Red Crescent: Israeli Army has continued to violate Geneva convention
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 3/21/2006

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 Jenin & Nablus.

The Red Cresent Society (www.palestinercs.org) report said: The PRCS Emergency Medical station received a report of an injury in the village Al Yamoun. Immediately a PRCS ambulance and medical team headed for the site and they found a 5-year old girl with a bullet wound in the head. A doctor from the village had administered first aid, and the PRCS crew quickly transferred her to the ambulance. En route to the hospital they received another young man who had two bullet wounds, one in the hand and one in the leg. The crew administered first aid and transferred him to the ambulance. Israeli soldiers, who had been observing the medical crew, came upon them and barred the way of the ambulance, preventing it from moving...

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."

Meantime, Wafa reported that the Israeli occupation forces bulldozers today demolished the house of Jammal Hamad, a garden and water pool, in Hija town east the city, "under the pretext of having no building license."

Previous Stories:
  Israel refuses dealing with Palestinian government   (3/20/2006)
  Haaretz: Jimmy Carter: Colonization of Palestine precludes peace   (3/18/2006)
  Three Palestinians killed by Israeli forces   (3/18/2006)

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