Stephen M. Flatowis President of the Religious Zionists of America (RZA) He is the father of Alisa Flatow, who was murdered in an Iranian-sponsored Palestinian terrorist attack in 1995 and the author of A Father’s Story: My Fight for Justice Against Iranian Terror. Note: The RZA is not affiliated with any American or Israeli political party.
Those reading this in the United States and other western countries are familiar with Doctors Without Borders—Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)—mail solicitations for support; many are accompanied by a gift of some sort; a ball point pen with which to write your check or a world map highlighting its activities. It’s famous for rushing doctors into war zones and disaster areas. Its fundraising letters portray selfless physicians healing the wounded by candlelight and headlamp. Donors naturally assume they are supporting a strictly humanitarian mission.
But NGO Monitor has exposed a different side of MSF when it comes to Israel and Gaza. Its reports show that MSF’s public statements emphasize Palestinian Arab suffering while all but erasing the Israeli reality—families murdered in their homes, rockets raining down on cities, and children targeted simply for being Jewish.
Even more troubling, MSF rarely acknowledges that Hamas turns hospitals, clinics, and ambulances into tools of war. Hamas hides in tunnels beneath medical centers and fires rockets from civilian courtyards. This isn’t speculation; it’s been documented repeatedly. Yet MSF’s communications stay silent, leaving the false impression that Israel attacks civilians for no reason.
That isn’t humanitarian neutrality. It is a political narrative that conveniently aligns with Hamas propaganda. And every time MSF issues one of these one-sided statements, international opinion shifts further against Israel.
No one questions the bravery of MSF doctors in the field. But an organization that “bears witness” has an obligation to tell the whole truth. To highlight Palestinian Arab casualties while ignoring Hamas’s war crimes is to distort reality—and to slander Israel.
Donors should take note. Every dollar given supports not only surgeries and field clinics, but also MSF’s public voice. If that voice refuses to speak honestly about Hamas, then donors are entitled to ask: why should our charity help advance propaganda against Israel?
Humanitarian work is noble. But neutrality means more than providing care on the battlefield—it means refusing to cover up for terrorists. Until MSF proves it can tell the truth about Hamas as readily as it condemns Israel, donors should demand answers before sending their checks.
And if MSF won’t change, Jewish and pro-Israel donors should consider directing their generosity elsewhere—to medical and relief organizations that heal the wounded without whitewashing the terrorists who made them victims. Israel deserves nothing less, and so do the people of Gaza who truly need care that is free from Hamas’s grip.