President of Israel Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin appealed on Wednesday to Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, to allow a haredi girl, who is in hospital in England, to be brought to Israel for medical treatment.
The courts in England have recently ruled that doctors are permitted to switch off life-support equipment, contrary to the wishes of the parents who wish to bring her to Israel for continued medical treatment.
Alta Fixler, a two-year-old British Jewish girl who suffered brain damage during birth, has been hooked up to life support her entire life.
Despite her parents' requests that she be kept alive, the British high court recently ruled in favor of the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which had petitioned for the right to end the child's life-support, arguing that she "no prospect" of "ever getting better".
In his letter to Prince Charles, the president wrote: “Your Royal Highness, I am writing to you today on a matter of grave and urgent humanitarian importance. As you may know, a recent High Court ruling in the case of two-year-old Alta Fixsler of Manchester has given doctors permission to switch off the life-support treatment that is keeping her alive."
"It is the fervent wish of her parents, who are devoutly religious Jews and Israeli citizens, that their daughter be brought to Israel. Their religious beliefs directly oppose ceasing medical treatment that could extend her life and have made arrangements for her safe transfer and continued treatment in Israel."
"I know that representations have been made to HM Government on this matter, but I feel that the unique circumstances warrant a personal intervention on my part to you. It would be a tragedy if these parents’ wishes could not be accommodated in a way that respects both the law and their religious beliefs.”