Hospital denies family’s claims Arab staffers manhandled seriously wounded IDF soldier

Haifa’s Rambam Hospital denies that Eitan Chesterman, one of four IDF soldiers seriously wounded recently in Lebanon, was mistreated by Arab staffers.

By World Israel News Staff

Haifa’s Rambam Hospital has rejected allegations that Arab members of its medical staff mistreated a seriously wounded IDF soldier, saying an internal examination found no evidence of inappropriate care.

The hospital issued the denial after relatives of Eitan Chesterman, one of four soldiers seriously wounded during IDF operations in southern Lebanon, alleged that he was denied water and handled roughly by members of an Arabic-speaking night shift after regaining consciousness.

“Following an examination of the incident, we reject the claims of inappropriate treatment of the patient,” Rambam said.

The hospital stressed that wounded soldiers are treated by experienced medical teams regardless of the staff members’ backgrounds, noting that it has cared for hundreds of injured troops during the war, including many in life-threatening condition.

Chesterman arrived at Rambam sedated and on a ventilator after being wounded by an explosive device during IDF operations in the southern Lebanese town of Majdal Zoun. He suffered extensive burns and experienced pain, fever and hallucinations after regaining consciousness, according to his family.

His brother David Chesterman alleged that relatives were ordered to leave the intensive care unit during the overnight shift and were prevented from returning.

“Four seriously wounded soldiers found themselves alone for an entire night,” Chesterman wrote, identifying the staff members on duty as Arabic speakers.

He said family members repeatedly asked to enter the ward but were refused. Chesterman eventually entered despite the restrictions and said he found his brother asking for water.

“He was begging for water and no one was around,” Chesterman said.

The family also said Eitan told his brother that members of the staff had turned him over roughly in his bed, causing his head to strike the bed.

Eitan’s uncle, Gvura Forum chairman Yehoshua Shani, subsequently publicized the allegations and called for security-camera footage to be preserved and reviewed.

Shani, whose son IDF Capt. Ori Mordechay Shani was killed in battle, said his criticism was directed at the specific incident rather than Arab health care workers generally.

“I am not casting suspicion on an entire community,” he said.

He also questioned why an IDF representative was not immediately available to the families of the wounded soldiers, arguing that the military should continue taking responsibility for severely injured troops after they are transferred to civilian hospitals.

The allegations nevertheless sparked a heated public debate because of the emphasis placed on the staff members being Arab.

Arab employees at Rambam reportedly complained that the accusations risked casting suspicion on them collectively. Rambam Director General Dr. Michal Mekel subsequently told employees that the hospital rejected attempts to divide its medical teams along ethnic lines.

The Mersham organization, which represents medical professionals, denounced what it described as “racist incitement” against Arab health workers while saying that any specific allegation concerning a patient’s treatment should be properly examined.

“It is possible and necessary to examine what concerns medical treatment,” the organization said.

Prof. Hagai Levine, chairman of the Israel Association of Public Health Physicians, described broader accusations against Rambam’s Arab staff as a “dangerous blood libel,” warning that they could damage trust in a health system in which Jewish and Arab professionals work alongside one another.

Rambam said Eitan continued to receive intensive treatment at the hospital and was successfully taken off mechanical ventilation. After his condition improved, he was transferred to Sheba Medical Center for continued treatment of his burns.

The hospital’s denial has not ended official scrutiny of the incident. Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the IDF to conduct its own examination after the allegations became public.

“I view with the utmost seriousness the testimonies that have been published,” Katz said.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also called for an investigation and said authorities should determine whether any mistreatment occurred and, if so, whether it was motivated by nationalist hostility.