(BLOG) Israel ‘Destroyed’ Gaza Hospital That Never Existed

"Another anti-Israeli campaign, this time charging that the IDF destroyed a Christian hospital in Gaza earlier this year, has gone up in smoke following an investigation by the Jewish Telegraph Agency (JTA). One question remains: what was supposed to happen with the $1.67 million raised for 'rebuilding' the hospital?

Several months ago a fundraising campaign was conducted in Greece, with a star-studded telethon for the hospitals that Israel allegedly 'destroyed with their bombs' during the Operation Cast Lead counterterrorist campaign from last December through mid-January.

The JTA revealed that the supposed hospital was not on United Nations and Red Crescent Society lists of damaged structures. Officials of non-government groups (NGOs) in Gaza told the American Jewish news network that only one Christian hospital was used during the campaign and that it did not sustain any damage.

When questioned, the Greek television station that broadcast the telethon said it was only responsible for providing the air time and that the government and a trade union were behind the campaign. The union referred the JTA to the government.

The Greek ambassador in Israel in turn referred the JTA to the Greek consulate in Jerusalem.

After the investigation began, a financial newspaper in Greece published a small article that 'a project is being sought in Gaza to be financed by the money' that was raised in the February telethon." (source)