(Al-Bireh- 13/07/2014): The PRCS condemns the detention of a PRCS ambulance and its medical team by the Israeli occupation forces for almost 2 hours during a medical transfer near Al-Aizarya town in occupied Jerusalem.
The PRCS states that the Israeli forces stopped its ambulance near Ma’ale Adumim settlement, southeast Jerusalem, as it was transferring a patient from Al-Maqased medical center in Abudis to Ramallah Hospital.
In addition, the Israeli soldiers detained the medical team and confiscated the ambulance key for more than two hours. The medical team was detained at a police station near the settlement. The Israelis forces wanted to arrest the injured civilian but they released him and the medical team free.
The PRCS affirms that this is a clear violation of international humanitarian law, mainly the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war, which is applicable in the Palestinian occupied Territory. The convention guarantees the protection and respect of the personnel engaged in the search for, removal and transporting of and caring for wounded and sick civilians, and providing them with First Aid services, as well as respecting dignity and the lives of civilians.
PRCS’ affirms that such practices constitute a violation of IHL provisions, mainly article 63 of the Fourth Geneva Convention relating to enabling National Societies to pursue their humanitarian activities.
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