Israel bars Palestinian Aids patient

JERUSALEM - A Palestinian AIDS patient has been denied permission to leave Gaza for medical treatment in Israel despite warnings by senior Israeli clinicians that the case is an urgent one.

The man is being blocked by the military from leaving Gaza, despite the fact that he has been undergoing an extended course of treatment at a Tel Aviv hospital and a written demand from six leading AIDS experts and the chairman of the Israeli Medical Association that he be allowed to return there.

The patient, who suffers from haemophilia and is understood to have become HIV positive as a result of a contaminated blood transfusion in the occupied Palestinian territories, has recently deteriorated and is in hospital in Gaza, which has no advanced facilities for treating AIDS.

The Israeli Defence Forces said yesterday that the man posed a "security threat" but were unable to elaborate further, referring enquiries to the domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet.

The agency said it could not respond to an enquiry without being given the name of the patient, which has not been disclosed to protect his confidentiality.

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)-Israel said yesterday that he had had been denied entry into Israel on December 19 by the Army at the main Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza, and a subsequent request by PHR to the Army's "humanitarian hotline" on January 5 that he be admitted had also been turned down.

A further request on January 12 for the man to be allowed into Israel had also been turned down despite professional opinions stressing the medical importance of his doing so by two senior medics including Dr Itzik Levi, Director, AIDS Service, Tel Hashomer Hospital, where the man has been receiving treatment.

PHR said yesterday in a statement that the patient's "life is in danger" and added that Gaza medics had advised that it was impossible for him to receive treatment in Egypt which has a border crossing with Gaza.

It added: "The professional treatment he needs is available at Tel Hashomer Hospital.

In addition, the patient's case is familiar to the medical staff, as he has been treated there in the past." PHR's spokesman Shabtai Gold said last night that, even if the patient posed a potential danger to Israeli civilians or others, "the security forces could surely find appropriate ways round that."

He pointed out that dangerous criminals and others in Israeli gaols are still entitled to, and receive, medical treatment "which is a basic human right."

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