Posted on 3-9-2003

Joint Appeal - Palestine

From Medecins du Monde, Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees and
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel 28 August 03

Medecins du Monde (MdM), Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-Israel)
and the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC) are joining
their voice to announce a series of violations of basic humanitarian laws
and principles committed by the Israeli Army in Nablus. These violations
are taking place in the overall context of
massive military operations led by the Israeli army for more than a week.
Among widespread violations of the international humanitarian law, we have
noted the following:

In the night of 25 to 26 August, Israeli military forces entered the
emergency services of Rafidia hospital to arrest two seriously wounded
patients, admitted in intensive care unit. The violent methods employed by
the soldiers put the life of the two persons into real danger.

On August 25, two clinics belonging to the UPMRC and Health Work
Committees, in the east and in the south of the city, were invaded by the
army On August 26, Israeli soldiers forced their way into the MDM / Nablus
municipality dispensary, occupied the medical facility, searched the
medical files and damaged the premises. The occupation of this medical
facility lasted more than one day and prevented the surrounding population
to access basic health cares. The medical personnel have been several times
denied in the right to access the dispensary and to provide medical assistance.

On 28 August, MDM witnessed denial by the Israeli soldiers to let UPMRC
emergency team provide first aid to civilians retained by the soldiers in a
building. Meanwhile, UPMRC staff trying to provide assistance to the Balata
Camp population was prevented to enter. In addition, the soldiers
confiscated and destroyed their ID cards.

In reaction to these persistent and repeated breaches of international
humanitarian conventions, MDM, PHR-Israel and UPRMRC are demanding the
Israeli authorities to stop violating basic humanitarian principles and to
respect the fundamental rights for every patients to access health services
and for medical personnel to move freely at any time.