Jerusalem/Geneva: Over the last two weeks, the International Committee of the Red Cross in Israel and the occupied territories has been faced with an unprecedented wave of violent demonstrations, threats against its staff, attacks against its property, and hostile propaganda in Jerusalem. In the latest incident, two vehicles, marked with the ICRC emblem, were set on fire outside the residence of its staff.

“The ICRC is a neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organization, working here to serve the Palestinian people for 50 years, and we need to be respected and protected to fulfil our mission.” said Jacques de Maio, ICRC’s head of delegation.

“It is concerning that the ICRC’s unique tradition of welcoming demonstrating families in its premises is being abused by some people for political purposes.” he added. The ICRC, everywhere in the world, rejects political manipulations and aggression against its strictly humanitarian mission.

“It is time for all Palestinian stakeholders to demonstrate their unequivocal support to our neutral, strictly humanitarian action, so that we can continue to provide the Palestinian people with much needed services as required under the IVth Geneva Convention,” Mr. de Maio declared.

The ICRC is examining the facts and their impact on its operations. At this stage it maintains its full range of activities in Israel and the occupied territories, such as visiting detainees including those on hunger strike, facilitating over 100’000 visits by Palestinian families to their detained relatives, and a wide range of protection and assistance services in the context of occupation.