United Hatzalah, one of Israel’s largest volunteer-based EMS networks, illustrates this dynamic. The organization operates with more than 8,000 trained volunteers—Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, secular and religious—who answer over 2,000 emergency calls daily. With average response times under three minutes nationwide, the group regularly reaches medical scenes in mixed Jewish–Arab neighborhoods, shared highways, and Palestinian population centers where rapid intervention is essential.
According to United Hatzalah, more than 400 Muslim volunteers serve across the country and treat Palestinians on a daily basis. In many incidents, responders hand off patients to both Israeli ambulances and the Palestinian Red Crescent.
One widely reported example occurred in Ein Nakuba, west of Jerusalem, where Muslim and Jewish EMTs resuscitated a 50-year-old woman who had been without a pulse for ten minutes. Medics described it as one of thousands of cases in which mixed teams have worked together seamlessly to save lives.
During the civil unrest of 2021, Muslim EMTs played a major role in responding to mass-casualty incidents. At the Givat Ze’ev synagogue collapse, which occurred on the eve of Shavuot when observant Jews could not use phones, Muslim first responders were among the earliest to arrive and coordinate care for the injured. Many Palestinians actively seek treatment from United Hatzalah volunteers because they often arrive faster than other emergency services and provide advanced medical care free of charge. Israeli officials also highlight the country’s record of medical neutrality. In contrast to documented cases in which the Palestinian Red Crescent has refused to treat injured Israelis, Israel has never withheld lifesaving care from Palestinians, including those from PA-controlled areas.
“Our work starts with the principle that saving lives comes first,” said Eli Beer, founder of United Hatzalah. Muslim EMT Nazir Aweida emphasized the same point: “Saving a life is the highest value. We help everyone.” Jewish volunteer Dovi Bash added, “We work as one team with no discrimination.”
Together, these accounts paint a consistent picture: Israel’s emergency responders provide care to everyone, and day-to-day cooperation between Jewish and Muslim medics remains one of the country’s most visible examples of practical coexistence.
