Israelis 'harassed Red Crescent delegation to Palestine'

The Israelis harassed and humiliated a UAE Red Crescent Society delegation that went to Palestine to help the families of those killed and injured by Israeli gunfire, volunteers say.
The three members of the delegation - voluntary Red Crescent Society workers - said the Israelis blocked them for eight days. Even after they had obtained the help of the Red Cross, it took five days to get into the country.
They said ambulances were being deliberately fired upon, Al-Aqsa Mosque was surrounded by Israeli soldiers, and young Israeli women body-searched worshippers entering the mosque.
The RCS delegation comprised board member Mohammed Habroush, Dr. Saleh Al Taei, Director of the Relief and Projects Department, and Hamad Ali, Director of the Media and Public Relations Department. Mohammed Al Habroush said the mission took 14 days.
"We went from Al Arish in Egypt to Amman on a cargo plane, and visited the patients at Al Hussein medical city and the Jordanian Hospital in Jordan.
"We visited the injured in Amman, where 28 Palestinians are receiving treatment." They gave $1,000 to each injured person.
Habroush said their main concern was to get into Palestine and this took them five days after they had sought Red Cross help. The Israelis locked them in a room on the border for eight hours.
"They were trying to thwart our mission. They asked us very unrealistic questions. Our negative experience is now being discussed by the international community because the Israelis don't have the right to humiliate a delegation representing an internationally recognised organisation."
Hamad Ali said, "The Israelis didn't respect us as an international entity and this is a reflection of their lack of respect for international regulations.
"We were planning to visit the families of 110 martyrs in accordance with the lists we had. We couldn't get to all of them. But a second delegation will continue our mission.
"We gave three ambulances to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, and made financial donations to the families of martyrs in the Al Khalil area. We visited every single house and gave them our gifts.
"We gave $2,500 to the family of every martyr, but of course such a sum does not reflect the true value of the soul of a martyr."
The Palestinian families were deeply touched by this gesture.
"They said that we were the first to make this effort and visit them in their homes. They prayed for President His Highness Sheikh Zayed and the UAE people. We also visited Al Aqsa mosque, then we went to Gaza," he said.
"We went at a time when all airports were closed and it was also the time of the Israeli celebrations of Eid Al Gofran. At the same time there were clashes on the borders of Rafah," Ali said.
Dr. Saleh Al Taei said the donors had been worried that the aid would not reach the families of the victims.
"Our main concern was to put the money into the hands of the needy families and not just hand it over to the Palestinian authorities.
"This doesn't mean we didn't trust the authorities. We cooperate with them. We handed over the medicines to the Palestinian Minister of Health and the ambulances to the Palestinian Red Crescent."
Before the start of the Intifadah, he said, the UAE Red Crescent had planned many maintenance and restoration projects for Al Aqsa mosque. They included providing water supplies and new floor tiles.
"We had opened a clinic in the mosque and we wanted to supply it with medical equipment, staff, an ambulance and a fire engine with a driver. We had also wanted to develop a special automatic fire extinguisher system.
"We had already met the leading religious figures in Al Quds (Jerusalem) and we knew what they needed, but the Israelis stopped us from even providing the mosque with tiles.
"The message I have for all Muslims is that the real-life situation in Palestine is terrifying. There are 120,000 families who can't find food because they have no work.
"The ambulances carrying patients are being intentionally shot at regardless of whether they belong to the Red Crescent or Red Cross.
"We visited some hospitals such as Al Maidani in Ramallah and Al Makased. They have no equipment and no food for the patients.
He said Al-Aqsa mosque had become an Israeli military zone. "The seven gates of the mosque are surrounded by soldiers and the devotees are harassed by young Israeli women who inspect their clothes before they enter the mosque."
"Those who care about Al Quds should struggle to obtain donations - money, equipment and blood. And this is not enough. We should start planning instead of being emotional. Al-Quds will never be regained except by a planned struggle," he said.