08.04.2002|Judgment|Judgment / Supreme Court
HCJ 2936/02 - Physicians for Human Rights - Israel et al. v. IDF Commander in the West Bank Judgment
The HCJ heard petitions dealing with various events during "Operation Defensive Shield": Military forces fired at Red Crescent and Red Cross medical crews, prevented evacuation for medical treatment, removal of corpses and supply of medical equipment to besieged hospitals. The HCJ did not discuss the specific events but emphasized that the military is obliged to obey humanitarian rules regarding treatment of the wounded, the sick and corpses. It was further ruled that even if, as the military maintained, medical personnel were misused, this does not, in and of itself, justify sweeping breaches of humanitarian rules.
