OPT: Weekly Press Release 30 Aug - 5 Sep 2003

During this reporting period, the Israeli Army has continued to violate the First and Fourth Geneva Conventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by denying freedom of movement to Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulances and its medical teams, who were threatened by gunfire, humiliated and verbally and Physically abused. Delays, denial of access and arbitrary searches had a negative impact on the sick and the wounded in, Nablus, Qalqilia, Beta, Jenin and Tubas.
Nablus, 1 September 2003 (07:45): A PRCS ambulance, on its way to transport a woman in labor to Sebastia village, was stopped by Israeli soldiers at the Beit Eba checkpoint. Soldiers at the checkpoint searched the ambulance and checked the IDs of the medics. The soldiers ordered one of the medics to get out of the ambulance and told the driver to leave the area, but the driver refused. The soldiers at that point ordered the driver to park the ambulance on the side of the checkpoint. Ten minutes later, two soldiers came and started shouting verbal abuses at the driver and commanded the ambulance team to sit on the ground for 20 minutes. Finally, and after coordination with ICRC the ambulance was allowed to pass.

Tubas, 30 August 2003 (10:00): At the Entrance of Tubas, Israeli soldiers stopped a PRCS ambulance transporting an elderly patient back to his house from Jenin Hospital. Three Israeli soldiers ran towards the ambulance, shouting at the crew to turn off the engine and to get out. When the soldiers reached the ambulance, they started to bang on the ambulance with their legs. One of the soldiers dragged the driver out of the ambulance and another soldier hit one of the medics with his gun while shouting at him. One half hour later, the ambulance was allowed to pass.

In addition to the above, the following table lists incidents of denial and delay of access during this reporting period.

These incidents constitute a breach of articles 19, 24 and 25 of the First Geneva Convention, which guarantees the protection of medical units, establishments and personnel, as well as articles 27, 55 and 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which calls for the protection of civilians.

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

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