TITLE: Israel Accused of Confiscating Medicine Bound for PA

AUTHOR: Arieh O'Sullivan

PUB:

DATE: January 25, 2001

Members of an international humanitarian organization have accused Israel of harassment for confiscating two suitcases full of antibiotics bound for the Palestinian Authority. Dan Winters, an American volunteer for the International Action Center led by former US attorney-general Ramsey Clark, said Israeli customs agents confiscated the medicine as he crossed the Jordan border via the Allenby Bridge on Sunday. He said customs officials told him he couldn't bring in the medicine without permits, and took 91 jugs filled with thousands of antibiotics worth about $18,000, paid for with donations raised in New York. "It is immoral and even criminal to stop children from getting medicine, especially when there is a shortage," said Winters. "I think it was clearly a malicious act by the Israelis. "They know we weren't smugglers, otherwise they would have arrested us. It is clearly harassment," said Winters, who was traveling with a US citizen of Palestinian origin. Winters, 64, said he had accompanied Clark to Amman and Baghdad, where the former US official and outspoken liberal had protested against economic sanctions on Iraq. A spokeswoman for the Customs Authority confirmed that the medicine was confiscated because the carriers had not obtained a permit to bring it into the country, as required of all medical products. "Not only did they not declare it, they tried to sneak it in by hiding it in their car," said spokeswoman Idit Lev-Zerahia. "We don't care who the medicine is for. ...There is a procedure that has to be done and they didn't do it. If they didn't know, they should have. "If I would have arrived to the United States with two suitcases full of medicine and told them I didn't know I had to declare it and have permits, they would look at me like I was a moron, too," Lev-Zerahia said. She insisted that the medicine confiscation had nothing to do with the fact that the medicines were bound for the Palestinian Authority, and said that permits are given daily. "You can't accuse us of [harassment]," she said. "An orderly organization would have known better and would have taken out permits." She said that the medicine was being held and would be released if the International Action Center went through customs procedures to receive a permit. END top