"The racist discourse surrounding Rambam Hospital is intended to serve those who seek division and hatred"
Chairman of the "Lemaanchem" organization, Yossi Erblich, visited Rambam Hospital in Haifa and claimed that the controversy surrounding the medical treatment of IDF soldiers is intended to divert attention from government funding withheld from peripheral hospitals.
During a tour of the Rambam Medical Center, the chairman of the "Lemaanchem" organization, Yossi Erblich, along with the organization's leadership, met with Rambam CEO Dr. Michal Mekel and the medical center's senior staff.
In his remarks, Erblich addressed the recent discourse surrounding the hospital and stated:
"The racist discourse surrounding Rambam Hospital must be removed from the agenda. It is intended to serve those who seek division and hatred, and it arose, apparently, against the backdrop of the election campaign we have entered. I would not be surprised if its purpose is to divert attention from the fact that hospitals in the periphery are being neglected and from the funds that the government is withholding and that are owed to them."
The controversy surrounding Rambam Hospital began with an Instagram post by David Chesterman, the brother of an IDF soldier who was seriously wounded in battle in Lebanon. Chesterman raised serious allegations regarding the treatment his brother received. According to the family, during his hospitalization in a ward alongside three other wounded soldiers, a shift change occurred, and a staff consisting entirely of Arabic speakers entered the ward. They claimed that family members were removed from the ward and the doors were locked.
Chesterman reported that when he entered the room to check on his brother, he found him thirsty and begging for water. He alleged that his brother whispered that staff members turned him over in bed brutally "like a sardine," causing his head to slam against the bed. The post caused a widespread storm on social media.
Rambam Hospital completely rejected the allegations of inappropriate treatment, clarifying that every complaint is investigated seriously and emphasizing that the treatment of soldiers is carried out with professionalism and full dedication.
Yossi Erblich added during the meeting:
"I can testify to hundreds of patients we referred to Rambam, including soldiers, all of whom received excellent treatment. There are doctors here from the Arab sector whom I know have saved countless lives. In the waiting rooms and operating rooms, ultra-Orthodox, secular, Jews, and Arabs are side by side. There are no disputes there — there is compassion and a commitment to saving lives. My dream has always been to export this unity to the public outside, and not to allow external disputes to enter the hospitals."
The meeting was also attended by "Lemaanchem" president Prof. Yosef Press, project manager Prof. Hezi Levy, Dr. Beni Davidson, Dr. Gadi Neuman, and Prof. Yaakov Jerris.
