A violent incident took place earlier this week at Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus, when the family members of an Arab patient who was evacuated to the hospital in a critical condition began to riot and rage upon receiving the news of his death. Tonight (Saturday), the Israeli police arrested three other suspects, residents of East Jerusalem, on suspicion of their involvement in the incident. On Friday, the first suspect, a 48-year-old East Jerusalem resident, was arrested and his detention was extended until Monday.
Following the incident of violence and assault by members of the medical staff at the hospital, an investigation began at the Shalem Jerusalem District Station, which included a variety of actions and efforts to locate the suspects.
After the arrest of the first suspect, today three other suspects, residents of East Jerusalem in their 30s, appeared and turned themselves in to police investigators, and at the end of their interrogation, they were imprisoned and brought before the court tomorrow for a hearing.
The police said: “We take violence of any kind and in particular towards medical teams working to save lives. We will continue to act with great determination in the face of incidents of violence in society in general and against public employees in particular until the criminals involved.”
Horowitz: “Violence is the property of Jews and Arabs”
Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz this week condemned the violence at Hadassah Mount Scopus: “Family members of a patient who died at Hadassah Mount Scopus went on a rampage, attacked staff members and vandalized property. The violence is horrific and we eradicated it, both by the addition of security guards and indictments.”
“By the way, for anyone who tries to be racist – the violence and bullying in health institutions, all over the country, is the property of Jews and Arabs,” Horowitz added, emphasizing: “Everyone will be treated severely.”
A statement from the Ministry of Health said: “The Ministry of Health is shocked and calls on the enforcement systems to act harshly against anyone who chooses a violent path. Physical or verbal violence against medical staff is a serious phenomenon, and the Ministry of Health will act in all possible ways “The Ministry of Health is in contact with the management of Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital and the team handling the incident and its consequences.”