more red double-cross

The continuing saga of the Lebanese Red Cross fraud, which is now being defended by Aussie journalists.

On 31 August Chulov who personally investigated the incident tells us :

We inspected both ambulances, whose mangled roofs were not rusting at the time. By the time the photos used on the blog site were taken, rust had appeared. But this is entirely normal in Lebanon's sultry summer climate, where humidity on the coast does not drop below 70per cent.

On 2 September, Smiles (and do google her up, it's fun) who personally investigated the incident tells us:

The Age visited the yard where the bombed out ambulances are now parked. This reporter saw the ambulance that Mr Fawaz was in. It appeared to have been hit by a weapon that punctured a huge hole through the back. The zombietime.com only shows the picture of the second ambulance that had a smaller puncture through the top where there was a pre-existing vent in the centre of the vehicle.

The holes in the ambulances, parked in the coastal town of Tyre on the Mediterranean, are now covered in rust.

Smiles also repeats the claim made by ITV journalists of some battle which prevented oh, a man from bleeding to death and kept ambos in shock for over an hour while waiting to be rescued or something:

They could not reach Mr Fawaz with rockets from drones hitting around the ambulance and the building they were in.

Notice too that the boy - a twin - now has not brain injury (ITV), no gash at the back of his head (Chulov), no head injury, just scarred by shrapnel. In fact every time a reporter gets these dudes to repeat the story we get a different take.  Riehl has another pile of discrepancies - check his earlier posts for more.

So let's go back to the video provided by a "local amateur cameraman" of the ambulances "in situ" and handed to the Israeli-hating dickhead ITV journalists who hyperventliate "disproportionate" and dare lecture Captain Jacob Dallal on the "rules of war".

ITV shows this video in two four segments and it is unclear whether they have edited it or whether the "local amateur cameraman" engaged in some creative editing to ensure that minimal context is shown. 

Grabs from segment 1.

1. We start with a very very quick front shot of an ambulance which I will call Rego 777. Notice the font used for the Arabic script. The grille is missing - actually it looks like it's hanging off a rivet on the side, but it's not even bent.  The windscreen is intact.

2. As the cameraman moves left we get a brief look at the open right door of the Rego 777, through which we get a momentary glimpse of what looks like an open ambo door at the back. Now I don't have any fancy frame by frame video software, but the door as shown seen through the window looks really dodgy at the point I stopped it - maybe the window on Rego777 was still intact and this is reflection - but all those red double-crosses make such a lovely statement, don't they?

3. We move around the door to have a peek inside Rego 777; notice this little hint of orange at the back?

4. The cameraman then tilts the camera a bit as we move past the slide door and admire the strength of this ambulance's chassis, past the slide door and have a quick peek in the rear window. All the while we can't see the markings on the right side of Rego 777. And another little peek of orange.

5. Then around to the back, once again admiring the strength of the chassis (and you can see a peek of the open rear door which opens upwards).  Barely a scorch mark, or even a rust mark, unless it's all been video shopped out. Heh.

6. Round for a peek inside Rego 777 from the rear.  Orange again. In fact there is a man there if you watch the video closely. Is that the orange uniform of an ambo officer I see in the background? Another "local amateur cameraman"?

That was the end of the first segment before ITV breaks to let its journalists hyperventilate, and keep replaying Captain Jacob Dallal's comments that Israel never intentionally targets civilians or ambulances.  Then we get the second segment of our amateur video.

6. The second segment starts with this shot, which we know is the inside of Rego 777 maybe with the shadow of Orange Man.

7. Then a cut to the front of Rego 777 again; this time the cameraman takes a few steps backwards and we can see the grille is not even bent. Those could be bullet marks on the road - or just stones - but frankly, not a single pockmark on the front of the ambulance, not even the bumper.

8. Now the cameraman moves to his right so we can see the left side of Rego 777.

9. As we approach the rear we see Arabic script and the ambulance's number: C140. Notice that the rear door is up, and looks undamaged. In fact its window is intact.

