OPT: Weekly Press Release 14 - 20 Jan 2006

During this reporting period, the Israeli Army has continued to violate International Humanitarian Law and Fundamental Human Rights, by restricting freedom of movement to Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulances and its medical teams. Delays, denial of access and arbitrary searches had a negative impact on wounded and sick in Nablus & Jenin.

Nablus, 14/01/2006 (02:00 AM): A PRCS ambulance was subjected to direct Israeli army gun and tear gas fire while on route to transport a wounded Palestinian from Kufr Kallel village to Palestinian hospital. The soldiers started shooting in the air in an attempt to threaten and oblige the PRCS crew to return back. Unable to transport the wounded person the crew was returned back to base. Fortunately no injuries or damage were reported.

Nablus, 15/01/2006 (03:40 PM): A PRCS ambulance was stopped by the Israeli Army while on route to transport two fatalities and four wounded persons from Roujib village to one of the Palestinian hospital. When the PRCS crew arrived at the location of the incident it was prevented by the Israeli soldiers from entering the house to transport the fatalities and to admit first aid medication to the wounded. Ten minutes later the crew was allowed to enter the house. Suddenly the soldiers started shooting at the house despite the presence of the PRCS crew inside it, which caused another Palestinian injury, not form the PRCS crew. Immediately the crew started providing first aid medication to the injured. The crew carried the injured out side the house in an attempt to transport the wounded to hospital. The soldiers stopped the crew and prevented them from transferring the bodies of the two fatalities. The crew was delayed for 25 minutes before allowed them to transport the wounded to hospital.

The following table lists incidents of delays of access during this reporting period.

During this reporting period, a total of 5 deaths & 13 injuries were reported in the West Bank and Gaza.

These practices constitute a breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the First Additional Protocol of the Geneva Conventions, which are legally applied to the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In particular, they violate articles 20 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which guarantees the protection and respect of persons who engage in the search for, removal and transport of and caring for wounded and sick civilians, and article 63 which stresses that " Subject to temporary and exceptional measures imposed for urgent reasons of security by the Occupied Power, recognized National red cross and red crescent societies shall be able to pursue their activities in accordance with Red Cross principles, as defined by the international Red Cross Conferences...". In addition to articles 12 and 15 of the First Additional Protocol of the Geneva conventions which guarantees that " Medical units shall be respected and protected at all times and shall not be the object of attack and shall have access to any place where their services are essential" and article 16 which stresses that, "Under no circumstances shall any person be punished for carrying out medical activities compatible with medical ethics, regardless of the person benefiting there from.", in addition to article 21, which stresses that," Medical vehicles shall be respected and protected in the same way as mobile medical units under the Conventions and this Protocol."

For full text see: http://www.palestinercs.org/IHL_Refrence_Text.htm

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