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PRCS provides EMS to 130 wounded Palestinians
The Society records several Israeli violations against its
medical teams in Jerusalem and Hebron
Al Bireh- PRCS announced on the 17th of March 2010 that Israeli occupation authorities have committed several violations against PRCS medical teams in the course of duty during incidents in occupied Jerusalem and in several other areas. PRCS said that confrontations in Jerusalem, especially in Wadi Al Joz, Al Essawiya, Shu’fat, Al Hara Al Sa’adiya, Qalandia, Ni’ilin and Beit Ummar between Palestinians and occupation forces left 130 Palestinians injured by rubber bullets and tear gaz bombs.
Occupation authorities hindered the work of PRCS teams who were attending to the wounded during confrontations at Qalandia checkpoint, preventing the Society from providing emergency medical services to a wounded Palestinian.
“PRCS teams present near the Qalandia checkpoint during confrontations with Israeli soldiers were informed that a wounded Palestinian was in a house near the checkpoint. A PRCS ambulance headed to the house and found Israeli soldiers inside it brutally hitting a Palestinian young man who was lying on the floor unconscious. Next to him there was an Israeli soldier whose hand was bleeding. Soldiers used foul language against the EMTs and pushed them outside the house, threatening to shoot them in the head if they did not leave. Even though the team left the house, soldiers shot rubber bullets at the ambulance which was hit three times. The team informed the Israeli officer at the checkpoint about this incident and soldiers then attempted to board the ambulance so that the team would lead them to the house where the injured Palestinian was lying. Soldiers asked the team to provide emergency services to the injured soldier and then handed over the wounded Palestinian who suffered multiple broken bones and bruises, including in the face. He was then taken to hospital”, PRCS announced.
In Beit Ummar, a PRCS ambulance was searched twice in the course of duty during confrontations between young men and Israeli soldiers in the town.
In general, PRCS teams provided emergency medical services to around 130 injured Palestinians in Jerusalem, Ni’lin and Beit Ummar, including 91 injuries in Jerusalem including a serious injury in the eye, as well as to 18 injuries at Qalandia checkpoint, 16 in Ni’lin and 3 in Beit Ummar.
PRCS affirms that these practices constitute a crying violation of IHL rules, mainly the 4th Geneva Convention which obliges the Occupying power to enable Red Cross / Red Crescent Societies to pursue their medical activities without obstacles, and which ensures the right of the wounded and the sick to receive medical care, including the right to be collected and transported to hospitals
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