Israel - Lawmaker's Blood Rejected - NYTimes.com The speaker of Israel's Parliament ordered a blood-collection crew to leave the legislature's premises on Wednesday after it turned down an offer of a blood donation from an Ethiopian-born lawmaker. Health Ministry criteria bar people born in most African countries since 1977 from donating blood because of a fear that there is an increased risk they may carry H.I.V. Health Minister Yael German described the incident as "a disgrace" and said she would order a public consultation to change the guidelines.