Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI) is concerned by the systematically delayed and insufficient response of Israeli authorities to PHRI’s documentation of attacks against Palestinian health care teams. Attacks on healthcare teams are contrary to international law, grievously impact the right to health and must receive the necessary attention by the occupying power.
As previously documented, PHRI has so far filed complaints in a total of 29 cases of attacks on healthcare teams in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, with 18 cases filed in December 2015 and 11 cases filed in August 2016. The complaints submitted explicitly documented injuries experienced by some of the medical personnel and residents in these areas, including use of bullets and tear gas on ambulances, removal of injured people from within ambulances and interference with the work of emergency teams with grave consequences for patients.
Of the 18 initial set of cases, 10 have received no response whatsoever. The other cases were taken up by the Police Investigations Unit and other relevant departments. From these cases, 5 were closed on the 16th of April, with the argument that “the circumstances do not justify opening a criminal investigation” and that PHRI did not sufficiently cooperate in promoting the investigation, a patently fraudulent claim. Of the other cases, 2 cases only recently received a response, with army spokesperson blaming the 9-month delay on “a technical difficulty”.
In a new development regarding the 11 complaints filed in August, the Police Investigations Unit declined to investigated 9 of these cases, arguing that they only “investigate suspicions of criminal offenses only, undertaken by a policeman or volunteer, whose maximal punishment is over a year”. PHRI has now appealed this decision, as these cases involved behavior with potential risk to life, including instances of shooting at ambulances, firing of tear gas towards an ambulance as well as cases of preventing the access by an ambulance to injured patients. The other cases are still pending.
These ongoing delays, with blame placed on “technical problems” combined with the closing of cases as they allegedly do not merit investigation, suggest unwillingness by the Israeli security forces to take the necessary steps to protect medical transport vehicles and healthcare professionals. The decisions taken so far by the investigative bodies communicate that attacks on medical teams are legitimate and will not be punished. Moreover, the 29 complaints by PHRI are only part of a bigger picture of attacks on healthcare teams, with the Palestinian Red Cross reporting over 400 such cases.
Under the Geneva Conventions, personnel and transport units treating the wounded in conflict are protected against attack as they attempt to fulfill their duties to serve the wounded. Furthermore, the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights requires parties to protect medical workers who render care to those under its control.
Thus, PHRI urges the international community to pressure the Israeli government to:
– Ensure these complaints are processed in a timely manner and that these cases receive the necessary attention.
– Take concrete actions to ensure that security forces are aware of and honor the protection of medical teams.










