http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1074536.html
Iran to complete hospital that Israel started building in Mauritania
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israel News, Iran, Mauritania
Just a few weeks after the Israeli ambassador to Mauritania was ordered
to leave the country, with encouragement from Iran, the regime in Tehran is
attempting to take control of a hospital for cancer research and treatment in
the Mauritanian capital, which has symbolized relations between Jerusalem and
Nouakchott.
Iran's Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, visited Mauritania on
Wednesday, marking the first such visit since 1982. Although the visit lasted
only six hours it included a stop at the hospital known by locals as "the
Israeli hospital."
The hospital project has been stalled since Mauritania severed relations
with Israel earlier this month. There are reports that Iran paid the Mauritania
government about $10 million to kick out the Israeli ambassador.
During his visit to the hospital, Mottaki promised that Iran will
"replace" Israel and equip the hospital as needed. Mottaki praised the
government of Mauritania for suspending relations with Israel, saying "Our
enemies in the Middle East have reached the end of the road."
The hospital was initiated in 2000 by the Ministry of Health, which
envisioned the establishment of an advanced center for cancer research and
treatment in Mauritania. The project has gone through ups and downs and was
stalled at various stages due to hesitation on the part of the Nouakchott
government.
About nine months ago the project was kicked into high gear, following
requests by the local government, and the pace of work was stepped up. An
official inauguration ceremony was to have taken place within the next two
months. Israel was to have sent over advanced medical equipment, including
state-of-the-art X-ray machines, and a team of doctors was planning to travel
to Mauritania to train local physicians in the treatment of cancer patients.
Several million shekels were spent on the project, which was funded
partly by the Israeli government and partly by the American Jewish Committee.
"The aim was to build a medical center that would be a gift from the
Jewish people to the Mauritanian people," a source involved with the project
said. "What happened there with the Iranians is very regretful. There's no
doubt that the Mauritanians acted out of spite."
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