ICRC REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001862 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA, PRM FOR CSANTOS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2017 TAGS: PREF ICRC IS KWBG PHUM SUBJECT: ICRC REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PALESTINIAN RED CRESCENT/MAGEN DAVID ADOM MOU REF: A. SECSTATE 63864 ¶B. SANTOS - BELLINGER EMAIL 08/29/07 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. On August 30, International Red Cross Committee (ICRC) Field Coordinator Jean-Christophe Sandoz reported to RefCoord that the August 29 meeting between the Government of Israel (GoI),Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and Magen David Adom (MDA) laid a positive foundation for implementation of the PRCS-MDA Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2005. He expressed appreciation for the USG role in ensuring GoI flexibility on implementing the MoU. As a result of the meeting, PRCS will operate five ambulances under the registration of the Red Crescent Maternity Hospital in East Jerusalem but with PRCS markings. The ambulances will be new vehicles and operate with Israeli license plates and permits from the Israeli Ministry of Health while the drivers and medics will be a mix of West Bank and East Jerusalem residents. Sandoz expected the ambulances to be operating by mid-October. He said the GoI seemed receptive to the ICRC proposal that the numbers of pre-cleared PRCS ambulances and staff able to transfer critical care patients from the West Bank into East Jerusalem be increased. End Summary. Five PRCS Ambulances To Operate In East Jerusalem -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On August 29, GoI officials, PRCS Chairman Yunis al-Khatib, MDA Chairman Noam Yifrach, ICRC Head of Delegation and ICRC Field Coordinator Jean-Christophe Sandoz met to discuss implementation of the PRCS-MDA MoU signed in November ¶2005. Sandoz provided RefCoord a readout of the meeting on August 30. Sandoz expressed great appreciation for the USG role in encouraging the GoI to resolve this issue. He commented that all sides seemed to have prepared well for the meeting and much progress was made. ¶3. (SBU) Sandoz stated that the following points had been agreed to at the meeting: -- Five ambulances will be registered under the Red Crescent Maternity Hospital in East Jerusalem but will operate with PRCS markings. -- The drivers and paramedics will be a mix (Sandoz said 50-50, but this is not in writing) between West Bank and East Jerusalem residents. Sandoz noted that PRCS does not currently employ any East Jerusalem residents as all of its operations had heretofore been exclusively in the West Bank and Gaza. He also averred that the Israeli MFA agreed that no distinction would be made between medics and drivers despite the GoI regulation that West Bank residents are prohibited from driving in Israel. -- The five ambulances will serve residents of East Jerusalem, but may operate within the West Bank as necessary. -- Implementation will occur by mid-October. ¶4. (SBU) Sandoz reported that the MFA agreed to facilitate the following "next steps": -- ICRC and PRCS would work together to identify the five ambulances, which cannot be drawn from the existing pool of PRCS vehicles. Sandoz reported that there are five vehicles now in Ramallah being outfitted with medical equipment that ICRC hoped PRCS could register under the Red Crescent Maternity Hospital. -- The ambulances must be brought up to Israeli standards for medical equipment. -- The ambulances must be registered with Israeli license plates. -- The Israeli Ministry of Health must issue permits for the ambulances to operate legally in Israel. -- PRCS must hire new drivers and obtain work permits for the West Bank resident drivers to access East Jerusalem. Numbers of PRCS Ambulances Allowed To Enter East Jerusalem Inadequate -------------- JERUSALEM 00001862 002 OF 002 ¶5. (C) Currently, six PRCS ambulances and 23 staff (drivers and medics) are authorized by the GoI to transfer patients from the West Bank to East Jerusalem hospitals for emergency treatment. (Note: These ambulances are based in West Bank and are unrelated to the five ambulances to operate in East Jerusalem. End Note.) According to the current system, soldiers at checkpoints are responsible for deciding to grant or deny access. Soldiers may consult with the Civil Administration Health Coordinator Dalia Bassah, who can make the decision to grant or deny access over the telephone. Sandoz noted that neither the IDF soldiers or Health Coordinator have the medical training required to make good determinations. The system has resulted in serious delays in transiting critical care patients to East Jerusalem hospitals, Sandoz said, overburdening the capacity of the six authorized ambulances. In the August 29 meeting, ICRC proposed that the GoI authorize another 14 ambulances (for a total of 20) and another 60 - 70 staff (for a total of 80 - 100 medics and drivers) to meet the demand for patient transfers. ICRC also requested that the Civil Administration employ a medical doctor to conduct the telephone evaluations. Sandoz said that both the MFA and Civil Administration seemed receptive to these ideas. He opined that, in an ideal world, the authorized ambulances would be granted access to East Jerusalem hospitals regardless of the health status of the patient. But this is unlikely, Sandoz concluded. WALLES