Tanks and ambulances

Soldiers are accused of humiliating aid workers

Jessica Barry is a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who has been working with other aid workers in Jenin and elsewhere in the West Bank.

She spoke to BBC News Online about the difficulties facing ambulance crews trying to operate in the face of the current Israeli security crackdown.

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We always work in coordination with the Israeli authorities - that means that we explain where we're going and we notify them who is going and we wait for... the green light to go in.

There were many occasions in all towns, but particularly in Nablus and Bethlehem, where we were under strict curfew and we did have difficulty in getting permission to go in.

It came eventually but it was sometimes days before we got it.

The other problem that we have been experiencing is that although we get permission at the highest level, when you actually go into the place the information hasn't always filtered down to the soldiers who will stop you and ask you what you are doing.

Although we get permission at the highest level, when you actually go into the place the information hasn't always filtered down to the soldiers who will stop you and ask you what you are doing

Jessica Barry

They also want to search the vehicles or the ambulances before they let you through.

I have to stress that searching the ambulances or our own ICRC vehicles is absolutely correct, there is no problem with that at all - it's part of the duty for the soldiers to make sure that the vehicles are okay and we accept that absolutely.

What is not acceptable, though, is if the ambulances are carrying out life-saving work or evacuating wounded or sick people.

If they are held up unduly then this is really a contravention of international humanitarian law which says that the medical missions must be allowed to carry out their work without due delay.

There have been certain very grave incidences where the ambulances of the Palestine Red Crescent Society have actually come under fire when delivering aid agreed beforehand with the Israel Defence Force and indeed they have sadly lost two of their doctors.

We haven't been directly targeted but there have been, for example, warning shots.

There have been incidences where our vehicles have been hit by fire but not to say that they were directly targeted. It has made the mission extremely dangerous and added to the stress levels.

There have also been other medics who have been wounded in the course of their duty...

Right to protection

The emblem of the Red Cross and the... Red Crescent are protecting emblems meaning that those workers who are wearing the emblems on their uniform or the ambulances themselves are protected and they should not be hit and they should not be hindered in their work.

We had one incident coming out of Nablus the other day when our team of ICRC delegates had gone up to deliver tents, blankets, jerry cans, household goods for families whose houses had been destroyed in the incursion in Nablus.

They were made to strip to their underwear, take off their Red Cross emblems... something that the Israelis carry out to humiliate humanitarian workers

Jessica Barry

The lorry had been unloaded and the following day was coming back again with the land crews in front and the lorry behind.

The land cruiser and lorry were stopped at a checkpoint, the delegates and the field officer were asked to get out by the soldiers, they were made to strip to their underwear, take off their Red Cross emblems and stand while the cars were searched.

Now this is, of course, a breach of international humanitarian law but it is something that the Israelis carry out to humiliate humanitarian workers whilst carrying out their work and really totally unnecessary in this context where people are trying to do a humanitarian mission.

Palestinian Red Crescent Society staff and volunteers were working the same day in Jenin, looking after the women and children who were at that moment flooding out of the camp trying to give them food and water.

Six colleagues were asked to strip, one of whom was a woman.

They were then arrested and three of them only later released.