Goldstein, A. L., Jreis, T., Bkeirat, W., Moskowitz, O., Alpern, A., Mitchnik, I., Feldman, B., Zimmer, R., Bar-Haim, R., Laks, S., Shimonovich, S., Dayan, K., Bala, M., & Shimonov, M. (2025). Health diplomacy at a time of War: Palestinian and Israeli physicians training together for advanced trauma life support. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1097/ta.0000000000004646
Abstract:
BACKGROUND
During a war continuation of cooperative training programs for physicians from opposing sides of the conflict represents a significant and unprecedented advancement. Our program, Operating Together, aims to provide lifesaving trauma training during challenging times while also establishing a novel pathway for health diplomacy and medical peace-building.
METHODS
We examine Advanced Trauma Life Support courses with Palestinian and Israeli physicians training together. We compared the level of training satisfaction and the desire to work together in courses conducted prior to the outbreak of the war to courses run during the war. A longitudinal study was conducted from 10 courses; five given before (November 2022 until August 2023) and five courses during the war (January 2024 until July 2024). The participants, half Palestinian physicians and half Israeli physicians, completed an anonymous questionnaire. Descriptive and statistical analysis was conducted comparing the results from the courses before and during heightened conflict.
RESULTS
A total of 199 physicians completed 10 courses and a questionnaire between November 2022 and July 2024. Ninety-seven participants were in five courses before the outbreak of the war and 102 during the war. Fifty-one percent (n = 101) were Palestinian, 49% (n = 98) were Israeli, 28% (n = 56) were female, and 72% (n = 143) were male. During the war, there were no statistical differences regarding the desire to cooperate with health initiatives (93.7% vs. 93.5%, p = 0.954), for social events (79.1% vs. 76.8%, p = 0.716) or course satisfaction (9.1/10 vs. 8.8/10, p = 0.052).
CONCLUSION
War did not negatively influence the attitudes of physicians from opposite sides to work together professionally or cooperate socially. Joint trauma training gives lifesaving skills during challenging times while also establishing a pathway toward medical peacebuilding and optimal regional trauma care.