10. We now approach the ambulance at the rear. Notice how unmarked the road and surrounds are given the rockets falling and hour long battle according to some reports. (Note: not even shattered window glass)

Update 5: I am going to question one of Zombie's and mine assertions here. Zombie points to this photo in the Boston Herald and suggests it's in a parking lot prior to being moved back to Red Cross offices. However this is a clear photo of ambulance from the amateur video shown by ITV and it does show debris which could be shattered glass. However, the damage hardly indicates a "bomb", "missile", "gunfire" (strafing) etc and there still is no damage around to suggest "missiles" falling around the vehicle forcing Red Cross workers to take shelter while leaving the patients to fend for themselves (says something of their values and cowardice doesn't it?). Nothing to stop some smash up damage done in situ for the benefit of the propaganda video. And is it a parking lot? It looks like an intersection (note that!) where the alleged incident took place. I will attempt to find any other photos that may confirm or deny.  Why do I doubt they exist.

11. We approach the ambulance. This one has its markings in larger Arabic script, perhaps a latter model, but as we approach we notice this one doesn't have an ambulance number on the rear left panel. Some funny dents which almost makes it look like it's been papered over but no missile damage.

12. This is about the last shot of the second ambulance from this side before ITV cuts to its hysterical commentary. The pole on the left rear of the ambulance may be where the flag was supposed to be flying according to some reports or just an antennae. Both rear doors are intact despite the object hanging from the top door. Don't ever accuse the Israelis of indiscriminate damage.

13. We never actually see the inside of this second ambulance on ITV (Update: apologies, yes we do but not from the rear) - and it may not even be on the amateur video: it seems the cameraman turns around with a quick shot of the side of the ambulance again before it cuts to a shot that seems to be the start of the climb to the roof of the hole in the cross. (Update 7: photo of the quick pan of the left side added)

ITV then cuts in again for its hysterical commentary in the form of Captain Jacob Dallal who really needs a medal for his patience and manners during that interview.

14. The climb to the top begins in the third segment. One.

15. Two

16. Three. Hey what a nice view. No damaged road or building in site sight. The other ambulance doesn't even seem to have a big red cross on the top.

17. After an obliging a quick dip to highlight the hole in the cross (which ITV obligingly points out to you, breathlessly of course) the cameraman climbs down and while doing so gives us the quick glimpse: this is ambulance 782.

18. As the cameraman climbs down we get the only glimpse of the right side of this ambulance, and its markings. Remember Rego 777/C140 has its markings in a different font style. Anyone read Arabic and can translate the markings for us?

We now cut to the obligatory ITV hysteria.

19. We continue around the door with another quick look inside

20. And another, note the condition of the seat and guerney.

21. The footage then cuts to a shot of a cabin - of which ambulance is not clear - and ends there.

***
Now also have a look at a few other ambulances in the ITV report.

At the beginning of the ITV report, showing an ambulance arriving with the wounded ambulance drivers (what, not the man with the severed leg first?) at an unnamed hospital in Tyre (Jabal Amal hospital by Chulov's original account) and home of Mr Qassem Shalim, and the ambulance driver who is the source of a lot of this nonsense.  Actually it looks like the ambulance was accelerating from a standing start but for now, note the markings.

Another ambulance parading for the ITV report:

Others with their flags flying. Surely not staged? Hmm, a sign similar to the one at the back of this ambulance may be what was hanging off the rear door of C782.

So there you go.

Every time you read a story about this incident, look at the only visuals I know of, of the ambulances in situ. and Compare with this dodgy video shot by an amateur because the roads were too dangerous for journalists.  Ditto with any subsequent photos of the ambulances.

Update:  I think the 140 on the rear of the ambulance in the last photo is a phone number, but I would kill myself laughing if this is the ambulance number and it replaced our bombed C140 years ago.

