Dr. David Zangen: "I Couldn't Stand [Larsen's] Lies" - Ma'ariv, 22 Apr 2002
"I Couldn't Stand the Lies"
By Asaf Haim - "Ma'ariv", 22 April 2002
(Translated from the Hebrew by Information Division, Israel Foreign
Ministry )
Dr. David Zangen, a senior pediatrician at Hadassah Hospital in
Jerusalem, who received his mobilization order for army service in
Jenin, did not think that he would also be recruited for Israel's
information campaign. Normally, he is a calm person, but the
accusations made by the UN Special Envoy to the Middle East, Terje
Larsen, regarding a "massacre" supposedly carried out by Israel in
Jenin have infuriated him. Dr. Zangen could not restrain himself, and
called the Israel Army Radio service, to protest Larsen's charges.
Dr. Zangen's comments are particularly significant, because he
treated both wounded Israelis and Palestinians with great dedication.
In this way, Dr. Zangen became a spokesman for the IDF, for one day.
His account sheds a little light on what really happened in the
refugee camp.
"I was incensed by Larsen's remarks. He must not be allowed to
continue with these lies", stated Dr. Zangen to Maariv. "I was there
during the fighting, and I saw close up what was happening. I know
that the IDF did everything it could to prevent civilian casualties.
It is clear to everyone that if the IDF had resorted to aerial
bombardment or heavy artillery, we would have completed [our mission]
in the refugee camp within half a day, without suffering any
casualties on our side. We did not adopt that policy, and we took
risks in the fighting, in an attempt to rescue those innocent
civilians that were caught up in the battles. Anyone who says that
Israel carried out a massacre is lying and inciting the Arabs.
Instead of acting to bring about reconciliation and peace, Larsen is
creating hatred."
Dr. Zangen continued, "IDF soldiers did not enter the Jenin hospital,
and ensured that the hospital could operate without disruption. No
IDF soldier set foot in the hospital. The Palestinians hid there in
the knowledge that we would not enter. Everyone knows this, and
anyone who says otherwise is lying and inciting. The descriptions of
the smell of the bodies in the refugee camp are also exaggerated out
of all proportion. A week after the fighting, I walked around the
camp without a mask, with journalists from all over the world, and
there was no smell. The journalists knew this, but all of a sudden,
they claimed that there was a stench in the camp from bodies that had
not been evacuated. Twenty-five bodies were found altogether, and
most of the bodies were those of the terrorists. There may have been
one area in the entire camp in which there were a number of bodies
buried under the rubble, and this would explain the smell. However,
aside from this case, there was no smell in the refugee camp - this
is just a crude lie."
Dr. Zangen, who found himself in the eye of the storm, is appalled at
the attempt to portray the IDF as an immoral army. "There are those
who say that the events in Jenin were like a holocaust. However, if
you were to enter the camp, you would find that only a few dozen
homes were destroyed. These were homes that were booby-trapped for
the purpose of killing soldiers. This was a fortress of terrorism.
200 terrorists wired up the camp with booby-traps, they took control
of it and recruited suicide bombers at every opportunity. In recent
years, a third of the suicide bombers have come from the Jenin
refugee camp. We found photo albums with pictures of children wearing
explosive belts; studio photographs of future shahidim [martyrs],
children aged between 16 and 18, who want to kill Israelis in suicide
attacks. All the homes in the refugee camp are covered with
wall-to-wall pictures of martyrs. It is unbelievable. These [martyrs]
are their heroes.
Their aim was to carry out suicide attacks against the IDF soldiers.
If there were innocent civilians in the area, they were either the
hostages of the terrorists or collaborators. In any case, during each
stage of the fighting, we called out to all those who did not want to
fight - to leave the homes. The terrorists exploited the departure of
these people, and they were shooting at us."
Dr. Zangen is a doctor of the brigade that fought in Jenin, and
treated many of the wounded. "The soldiers fought without harming
civilians", he stated. "This was noticeable in every place and on
every level. I was moved by the sight of soldiers conducting
themselves in such a dignified and moral manner. Most of us are
reserve soldiers; we are not hotheaded people, and we were all very
careful. I was impressed by the great care exercised by the IDF in
avoiding civilian casualties - especially with regard to children.
The resolve and volunteering spirit also impressed me. They were all
ready to fight, and no one shirked their duties. The Unit and
Divisional Commanders who fought there are the creme de la creme of
the Israeli people, and it is thanks to them that we are still alive.
They did not lose their humanity."
"I am infuriated by the claims of a massacre in Jenin, for another
reason. The paramedics and I risked our lives to treat the wounded
Palestinians. As well as the wounded, we also treated the sick. The
Palestinian doctors did not come to their aid, and we could not leave
them without medical treatment. The Palestinian doctors were unable
to reach a girl who had an attack of appendicitis. The soldiers
brought the girl over to us and we treated her. In another case, a
youngster came to us with a neck wound. We saved his life, in spite
of his Islamic Jihad tattoo. We tried to provide full treatment for
every Palestinian, and I am proud of it. I am in no doubt: the
Americans would not have taken such risks, and would have acted
differently. We acted in this way, simply to avoid civilian
casualties."
Hodi Broker from Haifa, a thirty-year-old teaching assistant from
Technion university, who served as a paramedic in a field hospital,
also talks about the treatment of the Palestinians: "an elderly
person who was wounded in the refugee camp came to us. We treated
him, and we wanted to send him back to Jenin, but there was nowhere
for him [to receive treatment]. The 'Red Crescent' refused to take
him. We took pity on him and we transported him to a hospital in
Israel. I hope he is well."
Dr. Zangen, the father of four children, fought in Lebanon, and this
is the first time that he is on the battlefield serving as a doctor.
"When you are serving as a doctor, your perspective is completely
different. It was difficult for me to witness soldiers being hit by
mass murderers who have no red lines, and who are even prepared to
exploit children. I saw pictures of children who were ready to carry
out suicide attacks. As a pediatrician, it was terrible to see
such a thing, and I am appalled by the very thought of a killing
machine that exploits innocent children. For instance, soldiers
encountered a six year-old boy who ran into the street with a bag.
They wanted to check the contents of the bag, and he threw the bag at
them. There were three pipe bombs in the bag. One other difficult
problem is the treatment of wounded fellow-soldiers from the unit. It
is a traumatic experience."
As the senior doctor on the ground, Zangen was forced to make
difficult decisions - who should be treated on the ground? Who should
be evacuated? When should treatment be abandoned, and be provided to
another wounded [soldier]? "These are difficult moments, in which the
fate of friends is determined. All the time, you are also aware that
these people are reservists, with families, who were among the
living, and all of a sudden, they are killed or wounded. And then,
you are not only thinking about them, but also thinking about the
widow and the orphaned children left at home."
Dr. Zangen has returned to Hadassah hospital, but the images of the
battlefield are still fresh in his mind. He talks of the courage and
the steadfastness of the wounded soldiers. "Some of these wounds were
so severe, that I thought that they would be unable to withstand the
pain. The soldiers suffered in silence, displaying true courage. They
knew why they were fighting. I remember a soldier who was hit by a
bullet in the stomach, and who suffered excruciating pain. Yet he
wanted to know when he was going back into battle. The Israeli people
need to know that we have a noble generation that we can all rely
upon."
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