Shomron Council head Gershon Mesika on Monday urged Magen Dovid Adom volunteers in Judea and Samaria to return to their posts despite the organization's controversial agreement with the Red Cross.
For the past six months there has been an internal struggle in MDA over the organization's leaders agreeing to remove the Star of David from ambulances in the 'disputed territories' in exchange for funding.
The agreement further stipulates that MDA cannot use international donations for the services it provides in Judea and Samaria. Since the deal was exposed, volunteers in Judea and Samaria banded-together and agreed to stage a work-stoppage, only responding to the most serious calls.
After meeting with the volunteers, Mesika said, "I realize that volunteering impacts their professional and private lives, and that despite the small number of emergency calls in Judea and Samaria, the operations center is suffering and their ability to respond to emergencies in the region has been compromised."
"I advised them that they should return to their posts, and we will continue to apply pressure on MDA to cancel the agreement," Mesika said. "I made this request because lives depend on it."
Samaria Council chairman Benny Katzover said, "We deeply appreciate the devotion of the MDA volunteers in Yesha, who were an important part in the struggle against MDA's wrong-decision."
"We will continue to put more and more pressure on MDA, and will not rest until the shameful agreement with the Red Cross is cancelled. We have far from exhausted ourselves in this struggle.
"Looking within, we cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater. MDA is essential and important, and we have no desire for human life to be endangered as we continue to push for them to reverse.
"We will continue to work responsibly to ensure the operational capabilities of volunteers in Judea and Samaria are restored and this agreement is cancelled," he concluded.
A spokesperson for the volunteers said: "We have accepted Mesika's appeal. We will continue to help the Samaria Regional Council fight to ensure the region's inhabitants are not be discriminated against due to MDA's political agreements.
Volunteers in Samaria – aided by supportive local residents – independently put the Star of David back on ambulances in the region, which probably aided in their decision to return to duty.