Leave the World Health Organization? Knesset debates the pros and cons

The Knesset Health Committee held a meeting today (Monday) to discuss the proposal for Israel's withdrawal from the World Health Organization, on the grounds of its progressive agenda and failure to condemn Hamas' actions during October 7 and the war. The committee will hold a further discussion on the matter to hear representatives from government ministries.

The initiator of the discussion, MK Limor Son Har-Melech (Jewish Power), noted that "the World Health Organization (WHO) consistently operates with a hostile approach against the State of Israel, promoting decisions that harm its rights in the international arena. The organization's policy is often tainted with antisemitism and clear discrimination against Israel, and constitutes a serious violation of the legitimacy of the State of Israel as a sovereign state.

"The President of the United States announced the US withdrawal from the organization on his first day in the White House, understanding that the organization does not serve the interests of democratic countries and even harms them. The State of Israel should take a similar step to preserve its international standing, prevent damage to its interests, and send a clear message against antisemitic discrimination in any international institution."

Har-Melech noted that with the US departure, the organization has already lost 30% of its budget and consequently lost the ability to conduct research and international collaborations. Members of Knesset Galit Distal Atbaryan, Nissim Vaturi, Osher Shkalim, Tsega Melaku, Ariel Kallner, Keti Shitrit (Likud), Ohad Tal, and Michal Waldiger (Religious Zionism) joined her demand.

According to Prof. Ehud Keinan, an international chemistry expert, the organization's professional authority is disputed, but there is no doubt that its policy is corrupt and self-interested. He presented Taiwan as a leading power in various fields, including medical, despite not being a member of the organization.

Michael Puah, chairman of "Choosing Family," added that the WHO is involved in "promoting an agenda for sexuality education for children from age 0. This is another progressive trolling, aimed at severely damaging the development of a child's identity, in accordance with their physical development and the family and social contexts in which they are supposed to function. After the US left the organization, it is clear that those for whom the message of liberty and justice is a guiding light cannot find their place in this organization. Since the US stopped participating in funding the organization, only the negative self-interested factors remain."

Prof. Dorit Nitzan, a representative of the Medical Association and formerly holding a position in the WHO, argued on the other hand that withdrawing from the organization could cause significant damage to the country's security and the health of its residents, and to the country's ability to cooperate with global health bodies. This is due to access to global medical information and early warnings, international cooperation on health issues, access to support and assistance in cases of disaster or epidemic, access to research and international medical standards, influence on vaccine and drug development, and more.

It was also claimed in the discussion that the organization has not condemned the October 7th massacre to this day, in which Hamas terrorists attacked ambulances and murdered doctors, paramedics, and medics. The organization has also not responded to date on Hamas's use of hospitals, particularly Shifa Hospital, for terrorist purposes and as human shields.

Only on November 20, 2023, did the organization publish an article titled: "WHO is appalled by the latest attack on the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza." In this article, it was stated that "the organization has documented about 335 attacks on health institutions in the occupied Palestinian territories since October 7, and the world cannot stand by silently while these hospitals, which are supposed to be safe havens, become scenes of death, destruction, and despair."