Eli Bin, director general of Magen David Adom emergency services, came under scathing criticism Thursday, after stating that paramedics arriving at scenes of terrorist attacks must follow set triage procedures, even if it means treating seriously wounded Palestinian terrorists before more moderately wounded Jewish victims. Speaking with Tel Aviv-based radio station 103FM, Bin said, "When I see my enemy wounded I no longer treat him as a terrorist, but as a human being. He has surrendered; he no longer poses a threat, so I'll treat him. "MDA's job is to treat the wounded; we are not the judiciary, and we have no way of discerning between victims at the scene. However, if security forces bar us from going over [to a victim] we follow their orders," he said. The statement sparked a firestorm on social media, with many accusing Bin of indirectly "supporting terrorism," some demanding he resign, and other saying the public should boycott MDA blood drives. "You're so eager to show how you don't distinguish between [Jewish and Arab] blood that you've lost your mind," one Facebook post read. "I don't understand where that unfortunate statement came from," another post, by a man who said he has been a volunteer paramedic for a decade, said. "A terrorist has essentially already forfeited his life by deciding to carry out an attack. Why is it more urgent to save the life of someone clearly trying to take the lives of others-" Habayit Hayehudi MK Bezalel Smotrich urged Bin to revise procedures immediately, telling Channel 10 it was "inconceivable that Israel's national emergency medical organization will direct [paramedics] to leave wounded Israelis at the scene [of an attack], at the risk of complications or prolonged recovery, to treat a heinous terrorist seeking to murder Jews." Others, who came to Bin's defense, cited the Hippocratic Oath, and medical personnel's pledge to provide equal care to all. A statement issued by MDA following the controversy said that for paramedics, "Treating terrorists presents a very difficult dilemma, but we are duty-bound to do so." The statement stressed that for the most part this was a theoretical dilemma, as there is more than one paramedic at each scene. Speaking with Channel 10, Bin said he understood the criticism, but he has no intention of changing triage protocols. "I understand public sensitivities, but they won't change our procedures. We can't just let people bleed to death. I believe that the right thing to do is treat those who are the most seriously wounded first, regardless of their race, religion or gender. That is the MDA doctrine. "No one how knows me can question my patriotism, my values or my ethics. I am first and foremost Israeli and Jewish, but I'm also a paramedic," he said. "It's very difficult to treat someone who just tried to murder people -- I've encountered such situations myself -- but when you arrive at a scene you don't stop to check IDs. You identify those who are the most seriously wounded and you treat them, unless explicitly instructed otherwise by security forces. "These are complex situations and they are part of MDA's job. Our paramedics are highly-trained professionals, they know what to do, and you have to trust us to do it. Our mission is to save lives," Bin concluded.
