Israel‘s parliament on Thursday passed the first stage of a bill to stop funding non-essential medical treatment for Palestinians in Israeli prisons, in the latest series of punitive measures taken against detainees.
The authors of the bill, which was supported by 42 Knesset members, described Israel’s existing prison policy as “unreasonably lenient” towards security prisoners.
It is unclear what the authors of the bill deem as non-essential medical treatment.
“The medical services provided by the government to prisoners should not exceed basic medical care. There is no reason or logic to finance cosmetic treatments at the expense of taxpayers,” they were quoted as saying by Israeli broadcaster Kan.
The move aims to “deny prisoners accused of subversive acts against the State of Israel of the right to receive funding for medical treatments intended at improving quality of life and [medicine] not included in the basket of health services”.
Source: Middle East Eye
