Israeli occupation forces have once again shown complete disregard towards principals of medical neutrality when they forced a PMRS Doctor and member of the PMRS Administrative Council, to strip in a public street near Al Nohmaan village in Bethlehem.

On the evening of Friday the 5th of November, Dr Mohamed Odeh was stopped whilst driving back to his home in Beit Jala. Dr Odeh, who was accompanied by his wife and six children aged between two and thirteen years, was returning from a village outside of Bethlehem where they had broken the Ramadan fast with his wife's family.

An Israeli military jeep stopped the car and shined a bright light at the Doctor and his family. They forced him to show his ID, whilst snubbing the Medical ID he also presented. Whilst pointing their guns at the family they began to shout at them terrifying the children who were by this time crying hysterically. The soldiers then forced the Doctor to vacate his car and ordered him to take his clothes off down to his underwear. They then forced Dr Odeh to remain standing in the public street near his car and in front of his family.

Dr Odeh later confirmed that this is not the first time incidents of this nature have occurred in the area, with numerous reports coming from the Bethlehem's residents of psychological torture and humiliation.

Yesterday's events were particularly offensive because of the religious significance of this current month, the humiliation that this man had to endure in front of his family, and because Dr Odeh made it very clear that he was a Doctor. Dr Odeh clearly presented no risk he was merely traveling home with family after what had been an enjoyable evening, yet this did not deter the soldiers from humiliating him and terrifying his young children.

PMRS asks all humanitarian, human rights and health organizations to protest this recent incident, to pressurize the Israeli occupation forces to allow the free movement of medical teams, and to respect principals of medical neutrality.