When Israel is Wrong, Advocate for Human Rights

When Zazim published a petition, promising to distribute flowers in the name of the signatories, I complied. It was the day after primetime television featured the brother of an injured soldier claiming Arab doctors at Rambam Hospital mistreat patients. Subsequently, checked by the hospital – denied.

We watched that news item. We looked at each other in disbelief. Not because criticizing an ICU medical team is necessarily unjustified, but this was loaded. With racism. With a subtext transcending the text. With assumptions the text and subtext make an acceptable news item.

We looked at each other in disbelief.

We know 40% of healthcare professionals in Israel are Arabs. Palestinian citizens of the State of Israel, 21% of the population. We know our society is racist society and justifies it, providing examples ostensibly justifying its Jewish supremacist attitudes, justification for its fear of Arabs. A society that despite its own declaration of independence calling for equality for all its citizens normalized political party declarations that they will not include Arab parties in a government coalition.

We know there are NGOs conducting programs to encourage professional environments that feel safe for Jewish and Palestinian citizens working together, like health professionals.

But six weeks ago, at one of the national health clinics, in an encounter with a Jewish nurse, she made sure to share her opinion of her Arab colleagues. Maybe reflecting her personal experience. Maybe her attitude elicits the behaviors she condemns?

Thinking, contrasting stereotypes.

Revert to news items. Complicit media – credible and acceptable to say Arab medical team mistreats Jewish patient, an injured IDF soldier. Soldier information adding volume to subtexts. Perpetrating fear. Labeling situations when Jews are subject to Arab healthcare professionals: less than safe.

Thought diversion: Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and other Gazan doctors held and severely abused in Israeli prisons. Subscribing to numerous human rights organizations’ WhatsApp groups make that information easily accessible, without going to the BBC or Al Jazeera. Still information not covered by primetime Israeli news or mainstream Israeli media outlets.

Though escalating settler attacks on West Bank Palestinian villages make it more difficult for primetime Israeli news to overlook that situation.

Qusra. Settlers, Jewish Israeli terrorists, besieging Palestinian homes. Lame IDF actions to prevent settler violence against Palestinians. Indicative of the policy of the government of Israel. As I write, watching a journalist, a Palestinian citizen of the State of Israel, on major media outlet providing scenarios for coping with bad international press: Israel initiating provocations on other fronts to distract attention. Not good.

If you presume to care about Israel – advocate, place international pressure on Israel in the name of human rights!

Please!

While I recover from a Jewish American, self-defined believer in liberal democracy telling me Rabbis for Human Rights is too left. That’s right. Armed settlers opened fire on Combatants for Peace activists providing protective presence for Palestinians in Beit Sahour on Friday. The IDF pushed out the activists and allowed settlers to remain.

Threats surround me. I’m afraid of Iran. I’m afraid of many things. Mostly, afraid of living in an Israel that doesn’t enable equality and shared society for all its citizens, and an Israel that doesn’t act in the name of human rights.

Harriet Gimpel – August 15, 2026

Born and raised in Philadelphia, earned a B.A. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University in 1980, followed by an M.A. in Political Science from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Harriet has worked in the non-profit world throughout her career. She is a freelance translator and editor, writes poetry in Hebrew and essays in English, and continues to work for NGOs committed to human rights and democracy.