By Michal Zak

Summer has slowed our work, but the situation, as it is called, has not grown any better.  We are faced with a disaster - thousands of people are under curfew, violations of human rights continue, there are more and more innocent victims, and we are asking ourselves if we can help one little girl. The answer is not so clear yet but her situation is deteriorating. Malak Taiser is a five year old girl with 60% of her little body covered with third degree burns. She was injured from an accident with a heater at home in her very small village Al-Media (1,200) in the Ramallah district. The road to the village is closed.  The men are not allowed to enter into Israel to work, as they used to do until two years ago, so most are unemployed. There is no medical insurance in the Palestinian villages and so Malak, who lives just half an hour from some of the best hospitals in the world, cannot be treated.

With the help of our new support network, we managed to arrange that Malak would be accepted at Tel Hashomer hospital. It took some arranging, but on July 18 the Israeli army consented that she and her mother would leave the village and enter into Israel, accompanied by two of our volunteers, in order to allow top specialists at the hospital to assess her condition. Their conclusion was that, with intensive care, and a series of surgical operations she would have excellent chances of recovery.  They managed to obtain the agreement of the hospital to treat her at cost-price (a sum much lower than would be the cost to a normal patient)  However, due to the long hospital stay (60 days at 360$ per day) and the complexity of the work required, including orthopedic plastic surgery, even this price would be very high - some €/$US 55,000!

This is a huge sum of money for anyone.  It should not be the worry of a five year old girl.

Within the HAP program, we are opening a special campaign for Malak.  With your help, one girl may walk again.  Indirectly, you will help to restore the faith and wounded spirits of 1,200 people of her village, and some channels of cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians, and that’s a great deal.

To send a donation for Malak, please see "How to Give" .  Please designate your gift as "for Malak."

Malak Taiser

(pls note: the link opens a larger picture which shows her injuries.  This is unpleasant to view.)

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