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Israel admits Ethiopian women were given birth control shots Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper
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Israel admits Ethiopian women were given birth control shots

Health Minister director general instructs all gynecologists in Israel's four health maintenance organizations not to inject women with long-acting contraceptive Depo-Provera if they do not understand ramifications of treatment.
By Talila Nesher | Jan.27, 2013 | 2:29 AM |
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Photo by Anshel Pfeffer

A government official has for the first time acknowledged the practice of injecting women of Ethiopian origin with the long-acting contraceptive Depo-Provera. Click here to subscribe to Haaretz.com ($1 for the first 4 weeks). Health Ministry Director General Prof. Ron Gamzu has instructed the four health maintenance organizations to stop the practice as a matter of course.

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Talila Nesher

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Israel admits Ethiopian women were given birth control shots Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper

The ministry and other state agencies had previously denied knowledge or responsibility for the practice, which was first reported five years ago. Gamzus letter instructs all gynecologists in the HMOs "not to renew prescriptions for Depo-Provera for women of Ethiopian origin if for any reason there is concern that they might not understand the ramifications of the treatment. He also instructed physicians to avail themselves of translators if need be. Gamzus letter came in response to a letter from Sharona Eliahu-Chai of the Association of Civil Rights in Israel, representing several womens rights and Ethiopian immigrants groups. The letter demanded the injections cease immediately and that an investigation be launched into the practice.

RELATED ARTICLES Why is t he birt h rat e in Israel's Et hiopian communit y declining? By Talila Nesher | Jan.27,2013 | 2:29 AM |
17

About six weeks ago, on an Educational Television program journalist Gal Gabbay revealed the results of interviews with 35 Ethiopian immigrants. The womens testimony could help explain the almost 50-percent decline over the past 10 years in the birth rate of Israels Ethiopian community. According to the program, while the women were still in transit camps in Ethiopia they were sometimes intimidated or threatened into taking the injection. They told us they are inoculations, said one of the women interviewed. They told us people who frequently give birth suffer. We took it every three months. We said we didnt want to.

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we call t hat apart heids

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Y EEHAA!
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Disappoint human beings 30 By Thejamaicaning but2013 09:44AM are flawed 29 Jan I don't suppose t he "human beings are flawed"
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im sad 28 By Tsuriel

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Now t hat t here is a new Et hiopian Member of Knesset women, why isn't t his t he headline on every news out let in Israel?! Haaret z in Hebrew?
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Talila Nesher Lies Again! where did Haaret z Fair journalism disappeared?
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Richard Silverstein recommended Israeli filmmaker: Netanyahu as much to blame for Rabin's death as Yigal Amir. about an hour ago Sol Salbe recommended Netanyahu's plan: NIS 27 billion in cuts, ban on strikes in essential services. 4 hours ago Sol Salbe recommended Israeli filmmaker: Netanyahu complicit in Rabin's assassination. 5
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Talila Nesher awesome work again! Thank G-D for Haaret z' fair journalism!
By Ari 28 Jan 2013 06:19PM

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Et hiopian jew women

By Sam 28 Jan 2013 00:39PM

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Sol Salbe recommended Israel's High Court blocks divorce ruling by Supreme Rabbinical Court. 5 hours ago

eh 24 By ali

7 28 Jan 2013 08:15AM

25
F acebook social plugin

Forcing women t o t ake birt h cont rol because of t heir race is not "less t han admirable", it is racist and unbearable!
By Ari 28 Jan 2013 04:53PM

42

Just t hought y ou'd like t o know t hat David Duke made t he very same argument
By Stephen Nielsen 28 Jan 2013 05:58PM 17 0

18

Less t han admirable?

By Ian 28 Jan 2013 07:50PM

Inaccurat e 23 By mord 28 JanHeadlines 2013 06:48AM

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Israel admits Ethiopian women were given birth control shots Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper
63 3

Israel - Morally bankrupt st 22 By Scott Reid 28 Jan 2013 01:50AMat e When does t he class-act ion suit begin?
By Reader fromEdmonton 28 Jan 2013 10:39AM

19

21

The t rut h finally comes out ...

By Hannah 27 Jan 2013 09:48PM

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middle east 20 By ohannaplshearthis

8 27 Jan 2013 06:49PM

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19

Pure Racism !!!

By DD 27 Jan 2013 06:33PM

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Apparent ly as a child y ou hit y our head. Sad...

By sad 27 Jan 2013 07:37PM

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Not good PR for t he Israeli healt h sy st em

By Arnold-Canada 27 Jan 2013 06:00PM

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54

"Not good PR".??!

By Steve 27 Jan 2013

96 07:24PM

17 16

Minist er of Healt h
By Ethan Schw artz 27 Jan 2013 05:45PM

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Et hiopian women or Isrealy Et hiopian women

By olad 27 Jan 2013 03:48PM

52

why does it mat t er?

By aypar 29 Jan 2013 02:57PM

15 14

BOMBO
By IranDostam 27 Jan 2013 03:33PM

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only democracy which refuse blacks?

By Gray 27 Jan 2013 03:31PM

122

Look who is t alking!

By Israeli 27 Jan 2013 05:37PM

63

Look who is t alking!

By Israeli 27 Jan 2013 05:38PM 20 06:22AM

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Equat ing y ourself

By Jen 28 Jan 2013

13 12

Et hiopian birt h cont rol

By Paul 27 Jan 2013 03:13PM

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Israel saved t he Et hiopians

By Rich 27 Jan 2013 11:31AM

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caut ious management

By Fa 27 Jan 2013 02:17PM

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Nice euphemism....could t he Germans argue t he same?

