The Israeli Occupation Force targets Palestinian medics and other emergency workers. This is the blog for the International Campaign of Solidarity with Palestinian Emergency Workers. It is under construction and we welcome your help, research, and reports.
“Palestinian ambulance driver Khaled Abu Sada has been helping to save lives for over a decade. He was first interviewed by Al Jazeera three years ago. [Speaking again] from Gaza as Al Jazeera English celebrates its third anniversary, Khaled reports what has and hasn’t changed over the last few years. Facing difficulties such as the destruction of his house during Israel’s war on Gaza and the loss of close friends [including Arafa] Khaled also comments on political issues that effect his life every single day.”
“Bethlehem – Ma’an – Israeli forces used live fire on Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israel’s separation barrier in the West Bank village of Nil’in on Friday [November 13 2009] activists said and the military confirmed.
Rumors had been circulating that the Israelis would respond more harshly than usual due to the activists’ success in pulling down a section of the wall at the Qalandiya military checkpoint a week earlier.
“These rumors were confirmed,” said Ibraheem Amera, coordinator of the Nil’in popular committee. “A huge army of Israeli soldiers was awaiting [protesters] and immediately started [to] fire huge amounts of tear gas, rubber coated steel bullets and also live ammunition.” Read the rest of this entry »
Part of the International Week of Solidarity Against the Apartheid Walls in Palestine and Siege of Gaza
Cork to Gaza - Viva Palestina Ambulance
Today, Saturday 14th November 2009, hundreds of Palestinians and solidarity activists rallied in Dublin to protest against Israel’s apartheid practices in Palestine. The rally – part of an international week of global mobilisation against the walls of apartheid in Palestine from November 9th to 16th 2009, was called by the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign – was compèred by Freda Hughes (IPSC PRO), Caoimhe Butterly (renowned Irish human rights activist), Ger Cassidy (Viva Palestina), Sameh Habeeb (Gazan Journalist and human rights activist), John Hurson (Where Do the Children Play?), Pete St. John-Jones (International Solidarity Activist in Bil’in).
Settlers obstruct fire fighters en route to Hebron blaze Published Thursday 29/10/2009 (updated) 30/10/2009 13:20
Hebron – Ma’an – Israeli settlers residing in illegal outposts in the heart of Hebron obstructed the work of Palestinian fire fighters on Wednesday night, as crews attempted to access a burning building owned by a Palestinian family.
Firefighter Jamal Qawasmeh said the station received a call regarding a fire in the Bani Dar neighborhood in the old city of Hebron. “We coordinated with the Israeli side so the servicemen and our vehicle could access the area,” he explained.
Despite the coordination, however, “a group of settlers attacked fire fighting personnel” and blocked the access of the vehicle to the street where the fire was. “After more than half an hour the soldiers at the scene intervened to keep the settlers away from the fire fighting vehicle” and allowed it to pass, he said.
Qawasmeh said it was not the first time fire fighters have been unable to reach homes and emergencies in the Old City. Between the road blocks, barriers and metal detectors, he said, access to some areas was impossible even without angry settlers barring the way.
Polish paramedic union passes historic motion against Israeli occupation
Last week, Poland’s biggest independent medical rescuers union – The Nationwide Trade Union of Medical Rescue Employees (Krajowy Zwiazek Zawodowy Pracownikow Ratownictwa Medycznego) KZZ PRM – passed a historic motion of solidarity with Palestinian rescuers, and against Israeli occupation. Read the rest of this entry »
16TH OCTOBER – FRIDAY – *DUBLIN* @ TRIPOD
One Concert – Two Cities, live link up with Gaza @ 7pm
Dublin will extend the hand of friendship to the besieged city of Gaza when a very special concert will be transmitted from Tripod in Dublin LIVE to an audience in Gaza City. Read the rest of this entry »
Ewa Jasiewicz is a solidarity activist, union organizer and journalist. She volunteered with emergency services in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead. She is currently a Gaza-based Coordinator for the Free Gaza Movement. This article is published in Left Turn magazine.
