The news of the denouement in the saga of the “Free Gaza Flotilla” broke early this morning. Our access to information about the incident has been hampered by the fact that we are reduced to a dialup internet connection — a framstasis has failed in the tromulator unit on our satellite link, and no service technician will be available before tomorrow morning, thanks to the Memorial Day holiday. This post will be sent to the Blogger server by carrier pigeon or a 24K landline connection, whichever is faster.
It has been frustrating trying to learn more about what happened off the coast of Israel early today. Fortunately, our tireless tipster Insubria and our diligent Flemish correspondent VH have sent us a wealth of material on the topic, so the outlines of what happened are clear. Insubria’s material comes from ANSAmed, which has posted extensive coverage about the Flotilla and related stories. I can’t access the NYT or CNN to compare, but the articles he sent to us seems fairly comprehensive.
Before I launch into the actual details of what happened, it’s important to remember that this incident was a Turkish probe, designed to test the limits of what Israel will tolerate in terms of infringements on its sovereignty.
During the last six months or so the Islamic fundamentalist AKP party has quietly gutted the traditional leadership of the Turkish military by arresting a major portion of its senior officers and charging them with an attempted coup back in 2003. Ever since Ataturk founded the secular state of Turkey, the army has acted as a force for stability, and has functioned as a brake on any dangerous adventurism by the country’s political leaders. That moderating influence has now been neutralized, and Islamic zealots have all but complete control of Turkish foreign policy.
Turkey used to have a reasonably friendly and practical relationship with Israel — including military co-operation — but all that is the process of changing.
The flotilla was organized and backed by the Turks — operating through the convenient cover of a private NGO — with the assistance of useful idiots in the pro-Palestinian Left. It was a Turkish attempt to see how far Israel could be pushed, and Turkey seems to have received a somewhat surprising answer at the hands of Israeli commandos.
First, an overview of what happened, as reported by ANSAmed:
The attack carried out last night by Israeli forces on a multi-national flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists heading for the Gaza Strip carrying humanitarian aid has ended in a bloodbath, with at least 19 people dead. There have been serious and immediate protests from Turkey, who has recalled its ambassador to Israel, while governments in European capitals have expressed their shock at the killings.- - - - - - - - -
The activists, who were led by the NGO Free Gaza, wanted to force the blockade set up around the Gaza Strip when the Islamic group Hamas came into power in 2007. The clash occurred in international waters, a few dozen miles off the coast, on the vessel of a Turkish NGO that was leading the six-ship expedition.
Israeli commandos, who reached the ship using boats and helicopters, opened fire, killing 19 people, according to the latest reports from the Israeli television station Channel 10. An Israeli military spokesman has said that the chaos began when some activists attempted to resist the boarding of the marines using clubs, knives and at least one firearm, which is said to have been taken from an Israeli soldier. Twenty-six activists were injured, one of whom is in a critical condition. Among the injured is sheikh Raed Salah. Ten Israeli soldiers were also injured, two seriously.
Israel’s military spokesman has accused the organisers of the flotilla of organising a “violent provocation”. The first of the ships has already arrived at the southern Israeli port of Ashdod, which has been closed off to the media.
[…]
Israel has raised the level of alert on its northern border (with Lebanon) and also to the south, on the border with the Gaza Strip.
[…]
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon, has said that he is “shocked” by Israel’s attack on the pro-Palestinian activist fleet, as has the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay. Great concern and grief has also been expressed by the Vatican. The Arab League has called an urgent meeting of its Foreign Ministers in Cairo tomorrow. Turkey, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and Ireland have held talks with their respective ambassadors to Israel, and the European Union has called for the Jewish state to open an investigation.
[…]
There has been strong criticism from the governments of France and Germany, as well as from the Italian Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini, who spoke of an “extremely serious incident” and said that he “deplores” the killing of civilians. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu, currently on a visit to Canada, has been asked to return home.