By Rick 27 Jan 2013 05:31PM

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The Nazi doct ors only want ed t o "caut iously manage" t he Jews, t hen?
By EJS 27 Jan 2013 07:50PM

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Why do "caut ious management " for Et hiopian women by t not for Ashkenazi, Haredi women who have far more children???
By Ari 28 Jan 2013 04:54PM

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In a free count ry ?
By MC 29 Jan 2013

Israel admits Ethiopian women were given birth control shots Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper
4 0

06:03AM 137 11:07AM 23

11 10

jewish nat ion

By Bagudu 27 Jan 2013

Racist st at e, what do y ou expect . why were t he et hiopians brought t o israel?

By [R] 27 Jan 2013 10:27AM

190

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why et hiopians emigrat ed

By Dee 27 Jan 2013 04:02PM

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brainwash
By josesalvatruco 27 Jan 2013

4 47 04:41PM 53 7

t he same could be said about t he polish migrant s who copulat ed in palest inian homes aft er driving t hem out .
By [R] 27 Jan 2013 05:06PM 7 25

Populat ion and percent ages!

By Yacob Katz 27 Jan 2013 05:32PM

y ou are sick
By Zima 27 Jan 2013

21 6 07:43PM 5 0 10:51PM 73 42

Vot es
By Tommy/Ire 27 Jan 2013

The here are 09 By Solresponses on09:13AM wierd 27 Jan 2013 Are y ou blind?!
By TruthSeeker 28 Jan 2013

7 3 02:45AM 7 1

Sol, where do y ou st and on t his issue?

By Reader fromEdmonton 28 Jan 2013 10:46AM

et hiopian 08 By michaelknollwomen2013 27 Jan

103 08:12AM

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07

3-mont h cont racept ive, NOT st erilizat ion

By elli 27 Jan 2013 06:36AM

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160

3 mont h
By BOB 27 Jan 2013

97 13 08:34AM 121 13

INFINITELY REPEATED cont racept ives.

By Salazar 27 Jan 2013 11:51AM

ignorance, Salazar, all y ou speak of reflect s not hing but ignorance

By jj 27 Jan 2013 04:21PM

69

Umm no ignorant Salazar repeat edly t aking cont rcept ives does NOT lead
By Melissa 27 Jan 2013 04:52PM

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50

If it is not st erilizat ion, t hen how do y ou explain a 50% drop in birt h rat e among Et hiopian women in t he last decade?
By Scott Reid 28 Jan 2013 02:05AM 3 0 02:48AM

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Good point , but ...

By TruthSeeker 28 Jan 2013

Giving a cont racept ive t o a woman against her will is unaccept able.
By Ari 28 Jan 2013 04:54PM

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Don't worry . 06 By Li 27 Jan 2013

124 06:25AM

18

Hat red makes people st upid... Or may be ot her way around?...

28

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By 17 27 Jan 2013 07:53AM

Israel admits Ethiopian women were given birth control shots Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper

Not hat red...

By Denyse 28 Jan 2013

4 2 06:18AM 212 15

It Israel does Eugenics! 05 By's official 27 Jan 2013 05:44AM Oren Aviv best comment so far
By Zima 27 Jan 2013 07:44PM

31

This is lie. 04 By Yaakova clear 2013 27 Jan

21 05:11AM

183

Just ask y our government .

By Rob Holland 27 Jan 2013 01:46PM 7 0 06:20PM

86

Advanced people
By Goldenrod 28 Jan 2013

what t t
By w hattt 28 Jan 2013

7 1 08:25PM 33 159

Disinformat ion 03 By Richard 27 Jan 2013 Disinformat ion

By Mary 27 Jan 2013

05:01AM

88 06:01AM 118 11 08:33AM

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Informed
By BOB 27 Jan 2013

list en
By Valentine 27 Jan 2013

41 4 08:56AM 10 04:22PM 6 45 04:24PM 0 0 02:51AM 1 0 02:54AM 8 0 55

It s not st erilizat ion

By Richard 27 Jan 2013

Russians
By Richard 27 Jan 2013

WHY ?!!
By TruthSeeker 28 Jan 2013

If t his argument ...

By TruthSeeker 28 Jan 2013

Why "t emporarily st erilize" Et hiopian women but not Ashkenazi women?
By Qri 28 Jan 2013 04:55PM

So why didn't t he Haredim get shot s t oo don't t hey also " creat e a social burden by having kids t oo soon"?
By Ari 28 Jan 2013 04:56PM

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02

Shades of Nazism - st erilze t he inferior races and preserve t he Jewish genone - racism in act ion.
By Marcus 27 Jan 2013 04:17AM

271

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Nazi Germany ? In 1927 , t he Unit ed St at es Supreme Court

By Tycho 27 Jan 2013 11:44AM 0 1 10:06PM 2

52

1927
By 1927 27 Jan 2013

Learn somet hing new every day t hanks.

By Denyse 28 Jan 2013 06:24AM

That most societ ies have pract ised eugenics in t he past does not recommend it .
By Reader fromEdmonton 28 Jan 2013 10:58AM

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01

Nazi Germany would be proud!

By Trep 27 Jan 2013 03:12AM

318

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Indeed it is impossible t o share appat ment block in Arab village or t own.

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By 17 27 Jan 2013 07:51AM

Israel admits Ethiopian women were given birth control shots Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper

So what is it illegal Israeliset t lers do in Arab villages and areas in t he West Bank 17 ?
By talknic 27 Jan 2013 09:04AM 10 17 05:12PM

89

12

Uh?
By Melissa 27 Jan 2013

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