As news headlines on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict center on civilian casualties and the Obama administration’s efforts to reboot negotiations, some tragic stories are lost in the shuffle, even though they highlight some interesting nuances on regional politics.
Over the last two weeks, a saga has unfolded to save the lives of the first conjoined twins born in the Gaza Strip. The story ends in tragedy, with the infants’ deaths in Saudi Arabia, but the journey is worth examination.
Once the infants were born, the Saudi government agreed to provide medical treatment in the Kingdom, but getting the twins into the government proved equally as difficult.
First, the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip petitioned the only official Palestinian West Bank Fatah-led government to transfer the twins. Hamas and Fatah have been at odds for years and Hamas has killed and imprisoned Fatah sympathizers in the West Bank. This tensions and disunity in Palestinian society has complicated a number of issues, including the peace process. However, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority government agreed to the preliminary step.
Then came securing approval from the Israeli and Egyptian governments to open the border and transfer the twins. The Israeli government has been reluctant to open the Gaza border, even for the importation of certain medical supplies. Similarly, the Egyptian border has been overrun in the past, leading to the influx of Gaza residents into Egypt. But, both governments agreed and the twins were transfered into Egypt and subsequently into Saudi Arabia.
The children obtained medical treatment, but passed away over the weekend because their organs were too intertwined.
Even though all the players overcame reluctance and disputes, all the governments involved coordinated efforts to try and save the infants. It’s a tragedy that the infants died. However, it’s a small victory of hope that eventually these same governments can reach a much broader agreement to set their disputes aside and work toward a common goal.