Neutrality imperils aid organisations |
Earlier this week, Doctors Without Borders issued a statement saying it will comply with Israel’s requirements to share details of its Palestinian and international staff, “subject to clear parameters with staff safety at its core”.
In its statement, the humanitarian organisation noted that it was doing so, knowing that such information was being shared “in a context where 1,700 health staff have been killed, including 15 MSF workers, since October 2023.” The choice was between allowing Israel access to personal information regarding its staff, or cease operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Either option spells death. Should MSF risk its staff, or risk the lives of Palestinians in dire need of medical aid? The question points to the concept of neutrality, rather than choice. Humanitarian organisations are being forced to operate in colonial and genocidal realities, and expected to remain neutral in the........