West Bank doctors’ union declares full closure of emergency clinics

The council of the Doctors’ Union in the occupied West Bank declared on Tuesday a series of protest measures, including the full closure of emergency clinics, starting from this morning. The union said that these measures are in protest against “defamation” by Palestinian Authority Deputy Health Minister Osama Al-Najjar.

According to the council, it has “passed through several difficulties aimed at undermining the dignity of the doctors and their social commitment.” This was a reference to the attempts by the PA to ignore the protest measures and not apologise to doctors.

The union has filed complaints to the Ministerial Council, the Public Prosecutor and the Ministry of Health demanding that the “abusers” be held responsible. It pointed out that its members have received threats via fake social media accounts and verbal threats from people in disguise.

Responsibility for the safety of the doctors, said the union, lies with the Palestinian government. It called for the Public Prosecutor to take all needed measures to guarantee the safety of doctors and see that justice is done.

During the protests, the union has asked doctors to attend their place of work whenever there are armed Israeli incursions.

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