Testimonies

Iyad Medyah, paramedic

I work in the medical center of the Red Crescent in Beit Ummar. Two days ago [4 April], at about 2:30 A.M. in the morning, I got a call from the main hotline in Hebron about a person who had a heart attack and was waiting at the tunnels checkpoint. He was in a Magen David Adom ambulance and had to be transported to hospital in Hebron.

I left the medical center with the paramedic ‘Ali Tmeizi, 25, and we headed to the exit of Beit Ummar, reaching there at 2:36 A.M, but the iron gate was closed. The light from the army's projector was directed towards us and blinded us, but I could see a jeep next to the army tower on the other side of the gate and six soldiers next to it. We stopped and waited for more than ten minutes for a soldier to come over and speak with us and then open the gate, but nobody came. Since the patient was in serious condition, the paramedic ‘Ali Tmeizi got out and opened the gate, which wasn't locked. The gate squeaked when he opened it, but the soldiers ignored it.

I crossed in the ambulance and ‘Ali stayed outside to close the gate, and then he got back in. We drove 10-15 meters and I saw the six soldiers who had been by the jeep run toward the ambulance and block our way. I stopped and turned on the interior light.

A soldier with three stripes on his arm began to shout at me and told me to back up the ambulance, turn off the engine, and get out. He was tall, full-bodied, and wore glasses. I responded that we were on the way to care for a patient who was in serious condition and that we had to get to him quickly. He responded in an irritated manner. He told me I have to turn off the engine, or he would smash it. Immediately after that, he opened the door and began to pull me out. The engine was still running, and the handbrake was not engaged. I told him, “Why are you upset? Calm down.” He slapped me, and with the help of another soldier pushed my head onto the steering wheel.

The two soldiers removed me with force, and when I was lying on the ground, the soldier with three stripes on his arm pushed my head with force against the ambulance and slammed me with his iron helmet on the left side of my head. That hurt a lot. Then he dragged me 5-6 meters from the ambulance, while the other soldier kicked me. Then he slammed me to the ground and told me to stay there.

Afterwards, the same soldier went to the ambulance and removed ‘Ali with force and pushed him toward a fence on the side of the road. He asked him where we were going and then called to me, and two soldiers took me to him. The soldier slapped and punched and kicked me. He said, “Don't do this again!” While he was beating me, I tried to calm him, but he ignored me. He also ignored the fact that I was in a paramedic's uniform, and that I told him we were only doing our job.

When they let us leave, it was already 3:00 A.M. We drove to the tunnels checkpoint, but the Magen David Adom ambulance was not there. We were informed [by the hotline] that the patient's condition had deteriorated because of our delay, and that the Magen David Adom ambulance had taken him to Hadassah Hospital.

As a result of the assault, I have bruises all over my body and a wound on the left side of the back of my head. I still don't understand why they assaulted me and ‘Ali .

During the assault, I wrote down the license number of the jeep.

Iyad 'Idnan Hejazi Medyah, 27, married with one child, is a paramedic and a resident of Halhul in Hebron District. His testimony was given to Musa Abu Hashhash at the Red Crescent's emergency and rescue room in Hebron on 6 April 2009.