It happened at 2:30am, Wednesday, December 31. Israeli helicopter gunships and warplanes had been bombing the length of the Gaza Strip. In Eastern Jabaliya, white phosphorous had been exploding over Ezbit Abid Rubbu, Al Gerem, and Jabal al Rais. Jabal Al Rais, the President’s Mountain, renamed “The Mountain of Fire” because of the resistance in the area against incoming Israeli forces, was where Dr Ihab al Madhoun, 34, and Mohammad Al Hassira, 21, had driven to rescue suspected casualties. Both medics were inside their ambulance when it was struck by Israeli missile fire. Hassira, a medical volunteer, died instantly. Read the rest of this entry »
Ramallah – Ma’an – A 15-year-old boy died early Tuesday morning from wounds sustained after he was shot by Israeli soldiers overnight, Palestinian and Israeli officials confirmed. Three rescue workers were injured, according to medics, while Israel said just one was hurt. Palestinian medical sources identified the victim as Muhammad Nayif from Jalazun Refugee Camp, north of Ramallah in the West Bank. Medics told Ma’an that Israeli forces shot the teenager near the illegal West Bank settlement of Bet El, close to Al-Bireh, seriously injuring him. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the boy was involved in hostilities.
Soldiers also obstructed a Palestine Red Crescent ambulance from reaching the injured boy, medical officials claimed. According to an investigation by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), Nayif was left bleeding for approximately an hour.The teen was taken via helicopter to Hadassah Hospital in Ein Karem, West Jerusalem, where he died hours later. An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed that the boy was taken there.
Three rescue workers were allegedly shot by Israeli fire, one of them an ambulance driver, who was en route to pick up the injured boy. All three were evacuated to Sheikh Zayid Hospital in Ramallah, according to medics there. Two were identified: Ali Al-Qaysi, who was struck in the hand, and ambulance driver Osama Najjar, who took a gunshot to the foot while attempting to rescue Nayif.
On August 31st Bank Holiday Monday, London, at the Climate Camp, activists just back from Gaza will introduce the UK Premiere of Erased: Wipe off the Map(2009), a documentary film by Alberto Arce, about Israel’s operation ‘Cast Lead’ in Gaza, January 2009.
Alberto was one of the internationals who accompanied emergency workers in Palestinian ambulances during Israel’s recent attacks, known as Operation Cast Lead. You can see an 8 minute preview of the film here. The Climate Camp’s location will be announced in the next few days – visit the Climate Camp website to find out its London location…
ERASED: WIPED OFF THE MAP (55mins)
August 31st, 4.30pm, at the London Climate Camp
A documentary on the recent attack in Gaza. The film begins with the entry of the fifth and last Free Gaza Movement boat to make it to Gaza before covering the impact of the siege and harrowing events during the 22-day assault including attacks on Civil Defence centres, paramedics, children, and the UN HQ.
This blog is under construction, as is this campaign. The idea for it started when a small group of internationals began riding with Gaza ambulances during Israel’s Dec 08/Jan 09 attacks on Gaza, in response to the deliberate targeting of medics by Israel. After the attacks, in which 16 of their colleagues were killed and 57 were injured, a cross section of emergency workers from a variety of Gaza organisations met and decided to send out a call for international solidarity, in the hope they may never again have to face similar illegal and devastating violence as they go about their work.
So far our numbers are small. So, we invite you to join us, whether you choose to lobby your politicians, to hold events to fundraise for emergency equipment, to twin your rescue/medical organisation with one in Palestine, to host a talk or event about Palestine in general or emergency work in particular, to offer training or trauma support whether at a distance or on the ground, or to travel to Palestine yourself to document and resist violence against emergency workers. You can also help expand, manage, and update this blog!
In the meantime, you can see what medics face in Gaza in the above short film, “One of…” made by Emad Badwan, which won the 2009 World Health Day Short Film Competition. It features footage taken by Alberto Arce (Spain) of the shooting of medic Hassan, with a voice over by Eva Bartlett(Canada), two of the internationals from the International Solidarity Movement, who rode with the ambulances.
“One Of” asks us the question – What if it was “one of” your family that needed emergency help, or whose work it was to try to deliver this help? This is 22 days telescoped into a few minutes. This is what we witnessed.
Email us at defendtherescuers AT yahoo.com, especially if your organisation would like to support the campaign in some way, or if you can help update this blog.
