Israel Murders Gazan Health WorkersStephen Lendman Civilians are as vulnerable as combatants. Its longstanding Israeli policy. On August 7, Amnesty International (AI) headlined Mounting Evidence of deliberate attacks on Gaza health workers by Israeli army. Former prime minister Ehud Barak once outrageously called it the most moral army in the world. Its a lawless, ruthless killing machine. As a former prime minister, defense minister, foreign minister, and chief of general staff, Barak was complicit in some of its worst crimes of war, against humanity and genocide. Morality is not part of its mandate. Mass slaughter and destruction are prioritized. AI urges an immediate investigation of Israeli war crimes. Disturbing testimonies alone from doctors, nurses and ambulance personnel reveal a snapshot of overall Israeli ruthlessness. According to AIs North Africa Director, Philip Luther: Even more alarming is the mounting evidence that the Israeli army has targeted health facilities or professionals. Such attacks are absolutely prohibited by international law and would amount to war crimes. They only add to the already compelling argument that the situation should be referred to the International Criminal Court. Throughout Operation Protective Edge, medical workers were targeted, murdered or injured. Others were prevented from reaching wounded Palestinians to rush them for treatment. Jaber Khalil Abu Rumileh supervises Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital ambulance services. He described one Israeli shelling attack on his facility as follows: Then there were a few more hits. People were terrified. Patients ran out. Doctors could not enter to help the injured and remove the dead. Ambulance driver Mohammad Abu Jumiza is one of many Palestinian victims. We were on our way back to Nasser hospital, driving with the lights and sirens on as always, he said. The ambulance was clearly marked as such. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), at least two of its ambulance workers were killed. At least another 35 injured. Seventeen health vehicles were damaged or destroyed by Israeli attacks. Our ambulances are often targeted although they are clearly marked and display all signs that they are ambulances, said PRCS. The army should be able to distinguish from the air that what they targeting are ambulances. They know precisely what theyre targeting. Israel shot ambulance worker Mohammad Al-Abadlah multiple times. He bled to death. He was traveling in a clearly marked ambulance wearing his medical uniform. Colleagues trying to help him were also shot. Overall conditions in Gaza are catastrophic: Fact: Israel continues committing one of historys great crimes. Fact: Palestinian deaths and injuries mount. Fact: No end of conflict looms. Fact: The world community yawns and does nothing to help beleaguered Palestinians. Fact: Washington fully supports Israels killing machine. Fact: US tax dollars pay for death, destruction and human misery. Fact: A war on truth accompanies hot war. Fact: Non-combatant civilians suffer most. Fact: The vast majority of Gazan victims are civilian men, women, children, infants, the elderly and infirm. Fact: Israel considers them legitimate targets. Fact: Cold-blooded mass murder and destruction reflect official Israeli policy. Fact: Where things end, who knows! Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III. http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour 