Arnon Segal, a journalist, recently found himself at the center of a storm after it was revealed that he donated a kidney, but with the condition that it would only be transplanted into Jewish patients. This decision sparked a heated debate and drew criticism from various individuals.
Journalist Amit Segal, defending his brother on Twitter, expressed his support for Arnon’s choice. He wrote, “I wish everyone brothers who donate a kidney to a person they have never met. And with free love we will win.”
However, not everyone shared Amit Segal’s perspective. Journalist Muhammad Majadala responded to Segal’s tweet by stating, “I wish everyone non-racist brothers who love every person regardless of religion, race, and gender.” This criticism highlights the contention surrounding Arnon Segal’s decision.
One of the detractors was Zehava Galon, the chairman of Meretz and a former member of the Knesset. Galon claimed, “Even two kidneys are not enough to clean the poison flowing through his body, so what does it matter.” Responding to Galon, chamber ethnologist Aryeh Erlich defended Segal’s decision by stating, “He has the right to donate his kidney to whoever he wants, even if he decides only to redheads.”
Prof. Hagai Levin, the Chairman of the Union of Public Health Physicians, also weighed in on the controversy. He visited and expressed his concern, saying, “Organ donations only for Jews? What appears to be a dystopian hallucination becomes reality. With the elimination of the cause of reasonableness, this can become policy. It’s a shame about the racism.”
The Bureau of Ethics of the Medical Association released a statement emphasizing the importance of saving lives. They stated, “The decision on who will receive organs for transplantation should be made in a professional and transparent manner, as was done by the National Center for Organ Transplantation in Israel. The Ethics Bureau denies any discrimination based on religion, race, nationality, or any reason not related to a medical condition.”
The Billinson Hospital, where the transplant took place, clarified that they do not have involvement in the selection of donors and their preferences except for medical eligibility. They reiterated their commitment to saving lives and leading organ transplantation efforts in Israel according to the Ministry of Health’s procedures.
This controversy has brought into focus the ethical considerations surrounding organ transplantation and the importance of treating all patients fairly regardless of their religious background. It serves as a reminder that decisions involving life-saving procedures should be made based on medical eligibility and with transparency and professionalism in mind.