Interview with head of The International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Damascus
Regional, Local, 2/19/2001

Head of ICRC in Damascus: "The neutrality of the ICRC is a tool to keep access to the victims.. The ICRC biggest support to the Palestinians is the presence of the ICRC delegates. They are about 30 delegates and 75 Palestinians employees,² said head of the ICRC delegation in Damascus Mr, David Delapraz in a statement to Arabic News.

Explaining the support given by the ICRC to the Palestinians, he added on the map of Palestine one can see the ICRC is in the largest cities of the West Bank and Gaza. He added the ICRC has been present since 1967 and this presence is not passive. It is first of all witnessing or monitoring the behavior of the occupying Israeli army towards the civilians, noting that when something is wrong the delegates report to our head office in Tel Aviv and Geneva. And an appeal is to be launched after that to respect the rules regarding the responsibility of the occupying state and we tell directly the Israeli authority what is wrong in the behavior of the soldiers or the settlers against our direct source and witness.

Elaborating the drastic conditions of the Palestinian under occupation, Mr Deplapraz added that the situation of the Palestinian population is difficult because roads are blocked by the Israeli army or by the settlers. He continued that these roads are blocked for few days or even weeks like in Hebron. He said: "therefore since the Intifada started in 28 September, 2000, ICRC delegates tried to force this road for medicine to reach hospital and also for the patients to reach the hospital and sometimes it is impossible to do so. However, it is always difficult."

He cited examples, noting that an old Palestinian woman died because the ambulance carrying her was blocked at an Israeli barrier and when she reached the hospital it was so late. He also cited another incident when an ambulance driver for a Palestinian Red Crescent was beaten by the Israeli soldier on 24 of January near Ramullah and also the other Palestinian Red Crescent people who came to the rescue were also arrested and beaten up by the Israelis. Delapraz said these reports are also coming to ICRC and we re-communicate what we think and see to the Israeli authorities.

He added that as a result of the ICRC the Israelis have changed. He said that on 30 January the spokesman of the Israeli ministry of defense publicly said to journalists that the refusal to allow ambulances to pass is against the rule of the Israeli soldiers and reports on incidents will be investigated.

He added that from 1967 until today the ICRC has been doing this type of activity, witnessing the situation and reporting and "we still have credibility with the Palestinians and with the Israeli governments; because we are objective and we mind our business which is humanitarian are to be solved."

Replying to a question on the neutrality of the humanitarian role played by the ICRC in the Arab region Delapras said the neutrality in this type of situation like in Palestine where you have the two sides fighting each other. One side with big guns and the other side with small guns, but guns nevertheless and stones. he added that:² if we want to have access to the victims we have to be neutral which means we can not take the side of one party pr the side of another party. And even for the Arabs, if we take a war far away in Africa like in Congo, you will understand you will understand that the ICRC is not with one side or another, but when it is your brothers in Palestine who are subject to an occupation, it is much more difficult for you as an Arab to understand the neutrality of the role of ICRC." He continued "the neutrality of the ICRC is a tool to keep access to the victims." And it is not a political neutrality.

Deplapraz elaborated that the victims are not only the wounded of the clashes we see on television. It is also the hundreds of Palestinians arrested by the Israeli army. It is also the population in the remote villages whose access is blocked for several weeks now.

And in the world as it is organized now, there are political institutions, like the UN, the governments who must take political sides. There are human rights organizations who should monitor human rights violations. And this is the ICRC who should be strictly humanitarian and not step out of that. And it is very difficult to be humanitarian and keep neutral because what we say and what we do not say is interpreted as a position, and in armed conflicts especially between Israel and Arabs, emotions are very high not only in the ME region but also in Europe and America.

He added concerning the question of the Emblem (adding star of david to the emblem): "The question of an additional emblem is also highly emotional." He said that the ICRC was trying and is trying to reach universality of the Red Cross and Red Crescent RC/RC movement and of the protective sign, but the final decision remains with the 188 states ( the signatories of the Geneva Conventions ) who decide international laws. He said that presently a third emblem is a red square frame on one corner which would be equivalent and red replacing a Red Crescent or a Red Cross.

As for the activities of the ICRC in Syria, Mr Delapraz said that being in Syria since 1967, the ICRC is the neutral link between the 20,000 Syrian nationals living under the Israeli occupation on the other side of the area of separation and their government in Damascus and their families on the side of the area of separation. He added, "we have an office in Majdal Shams collecting family document which are stamped by the ICRC sent to me in Damascus and then given to the families here in Syria." He explained: "For instance, heritage questions, power of Attorney and collected Red Cross letters to give family news." He said that since 1078, students from the occupied villages come to study in Syrian universities and sometimes weddings take place.

Usually the bride leaves her family and cross the lines to meet her husband and his family on the other side.

He added that last September 90 pilgrims from the Golan came for one week to pray on the tomb of Abel- Caen which situated between Bloudan and Zabadan in the outskirts of Damascus.

Delapraz also gave mention to several other activities which are supporting the Syrian Arab Red Cross SARC in explaining the history and the basic philosophy of the RC/RC. He added that the third track is to help Syrian institutions like the universities to know the International Humanitarian Law namely the 1949 Geneva Conventions.

He commented: "And we have noticed with satisfaction that Syria has signed the treaty establishing an International criminal court for both violating the International Humanitarian Law."

He added "As far there are Syrian civilians under the Israeli occupation, the ICRC will keep an office in Damascus." He added : "And we hope that Syria will take a leading role in promoting humanitarian law in the region. The Arab League is taking this law very seriously, and we are co-operating with the AL in this matter and the region wants Syria to be a full partner in this process."

Previous Stories:
  Sharon: I regretted Sabra and Shatila massacres, but I was not responsible for them   (1/12/2001)
  Eritrea warns Ethiopia from violating Algiers agreement   (1/9/2001)
  Damascus colloquium: International Humanitarian Law: reality and Ambition   (11/6/2000)
  AL refuses Israel David emblem to join the ICRC   (7/12/2000)
  Egypt plagued with 22,7 million Landmines   (6/23/2000)
  Some 29 Lahd militia members returned back from Israel, surrendered themselves   (6/20/2000)
  Golan weddings in ICRC photo exhibition   (6/3/2000)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search