Israel’s war on healthcare
Polygraph | Newsletter n°269 | 4 Oct 2024
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Situation
Israel appears to have adopted its Gaza playbook in Lebanon. Its bombing of Lebanon has matched the frequency of its historically destructive airstrikes in Gaza. Last Monday (Sep 23), Israel dramatically escalated its war in Lebanon, claiming to have hit more than 1,600 targets that day alone. By Wednesday, nearly 600 civilians were killed by Israeli bombardment, including 50 children and 94 women. By Friday, Israel had killed more than 700 civilians, injured several thousand, and displaced 120,000. Like in Gaza, the daily death toll in Lebanon is higher than in any recent war.
Also like in Gaza, Israel’s actions are quite literally made possible by the Biden-Harris administration. The sense of impunity Israel feels as a result of the US’s unconditional backing emboldened it not only to invade Lebanon but commit the same war crimes there as it has the last 12 months in Gaza.
Israel’s war on health care
Israel killed at least 50 healthcare workers in Lebanon in the last two weeks alone. Yesterday, Israel bombed a medical center in central Beirut, killing at least nine. Since September 23, Israel has attacked healthcare workers and infrastructure in Lebanon 14 times, according to my analysis of World Health Organization data. Since October 7, there have been over 30 attacks such attacks (I discuss one of them here). Hospitals are closing down across southern Lebanon, including in Marjayoun, Mais al-Jabal, and Bint Jbeil. Healthcare is virtually non-existent south of the Litani River.
When I was working in the international humanitarian response to Syria (based in Beirut), I remember US officials condemning the Syrian government’s attacks on hospitals and medical workers. I remember them doing the same for Russia’s attacks on healthcare in Ukraine. Conversely, Israel received no real pushback from US officials while it was institutionalizing the practice of attacking healthcare and humanitarian personnel and property in Gaza. Little wonder Israel feels entitled to do the same in Lebanon.
In the last year, the World Health Organization documented 1,781 attacks on healthcare globally. More than 65 percent took place in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. Based on the data, Israel and Russia appear (unsurprisingly) to be the biggest offenders, but the former is firmly in a league of its own: Israel has conducted nearly three times more attacks on healthcare workers, facilities, and transport than Russia has since last October.
^Alt text for screen readers: Over 65 percent of attacks on healthcare since October 2023 occurred in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. Attacks on healthcare in Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon: 1,164. Attacks on healthcare everywhere else: 617. Figures refer to attacks on healthcare workers, facilities, and transport, 7 Oct 2023–4 Oct 2024. Data: World Health Organization. More at Stephen Semler dot com
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