For more than half a year, the Samaria Residents Committee has been struggling against Magen David Adom following its agreement with the Red Cross, in which MDA has committed to remove the red Star of David symbols from ambulances serving Samarian towns, and to transfer medical authority in the district to the Palestinian Red Crescent. According to articles in Haaretz and Israel Army Radio, MDA also committed to blocking contributions coming from abroad to acquire ambulances in Judea and Samaria.
The Samaria Residents Committee published an ad in the North American weekend edition of the Jerusalem Post under the headline “Follow the money.” The ad informs potential MDA donors overseas of the damage the MDA agreement is causing settlement in Samaria, and notes that this is an unprecedented act of an Israeli national organization stating openly that it would block services to a large part of Israel’s population.
Benny Katzover, Chairman of the Samaria Residents Committee, told the website Datili that the ad’s purpose was to inform North American Jews of MDA’s behavior. The bulk of MDA donors in North America may not be aware that their money was stopped at the “green line” and that the organization they supported took part in curbing medical treatment of Israeli Jews.