Adalah and LAW Call on Supreme Court to Establish Procedures for the Removal of Palestinian Bodies from Jenin Refugee Camp
Today, Adalah and LAW requested that the Supreme Court of Israel establish procedures to be followed by the Israeli Army, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) regarding the removal of Palestinian bodies from the Jenin refugee camp. The previous day, the Supreme Court decided that the ICRC must be involved in the search for bodies in the camp.
Today, Adalah and LAW requested that the Supreme Court of Israel establish procedures to be followed by the Israeli Army, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) regarding the removal of Palestinian bodies from the Jenin refugee camp. The previous day, the Supreme Court decided that the ICRC must be involved in the search for bodies in the camp.
The request follows the decision today of the ICRC to stop the removals. This decision was taken due to the lack of appropriate equipment or personnel trained to extract the bodies from areas of such widespread destruction, particularly in light of the prevailing health risks due to the decomposing bodies.
Adalah and LAW have requested that the Supreme Court abide by the following procedures:
1. Each body must be given to the ICRC or PRCS.
2. The ICRC and PRCS must be accompanied by rescue teams and personnel with the appropriate medical specializations in order to identify the bodies.
3. Jenin refugee camp residents must be able to assist in locating and identifying Palestinian bodies.
4. The ICRC and PRCS must be given a list of individuals detained from the Jenin refugee camp in order to assist in the identification of the bodies so that those in custody are not counted as missing.
