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<h1><font size=4><b>Israel to Gaza patients: Be a TRAITOR and you can get
Medication</b></font></h1><font size=3>
<a href="http://www.imemc.org/article/60225" eudora="autourl">
http://www.imemc.org/article/60225<br>
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Monday May 04, 2009
16:07<img src="http://www.imemc.org/graphics/person.gif" width=14 height=12 alt="author">
by Palestine Telegraph
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</font>Israel's Shin Bet internal security service has increased its
interrogations of people seeking to leave Hamas-run Gaza for medical
treatment, a rights group said in a report on Monday.<br><br>
Data collected by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel "indicates a
rise in the number of Palestinian patients interrogated and forced to
provide information as a precondition to exit Gaza for medical
care," it said.<br><br>
"Between January 2008 and March 2009, at least 438 patients have
been summoned for... interrogations... as a precondition for the review
of their applications for an exit permit for the purpose of accessing
medical treatment outside of the strip," the report said.<br><br>
Whereas in January 2008, 1.45 percent of people who had submitted
applications to Israeli authorities to leave Gaza were questioned, that
number rose to 17 percent in January 2009, the group said.<br>
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel say Shin Bet had interrogated minors,
photographed patients against their will; harassed, cursed and
intimidated patients during questioning; and returned to Gaza patients
who did not cooperate.<br><br>
A spokesman for the Israeli prime minister's office, which oversees the
Shin Bet, rejected the report's accusations.<br><br>
A total of "13,000 sick are treated every year in Israel," Mark
Regev said. "To suggest that all of them are required to provide
information is simply ridiculous." However, the number is totally
down since the blockade. Many Palestinians died trying to cross but
Israel didn't allow them.<br><br>
But he said "the authorities have a duty to proceed with security
checks to assure that the people entering Israel will not take advantage
of this to commit attacks, as was the case in the past."<br><br>
In December 2008, Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza
led to killing of more than 1,400 Palestinians in 23 days. Gaza is one of
the world's most densely-populated territories where the vast majority of
the 1.5-million population relies on UN aid.<br><br>
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