OPT: Weekly Press Release 5 - 10 Jan 2003

This week witnessed a sharp 5 fold increase in Israeli army violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by searching and denying access to PRCS ambulances and its medical teams in Nablus, Jericho, Jenin, Tulkarem, Senjel and Qalqilya. Israeli soldiers also threatened medical teams and harassed patients inside the ambulances. On Jan 9, PRCS teams provided medical care to an inured Israeli soldier in Tulkarem.
Nablus 10 January 2003 (09:00 p.m.): Israeli soldiers, positioned at Beit Fourik checkpoint, obstructed the movement of a PRCS ambulance while on a routine call to drive a patient to the hospital. The soldiers blocked the ambulance and its team for 1 hour. Only after the Red Cross (ICRC) intervened, were they released.

Nablus 8 January 2003 (08:20 a.m.): In Al Quds Street, an Israeli tank blocked the way of a PRCS ambulance while on its way to transport patients to Ramallah hospital. The ambulance and the medical team were searched for 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Nablus 7 January 2003 (approximately 01:10 p.m.): On Salem military checkpoint, Israeli soldiers blocked a PRCS ambulance for 1 hour and 30 minutes while on its way to Beit Fourik checkpoint to bring a patient to the hospital. The same ambulance was again detained for 15 minutes while on its way back from Beit Fourik checkpoint.

Nablus 6 January 2003 (08:20 p.m.): Israeli soldiers, positioned on Howara checkpoint, obstructed the way of a PRCS ambulance carrying a pregnant woman in labor and 3 Thalassemia patients. The patients were ordered to leave the ambulance. The soldiers searched the ambulance and detained it for 1 hour.

Nablus 5 January 2003 (04:30 p.m.): At Beit Fourik checkpoint, Israeli soldiers stopped a PRCS ambulance on its way back from Beit Fourik. The ambulance was transporting 2 patients back to their homes. The Israeli soldiers ordered a PRCS emergency volunteer at gunpoint to leave the ambulance. The volunteer was detained in the street for 3 hours and 30 minutes and was only released after the intervention of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Nablus 5 January 2003 (04:30 p.m.): Israeli soldiers, positioned at Deir Stiya, blocked and denied access to a PRCS ambulance while en route back to the village, after transporting kidney patients to Al Watani Hospital in Nablus. The ambulance was forced to change its direction and went to Beta Emergency Center.

Nablus 10 January 2003 (02:40 p.m.): At Qoussin checkpoint, Israeli soldiers blocked a PRCS ambulance carrying a patient to Al Watani Hospital. The ambulance was detained for 50 minutes.

Nablus 10 January 2003 (02:40 p.m.): At Qoussin checkpoint again, Israeli soldiers stopped a PRCS ambulance on its way to transport a patient from Al Watani hospital to Tulkarem. The soldiers blocked the ambulance for 25 minutes.

Tulkarem 9 January 2003 (10:30 a.m.): a PRCS ambulance provided medical aid to an Israeli soldier injured in the face.

Tulkarem 8 January 2003 (07:25 a.m.): Israeli soldiers denied access to a PRCS ambulance on its way to Saida village responding to a reported wounded person. After a delay of 1 hour and 20 minutes, and after the Israeli pull out from the village, the ambulance entered there but the injured person was dead. The victim is Ahmad Mowafak Ajaj. His relatives did not allow the transportation of his body to the hospital.

Tulkarem 7 January 2003 (09:10 p.m.): An Israeli tank, stationed in front of Qashouri factory, blocked a PRCS ambulance while en route to Beit Lid to transport a pregnant woman in labor to the hospital. Israeli soldiers did not permit the ambulance to proceed.

Tulkarem 5 January 2003 (11:30 a.m.): at Qoussin checkpoint, Israeli soldiers stopped a PRCS ambulance carrying 3 kidney dialysis patients from Al Watani hospital in Nablus. The ambulance was detained for 1 hour. Then, an Israeli car transporting water rammed the parked ambulance.

Tulkarem 10 January 2003 (11:00 a.m.): in Tubas, Israeli soldiers, stationed at Shafi Shamron checkpoint, blocked a PRCS ambulance carrying 2 patients. The ambulance was detained for 2 hours and was not permitted to pass until the emergency medical team went back to Al Arabi Hospital in Nablus and brought hospital discharge papers for the patients.

Jenin 6 January 2003 (11:30 a.m.): at Qoussin checkpoint, Israeli soldiers obstructed the way for a PRCS ambulance while en route back from Nablus. The ambulance was stopped for more than 30 minutes.

Senjel 6 January 2003 (11:00 a.m.): Israeli soldiers, positioned at Beitin checkpoint, stopped a PRCS ambulance on its way back to Senjel after transporting a patient to Ramallah Hospital. The soldiers ordered the ambulance back to Ramallah at gunpoint.

Qalqilya 6 January 2003 (07:00 a.m.): while on its way back from Qalqilya medical center, a PRCS ambulance was stopped and detained by Israeli soldiers at the DCO checkpoint for 35 minutes. The ambulance was en route responding to reported 2 injuries from a motor vehicle accident in Nabi Ilyass.

Jericho 10 January 2003 (10:00 a.m.): at Maale Ephraim checkpoint, Israeli soldiers blocked a PRCS ambulance while on its way to transport a patient from another ambulance from Tulkarem. The soldiers searched the ambulance and its medical teams and detained them for more than 2 hours. The Tulkarem ambulance was also delayed for 2 hours. After this holdup, the patient was finally allowed to be transported from Tulkarem ambulance to PRCS ambulance in Jericho.

Jericho 5 January 2003 (11:30 a.m.): At New'meh checkpoint, Israeli soldiers stopped a PRCS ambulance on its way to Marj Ne'meh village to transport a pregnant woman in labor to the hospital. The ambulance was detained for 1 hour.

Jericho 4 January 2003 (12:20 a.m.): Israeli soldiers, positioned at Hamra checkpoint stopped a PRCS ambulance on its way to transport a wounded person from another ambulance belonging to the Jenin Emergency Center. The soldiers did not allow the ambulance to pass, providing as excuse that one of the medics is from Jenin. This continued for 2 hours and 30 minutes.

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