Reply #34: sorry, but Israel does have a long record of attacking emergency medical

[Douglas Carpenter]

services. EVERY SINGLE credible and independent human rights organization that monitors these matters WITHOUT EXCEPTION reports the same exact thing. Can these all be hoaxes???

International Committee of the Red Cross

link: http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/lebanon-news-240706?opendocument

"Red Cross reports, two of its ambulances were struck by munitions, although both vehicles were clearly marked by the red cross emblem and flashing lights that were visible at a great distance. The incident happened while first-aid workers were transferring wounded patients from one ambulance to another. As a result, nine people including six Red Cross volunteers were wounded. "The ICRC is gravely concerned about the safety of medical staff ", said Balthasar Staehelin, the organization's delegate-general for the Middle East and North Africa. "We have raised this issue with the Israeli authorities and urged them to take the measures needed to avoid such incidents in the future."

Among other incidents of this type, on 19 July the Society's first-aid station in Insarieh was damaged, as were two ambulances. A first-aid worker suffered minor injuries. On 18 July, an ambulance received a direct hit while on a first-aid and evacuation mission."

-- Human Rights Watch

link: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/09/13/isrlpa14185.htm

"Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories: Don’t Fire on Gaza Medics
Six Attacks on Palestinian Ambulances, Paramedics
(New York, September 13, 2006) – Israeli security forces launched attacks that harmed Palestinian medical emergency personnel and damaged ambulances on at least six different occasions in the Gaza Strip between May 30 and July 20, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to ensure that its troops scrupulously respect the protected status of medical emergency personnel and facilities at all times as it conducts military operations in the Gaza Strip."

That was just two. Check other reports. It's easy to confirm:



http://www.btselem.org/english/About_BTselem/Index.asp


Physicians for Human Rights - Israel

http://www.phrusa.org/healthrights/phr_israel.html

Amnesty International/Israel and Occupied Territories:

http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/israel_and_occupied_territories/index.do