Jewish and Arab Health Professionals in Israel Unite in Solidarity

Medical staff at hospitals in Israel call for peaceful coexistence and cooperation between Jews and Arabs against the backdrop of growing conflict.

By Jon Schiller, Israel21c

Medical staff at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer and Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, came together in solidarity Thursday to call for peaceful coexistence and cooperation between Jewish and Arab medical personnel during trying times.

At Sheba, the staff which consists of both Jewish and Arab doctors and nurses, came together for a special assembly to stress the importance of solidarity and cooperation in times of crisis.

Israeli pop star Miri Mesika also came to express her solidarity with Sheba’s staff efforts, as did presumed presidential candidate Miriam Peretz, who lost two sons during their service in the Israel Defense Forces.

“You see things that hurt you, I see things that hurt me. Restraint. Restraint and self-control are what’s needed at this time,״ Peretz told the medical staff at Sheba.

Standing next to an Arab staff member named Lena, Peretz praised her professionalism and dedication.

“When Lena is treating a patient, she puts aside her religious identity, she puts aside her ‘team’, and all that matters to her is to be professional, and to be a human being,” said Peretz.

At Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, the mixed staff launched a joint social media campaign showcasing Jews and Arabs working together, displaying messages of peace in Hebrew and in Arabic.

In a special message to the staff, Rambam Director General Dr. Michael Halbertal stressed the importance of solidarity and cooperation, urging them not to lose sight of the hospital staff’s main goal – helping people.

In his letter, he wrote: “Rambam is a hospital where members of all sects and religions work side by side to achieve one single goal – helping our patients heal, and making their stay as easy as possible.

“I strive, hope, and believe that Rambam, as a family consisting of many different individuals, will remain a bastion of sanity inside this complex reality around us, just as we have proven to be during all the difficult challenges we’ve faced together in recent years. We built a special home here, which we maintain as a harmonious and inclusive place, which I personally, am proud to be a part of.”

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