08/13/2014

Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem Needs Your Help--Contact Congress to Release Needed Humanitarian Aid

From the SOS Middle East Task Force

One of the prominent features on the horizon in the city of Jerusalem is the Augusta Victoria Hospital, referred to by Lutherans as AVH. Why do Lutherans care about the Augusta Victoria Hospital, 6000 miles away on the southern side of Mount Scopus beside the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem? Because, this hospital is a project of the Lutheran World Federation, serving people in the Holy Land, especially the Palestinian people. The AVH is currently under a lot of stress. In addition to its regular work, it is now receiving patients from the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, the result of the war between Israel and Hamas. Additionally, this hospital is experiencing a cash flow crisis, and we have an opportunity here in Ohio to address that situation.

From the Lutheran World Federation

Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) and other East Jerusalem hospitals receive and treat patients referred to them by the Palestinian Authority (PA). They rely on the PA to pay for the patients it refers to them. Unfortunately, the PA has delayed paying its bills and owes AVH alone over 20 million USD. This has created a cash flow crisis for the LWF’s Augusta Victoria Hospital and is putting patients’ lives at risk.

The US Government can relieve this crisis by releasing humanitarian funding for the benefit of patients served by Augusta Victoria Hospital and the other East Jerusalem hospitals. So that there is no delay, this humanitarian funding should be separated from the overall cash transfer to the Palestinian Authority already appropriated by Congress and should be released for disbursement by USAID -the US Agency for International Development, either directly to the hospitals or to the hospitals through the PA.

It is critical that members of the US Congress here from constituents, especially from within the Lutheran community, to urge this action. Read more in the TALKING POINTS ON THE AVH CASH FLOW CRISIS document below.

Talking Points on the AVH Cash Flow Crisis 8-2014 pdf

For additional information, Contact Pr. Skip Cornett, Coordinator, SOS Middle East Task Force at wcornett@insight.rr.com