OPT: Weekly Press Release 11 - 17 Jun 2005

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. Delay and denial of access, arbitrary searches and an attack on PRCS ambulance by Israeli settlers had a negative impact on wounded and sick in Jenin, Qalqiliya and Bethlehem.

Saturday, 11/06/2005 (19:50pm): Israeli settlers hurled stones at a PRCS ambulance, near Bittar Elit settlement, while on route to transport a woman in labor from Nahalin village to a Palestinian hospital in Bethlehem. The woman and her companion suffered shock. The crew sustained no injuries. However, damage to the ambulance was reported.

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

During this reporting period, a total of 15 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 Territories. 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

For more information please contact Press Office at:

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E-mail: pressoffice@palestinercs.org