June 27, 2002	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1423

GENEVA, June 26: A senior official from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned on Wednesday that it was increasingly difficult to keep tabs on the way the protective Red Cross or Crescent emblems were used in Palestinian territories.

The outgoing head of delegation in Israel Rene Kozirnik praised the Palestinian Red Cross Society and its ambulance service — which was severely criticised by the Israeli authorities two months ago — and said he had total confidence in their work.

But he told reporters that others were using the protective cross or emblem on ambulances.

“In times of war and occupation, civilian hospitals and their emergency medical transport services, ambulances in particular, may be allowed to show the emblem, but it must be done according to some rules,” Kosirnik said.

“Today it is difficult, one must recognise there are users other than the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in the Palestinian Authority area — I’m not saying that’s wrong, because there are less important medical services doing good work”.

“Personnel must be authorised, there must be controls by competent authorities, often the health ministry or another, to make sure its used according to the rules, especially to avoid perfidious abuse, that’s to say ambulances are not used for hostile acts,” he added.

The Cross or Crescent emblems are internationally-recognised symbols of protection and Kosirnik said their use had to meet to rigorous standards.

In March, the Israeli authorities said they had stopped a Palestinian ambulance carrying explosives.

“If it’s true I deplore it, I have total confidence in the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, they do admirable work and if there was abuse I’m convinced it was at individual level,” Kosirnik said, adding praise for the Israeli equivalent, the Magen David Adom.

He said at one point there was “a tendency to use alleged abuse of the emblem” to demonise some of the parties involved.

“That’s bad for everyone because it can have a boomerang effect on other partners,” the ICRC official added.—AFP