Update 2: Yep, it's the emergency number for the Lebanese Red Cross. Hey they speak English. Shall we email them? redcross@dm.net.lb

Update 3: Zombietime has text from the official Red Cross press release which reads:

The latest of these incidents occurred on 23 July, at 11.15 pm in Cana, a village in southern Lebanon. According to Lebanese 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.

Two ambulances six Red Cross volunteers, so let's say three civilians. And there would only be room for one more.  Three transferees were Amputee Man, Shrapnel Son, and mother-in-law Jamila.  Tell me: I find it odd that three people from the same family all had some medical condition or injury that required transfer. What were they sufferring from in the first place? And if amputee man and family were being ferried between Tibnin (which has a government hospital) and Tyre, does the shortest possible route go through or near Qana?

Update 4: The unholy trinity which explains how this sort of fraud gets perpetrated (via Hot Air)

Next to a UN jeep, the Hezbollah intelligence men had parked their aging white Mercedes. One of them had flattened himself behind the chassis and was watching the Israeli side  through binoculars.

"If you come with me, we'll go in and get that m*********r back," another Hezbollah man told a member of the international press. "They won't shoot at a journalist," he whispered in an aside in Arabic to his colleague.

Coming soon to a socialist near you.

Update 6: Someone go save the Kiwis.

Update 8: Continuing down the muddy path trodden by our Aussie journos, Tim Blair has a hysterical post synthesizing their mash of lies. You've just inspired me Tim.

Update 9: Via Tim Blair/David P, a scan of the photo published by The Age to support trainee-Hezbollite (yes please google her) Sarah Smiles' report:

This is apparently the "huge hole through the back". Check out the comments at Tim's where readers note the pre-photoshop photographer's methods of making the hole look larger.

If this is the roof of Rego 777/C140, then I now know why I couldn't see a Red Cross on the roof of that ambulance (photo 16) and why the font of the arabic script on the side (photo 9) was different and looked “old”: the ambulance has probably been sitting in a wrecker's yard since the Yom Kippur war.

Richard may just have the smoking gun explaining why shiny metal on ambulance 782: an Israeli weapon that pops the rivets.

I reckon licence plate 777 would also have an interesting multi-use history but I’m not counting on any sophisticated Hezbollah-free DMV in that part of the country.

And I reckon if these reporters want to know what an Israeli weapon does to a vehicle without venturing out to "dangerous" roads, then they should have just ventured out of the bar and taken a walk around Tyre. Plenty of vehicles hit there.

Julian Manyon said the video of the ambulances (erroneously described by the ITV host in Beirut as 'pictures from the moment the convoy was attacked') was an amateur video taken by a 'member of the ambulance services' who I presume was the 'local amateur cameran' towards the end of the report. 

All fingers point to a hoax by the Lebanese Red Cross volunteers at this station near the beach in Tyre, a hoax upheld by the Lebanese Red Cross administration and the IRC headquarters.  These "volunteers" should be arrested and charged along with all the play-along lying victims. 

The ITV reporters, and in particular the vile host in Beirut, should not be sacked for incompetence and gullibility, they should be arrested and charged with aiding terrorists. 

Australian reporters who promulgate this hoax as actual event, take note. Even if our laws don't permit one to be arrested and charged for stupidity, our laws definitely allow one to be charged for aid and abetting.

Update 10: I've been Zombified. Again I may not agree 100% with Zombie; The Age ambulance could be C140 in the background in the video (I can't get hi-res video images so the faded red cross may just be barely visible).  But that's just it. It's aged. Really really aged.  I had a 25 year old dinged up Sigma sitting out the back for years that had less rust and paint peel than this one.

Previous ambo posts here, here, here and here (I've lost count)

And via Owen L. (thanks mate!) this BRILLIANT new video by Sout al Kuffar at My Pet Jawa: Rocket Ride (Hezbollywood Remix).  That needs its own award.