Times article, Muna al-Ayan, 22, wears her hijab and is accepted with open arms by her Israeli employer.
Oftentimes, Israeli soldiers and Palestinian terrorists are recovering in the same room. Amidst the silence, a conversation ensues between two people who must recognize and accept the humanity of the Other.
Here’s another anecdote to consider. Hassan Salame—a Hamas leader who masterminded several bus bombings that killed 45 Israelis—is now looking at his surgeon, Dr. Avi Rivkind, who is also the head of the Hadassah trauma unit. His doctor says, “Here, life means something.”
Israeli and Palestinian physicians both find ways to transcend the history of distrust and violence. In doing so, they create an oasis of hope. By sowing the seeds of humanity, they hope to produce the fruits of peace for the next generation. Israel invests in hope and the power of transformation.
When I read stories about how Israel extends the olive branch in helping her neighbors, I feel very proud that I am a Jew. We all should.
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Rabbi Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista. He may be contacted at michael.samuel@sdjewishworld.com