10th May 2007

In Israel, civilians have once again suffered casualties, as Palestinian rocket attacks rocket attacks have begun again.Fatah and Islamic Jihad have both participated in the multi-day barrage falling on the Sederot region.

The attacks began this past Sunday (May 6th), and have continued throughout the week. A day care center was among the civilian buildings damaged by rocket fire. Local residents are afraid and angry.

In response to this recent atrocity, the Knesset appeared divided. Defense Minister Amir Peretz reaffirmed the right to protect Israeli citizens from terrorism, but did not disclose a specific time for retaliation. Yitzchak Levy, a member of the Knesset, who resides close to the region of Sederot; criticized Mr. Peretz’s inability to create a timetable and expressed fear that artillery used by Palestinian terrorists are becoming more effective and precise.

While the Knesset debates retaliation and security strategies, Hatzalah Emergency Rescue volunteers are not waiting for another barrage of terrorist attacks. As attacks become more frequent in Israel they further disrupt peace, security, and development. Most of all they leave people in all parts of Israel in daily danger.

Hatzalah Emergency Rescue Volunteers are equipped, trained, and supplied to supply medical relief in Israel’s most remote and dangerous areas to ensure optimum service and care. Medical centers are constantly expanding, along with their staff to extend their assistance and accessibility during times of an emergency.

It is a necessity to provide rapid response medical care throughout Israel, especially as war and violence continues to ravage the nation and Palestinian terrorists have authority in Gaza. However, Hatzalah Emergency Rescue is entirely funded by donations. The Volunteers who brave rockets and terrorists snipers everyday can not save lives without the support of donors.

12th May 2007

Seven Hikers Rescued

Immediate response saved the lives of 14 Israelis hiking near the Dead Sea.

A flash flood swept over a portion of a main highway and into the canyons surrounding the Dead Sea. The flash flooding was caused by a rare spring cloudburst in parts of Israel and the Palestinian territory.

A intensive search and rescue operation was launched after reports that 18 hikers repelling down a cliff in the Judean Desert had got stuck because of a flash flood in the Qumran river bed, to the east of Jerusalem.

Hatzalah Emergency Rescue Volunteers were present during the search and rescue operation to administer first aid to the injured hikers. 14 of the 18 hikers were saved.
The Dead Sea area has been prone to flash floods in the past because it is located several hundred of metres below sea level. But heavy rains are rare in spring in the arid Middle East where most precipitation falls in winter.

Every day our Hatzalah volunteers blanket Israel, responding to emergencies and saving lives. Decades of experience has shown three areas which make the critical difference between life and death: volunteer training, response time, and having treatment facilities close by. Every time we add a Center our volunteers can save more lives, because our Centers function to support volunteers in the field in all of the most critical areas.

Hatzalah Emergency Rescue is proud to announce the opening of a brand new center serving the Galilee and Meron areas. The Center has state-of-the-art equipment and staffed with both doctors and paramedics. The Center also coordinates emergency response teams, and rescue operations for those lost or injured in the surrounding mountains or wilderness.

The Galilee Center is the most recent addition to Hatzalah Rescue’s group of Centers located throughout Israel, designed to give comprehensive care in areas not covered by major hospitals. The Centers act as hubs for ambulances and Hatzalah volunteers saving lives throughout Israel.

The Galilee Center, like our other Centers, also provides training and supplies to Hatzalah Volunteers, along with emergency care for elderly or victims of accidents and terrorists. Local residents can also make use of the Center to learn first aid or for regular check-ups.

Coming Next
Hatzalah Emergency Rescue staff and volunteers are constantly striving to bring better care to more communities. We have begun construction on a Center in Metula so that our doctors and EMTs working in the field there can save more lives. It is the generosity of our donors that have made this beginning possible, and it is only with the continued support of our donors that we can continue.