For most of the world, a red cross, red crescent or red magen david is a sign of humanitarian aid, one that is excluded from warfare. This is an accepted principle of war, even under the worst of conditions.

Well this may be so around the world, but not in the PA (Palestinian Authority), where anything on wheels that moves and is identified as being Jewish is a fair target.

This was the case on Monday in Shomron, when an IDF paramedic ambulance was dispatched to a head-on collision involving Arab motorists in the Tapuach Junction area. As the paramedic ambulance sped through the village of Chawarah with its emergency lights flashing and the siren wailing, a Molotov cocktail (firebomb) was hurled at it, striking and damaging the vehicle. Fortunately, the vehicle did not ignite and there were no injuries, so the military medical team continued on its mission.

It arrived at Tapuach Junction and treated the injured, which were transported by a Red Crescent ambulance to a PA (Palestinian Authority) hospital. Only then did they stop and assess the damage to the vehicle, realizing just how fortunate they were to escape unharmed. One must remember that ambulances carry small and large tanks of oxygen, which are extremely flammable, and under pressure, will explode like a torpedo.

Following is a link to the IDF Spokesperson’s Office video showing the paramedics involved, who briefly tell of the incident [in Hebrew]. http://idfspokesperson.com/

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)