CPTnet
6 November 2007
HEBRON: Israeli military detains sick Palestinian woman at checkpoint

For two hours on Tuesday, 30 October 2007, the Israeli military prevented a
sick Palestinian woman from reaching her home in the Tel Rumeida area of
Hebron. She was returning from a Jerusalem hospital in a Palestinian Red
Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulance, escorted by the International Committee
of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Tel Rumeida is located in the Israeli-controlled H2 area of Hebron,* and is
the site of one of the four Israeli settlement enclaves in the city.
Palestinian vehicles need special permission to enter H2. The ICRC often
coordinates ambulance travel into the area with the Israeli authorities.

The Israeli military stopped the ambulance at the Beit Romano checkpoint at
1:00 p.m. For an hour, the ambulance crew unsuccessfully attempted to
negotiate passage through the checkpoint. After this time they had to take
their patient, who was recovering from multiple operations, to a nearby
hospital, because the delay and precipitated a need for urgent medical care.

Negotiations continued with the Israeli military, and the ambulance returned
to the checkpoint at 2:45 p.m. After waiting for a further twenty minutes,
soldiers allowed the ambulance and the ICRC vehicle were through. The
Israeli Border Police then escorted the medical vehicles to the woman's
home.

For photos of this incident, go to
http://www.cpt.org/gallery/hebron

* In 1997, the city of Hebron was divided into two areas: H1, which is under
Palestinian control and H2, which is under Israeli military control.