Ambulance Stations in Shomron to Stay Open

Magen David Adom stations in Yehudah and Shomron which were slated to be shut down will instead be kept open in light of ongoing Palestinian violence in the region, The Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday.

Health Minister Rabbi Yaakov Litzman said that full ambulance services during such a crisis override any budgetary concerns.

“It is unthinkable that budgetary considerations could prevent the civilian population from having medical services in general and emergency medical services in particular,” he said after meeting with Shomron Council head Yossi Dagan.

The meeting was prompted by a letter sent by MDA management to the Health Ministry warning that it would soon be forced to reduce its activities in Yehudah and Shomron  because of budget problems. Specifically, the stations in Shaked and Shavei Shomron were facing closure.

Dagan thanked Litzman and MDA for their initiative. “We expect to see in all aspects of life the end of this discrimination. The time has come to stop this circus. Every year we heads of local authorities have to hear that MDA is reducing services in Yehudah and Shomron due to budget shortages; we are one of the most sensitive places in security, but every year we have to fight for what we deserve to get from the state of Israel. I expect the state to solve the budgetary problems once and for all…”

This article appeared in print on page 7 of the October 30th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.