Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) strongly condemns
the fatal shooting of volunteer nurse-paramedic Razan Ashraf
al-Najjar, 21 by Israeli
snipers as she was helping treat and evacuate wounded protesters east of Khan
Younis, Gaza last June 1. She was seen wearing
clothing clearly identifying her as a medic and with raised arms as an
affirmation of not posing any danger to the heavily armed occupation forces. Hundreds
suffered tear gas inhalation and seizures while 68 other civilians including 8
children, 7 paramedics and 2 journalists were wounded after Israeli forces open
fired bullets and tear gas canisters in that peaceful Gaza demonstration.
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| Razan Ashraf al-Najjar, photo from the New York Times. |
Nurse Razan al-Najjar
is the second rescue worker to be killed by Israeli forces since the "Great
March of Return" protests began on March 30 this year. According to the
health ministry in Gaza, more than 200 others have been injured and 37
ambulances have been damaged. Two weeks ago, Isreali snipers fatally shot paramedic
Mousa Jaber Abu Hassanein. About an hour before he was shot, Abu Hassanein had
helped rescue one of his colleagues, the Canadian doctor Tarek Loubani who had
been injured by an Israeli bullet. Loubani later told how he was shot in the
leg when everything was quiet around him. He was quoted as saying that no
burning tires, smoke, or tear gas, and nobody messing around in front of the
buffer zone – just a clearly marked medical team well away from everybody else.
The massive
number of casualties and the manner by which the medical personnel were preyed
on proves there is an Israeli systematic policy of targeting the medical
personnel while carrying out their humanitarian duty.
Health Alliance for Democracy believes that these different
attacks against the Palestinian medical personnel, especially those working in
the field, are a serious violation of the international human rights, humanitarian
laws and corresponding international standards regulating the protection rules
of medical personnel, including paramedics, their vehicles and medical
facilities. The serious violations and deliberate attacks against the medical
personnel amount to no less than a war crimes per the 1949 fourth Geneva
Convention. The use of lethal force is a serious violation of the rules of
intentional law and international humanitarian law.
We join the world in condemning these crimes committed by Israeli forces and share the belief that Israel’s impunity is strongly backed by the U.S. We also support the call for an urgent, impartial and comprehensive investigation and appropriate actions by the United Nations Human Rights Council, the International Criminal Court, and High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention Protocols. Furthermore, we remain in solidarity with the Palestinian people for their longstanding cry for justice and the call to Free Palestine and End the Israeli occupation.##
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