Israeli Soldiers and settlers continued their attacks on PRCS medical teams during its Humanitarian Mission

Friday, 10/04/2009, at 14:00 pm: Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters directly at two PRCS volunteers in Bilin village, while they were assisting the wounded in the demonstration against the annexation wall. One PRCS volunteer was injured in the leg and the arm and the other was injured in the leg.

Saturday, 11/04/2009, at 15:30 pm: Israeli settlers attacked a PRCS ambulance and hurled stones at it while on route to transport a patient (old woman) to her home in Hebron old city, the patent and the teams were shocked and damage to the ambulance was reported.

The PRCS express its concern to the increase of the violation cases of the Israeli soldiers and settlers against its medical personnel who provide pure humanitarian services to the wounded, sick and others in need with impartiality and neutrality. The PRCS sees these practices as a breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention which is legally applied to the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The convention guarantees the protection and respect of persons who engage in the search for, removal and transport of and caring for wounded and sick civilians (article 20), and ensured the right of recognized National Red Cross and Red Crescent societies to pursue their activities in accordance with Red Cross principles, as defined by the international Red Cross Conferences despite of temporary and exceptional measures imposed for urgent reasons of security by the Occupied Power (article 63).

Moreover, PRCS affirms the Israeli authorities' responsibility, as an occupying power, toward the violation of its soldiers and the settlers and that it is legally obliged to open an investigation and to prosecute the perpetrators.