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Last update - 21:23 27/11/2007 U.S. urges Israel to let Palestinian ambulances travel freely By Reuters Tags: Maden David Adom  The United States on Tuesday called on Israel to fully implement an agreement allowing Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances to move freely in Palestinian territory and through Israeli checkpoints. John Bellinger, legal adviser at the U.S. State Department, also said that the Israeli relief organization Magen David Adom (MDA) and the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRC) were close to reaching an agreement for PRC ambulances to enter Jerusalem. Advertisement "We have been urging the Israeli government at the highest levels to cut through the red tape -- still in accordance with their laws -- but to try to move as quickly as possible to help the societies work out the agreement for the operation of these ambulances...," Bellinger told a news conference in Geneva. The two emergency services signed a deal two years ago to cooperate to improve access to conflict victims. The deal calls for easing passage of PRC ambulances through checkpoints to do humanitarian work, their passage where necessary between the Gaza Strip and West Bank or to Israeli hospitals, and their stationing in places including Jerusalem. "We have been urging in particular Israel to fully implement the commitments it made in connection with the Memo of Understanding," said Bellinger, who heads the U.S. delegation to the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Per Stenbeck, a former general secretary of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, is charged with monitoring the agreement. This week he circulated a confidential report on his findings. "He found there was a lack of full implementation in a number of different areas, in particular ambulances that would be able to travel into Jerusalem to be operated by the Palestine Red Crescent Society. The two societies are very close in working out arrangements for the ambulances to begin operation," Bellinger said. Bellinger's remarks came as President George W. Bush told Israeli and Palestinian leaders gathered for a Middle East conference in Annapolis, Maryland, that the time was right to work toward peace but cautioned the path would be difficult. The MOU paved the way for the MDA and Palestinian Red Crescent to join the world's largest relief organization in June 2006 after years of arduous negotiations. In return for being allowed to join, Israel had to acknowledge the Palestinian Red Crescent as the internationally recognized emergency service within the occupied territory Bookmark to del.icio.us   Power to the people Egypt plans to provide all of Gaza's electricity, to wean dependency on Israel. Calculated escalation Hamas has been trying for some time to create a balance of deterrence with Israel.   1.   US cretins urging Israel to let terrorists in and Israeli 19:59  |  Absolute Sweden 27/11/07   2.   No Absolute ... we are talking about AMBULANCES... cretin 20:50  |  TrippleJump 27/11/07   3.   He who gets scolded in boiling water is carefull with luke warm 21:04  |  Figaro 27/11/07   4.   AMBULANCES HAVE TRANSPORTED TERRORISTS 21:06  |  Judith 27/11/07   5.   So typical 21:39  |  Goldberg 27/11/07   6.   Ambulances 21:43  |  grandstboy 27/11/07   7.   Absurd 21:44  |  Jon 27/11/07   8.   PA ambulances have no right to enter Israel. Period. 22:36  |  Dr. L. Brnd 27/11/07   9.   DON;T REPEAT UNTRUTHS ABOUT AMBULANCES 22:39  |  DAOUD KUTTAB 27/11/07   10.   Judith the liar. 23:01  |  Sean 27/11/07   11.   "Dr" Brnd - East Jerusalem is not Israel 23:06  |  Palestinian Brit 27/11/07   12.   US Cretins eh? That`s gratitude for you....! 23:10  |  Palestinian Brit 27/11/07   13.   So even Ambulances can`t travel freely ? 23:12  |  Scoobidoo 27/11/07   14.   ambulances 23:20  |  colin 27/11/07   15.   Full and intense inspection 23:32  |  Palestinian Brit 27/11/07   16.   Will Gilad Shalit get visited by the Red Cross 23:35  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/11/07   17.   Mr. Daoud in Princeton in the USA 23:38  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 27/11/07   18.   Video of UN ambulance transporting terrorists 23:40  |  Defending Judith 27/11/07   19.   You miss the point 23:49  |  Goldberg 27/11/07   20.   Those `untruths` about ambulances were complete truth 00:10  |  bikermailman 28/11/07   21.   ScoobiDoo - no - the arabs use them for terror 00:19  |  Not a PAL 28/11/07   22.   WE USED TO GIVE AMBULANCES FREEDOM 00:34  |  zionist forever 28/11/07   23.   Give Al Queda Members Visas To Enter The USA Too 00:39  |  Yoram 28/11/07   24.   Think about it 00:46  |  christa 28/11/07   25.   bikermailman,go join the zombies. 00:55  |  Sean 28/11/07   26.   Mr. Kuttab/Sean - is this video faked? 01:03  |  Joe Sittizen 28/11/07   27.   #8 L. Brnd 01:45  |  Boycott 28/11/07   28.   #2 Tripple Jump 02:18  |  * BEN JABO 28/11/07   29.   Hamas` definition of an "Ambulance" for TripleJump # 2 02:21  |  Fortuna Benmayor 28/11/07   30.   WASNT THIS MEETING HELD BEFORE 02:26  |  TOBIA 28/11/07   31.   Proof Sittizen ? 02:31  |  Sean 28/11/07   32.   Ambulances also found with weapons 02:33  |  Free Gilad Shalit 28/11/07   33.   Cant be trusted! 02:45  |  AVRAM 28/11/07   34.   #15 Palestinian Brit - Full inspections 07:20  |  * BEN JABO 28/11/07   35.   Proof, Sean? 11:14  |  Joe Sittizen 28/11/07   36.   #31 Sean - Derry 13:19  |  * BEN JABO 28/11/07   37.   #32 Then INSPECT them, don`t simply BAN them 02:57  |  Johnboy 29/11/07   38.   Nr 11 Pals Brit, according to your 04:35  |  cristo 29/11/07   39.   #37 Johnboy 17:57  |  * BEN JABO 29/11/07   40.   I can`t believe so many of you are so uninformed & (#31 proof) 02:28  |  Sheri 02/03/08

Today Online 2 IDF soldiers, 61 Palestinians die in Gaza clashes Responses: 588 Barak: Hamas will pay for its escalation in the south Responses: 467 Analysis: Uncompromising Hamas is in trouble Responses: 242 Bradley Burston: True Islam will spell defeat for the Jihadists Responses: 126 When McCain and Obama face off, Israel may find itself in the eye of the storm Responses: 127 Rosner's Domain No "statement of interest" against terror victims (WTR) McCain, Obama gear up for face off over Iraq Poll: Your solution for the situation in Gaza Battle of Ohio: from James Garfield to Hillary Clinton Prosecutor in AIPAC case to leave before trial? (WTR) More Headlines 01:42 2 IDF soldiers, 61 Palestinians die in Gaza clashes 00:12 5 hurt in Ashkelon as close to 50 rockets hit southern Israel 00:15 PA suspends peace talks with Israel over Gaza violence 00:48 Family and friends gather to pay respects to fallen IDF soldiers 00:17 Meshal: Gaza is 'real holocaust,' armed resistance only option 00:18 Vice Premier: Reoccupying Gaza will hurt Israel more than help it 00:19 ANALYSIS / Gaza raids met by loud silence from the Arab world 08:38 Ban: Hezbollah hindering talks on prisoner swap 22:40 N.Y. Plaza Hotel, co-owned by Israeli and Saudi groups, reopens doors 20:27 Lebanese TV: Saudi, Kuwait urge nationals to leave Lebanon 07:53 Israeli tennis star Peer upset in semifinals of Memphis tourney Previous Editions Select Day 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb 22 feb 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb

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