Next comes a translation by VH of an article from HoeiBoei (Note: I am unable to check most of the links in this post, nor can I watch the videos. If readers find any broken links, please let me know):
Israeli commandos being attacked while boarding a ship in Free Gaza Fleet
In the night of 30 on May 31, Israeli commandos boarded the ships of the “Free Gaza” fleet on their way from Turkey to Israel.
Despite repeated requests to the captains of these ships to divert the course to Ashdod — the major port in southern Israel — the ships kept on sailing towards the coast of Gaza.
Organizers earlier had made clear that the purpose of the mission was to the break the naval blockade of Gaza (Hamas).
Video link
Israel has repeatedly stated that the Navy would not allow this action and had asked the leadership of the action to simply offload the humanitarian goods destined for Gaza in Ashdod. Also, an offer was rejected to give the Free Gaza organization supervision of the delivery of the goods into Gaza
With the departure of ships from Turkey repeatedly chants were raised like “Death to the Jews” (“Yitbakh Al Yahoed”)
From the start of the operation “Free Gaza” there was cooperation between Hamas and the organizers. (Source: Right Side News)
The boarding of five smaller ships of the Free Gaza fleet went smoothly without any significant violence. The largest boat “Mavi Marmara” contained the most activists, including many members of the IHH, a Turkish Islamist organization that collaborates with Hamas and Al Qaeda.
Also the leader of the extremist Islamic Movement in Israel, Raed Salah, was aboard that ship.
At the time that the Israeli commandos boarded the vessel they were attacked by a group of activists with knives and iron bars. The soldiers were also shot at with guns, and one of the soldiers was robbed of his weapon.
(in the circles among others, an attack with knives can be seen)
In the firefight that subsequently arose, 10 of the attackers were killed and 10 commandos were wounded. The wounded were treated by Israeli army doctors and transported by helicopter to hospitals in Israel.
The Israeli navy still has — at the time of publication of this report — no complete control over the ship Mavi Marmara, some activists have entrenched themselves in their huts.
The Israeli decision to conduct this action in international waters, was justified according to international law. According to the “San Remo Manual on International Law of conflict at sea” it is allowed to attack “neutral ships on the high seas when there is reason to believe that they are carrying contraband or intend a blockade. However, not until after they receive warnings, and willfully or intentionally refuse to stop or intentionally oppose a search, is of boarding and seizure of the ship allowed.
As had been indicated above and demonstrated with video images, the Israeli navy met these conditions. The organizers of the Free Gaza fleet had made known earlier that they intended to break through the Israeli sea blockade of Gaza (AFP, Greta Berlin May 27, 2010).
The leader of the IHH, Bulent Yildirim, gave several interviews in which he announced they would “resist” any Israeli attempt to search the ship.
The IHH secured the presence of some EU parliamentarians on board the Mavi Marmara, which they saw as an insurance policy in case of intervention by the Israeli navy.
One of the injured among the Free Gaza people was a Muslim activist leader from Israel, Sheikh Raed Salah:
The leader of the Northern Branch of Israel’s Muslim Movement, Sheikh Raed Salah, was among the seriously wounded during the assault by Israelis against the flotilla of activists carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, Cyprus news agency reports today quoting Khalid Najjar, the Head of the Palestinian Delegation in Cyprus, as saying.
Syria has reacted to the incident with saber-rattling:
In its first official statement on the Israeli attack on the humanitarian flotilla headed for Gaza, Syria called the operation a “barbaric” move. Quoted by Lebanese press agency Nna, President Bashar al Assad and Lebanese Premier Saad Hariri harshly condemned the “crime committed by Israel with this barbaric attack on defenceless civilians”. The joint statement quoted by Nna continues that Syria and Lebanon “invite the international community to take measures as soon as possible to end Israel’s crimes, which could lead to war in the Middle East with repercussions far beyond the regional borders”.
There are street protests in Turkey:
At least 5,000 people have taken to the streets over the past few hours in Istanbul between the Israeli consulate and the centrally-located Taksim square in protest against the Israeli Navy’s attack this morning against the flotilla of ships bringing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip… The crowd began gathering before the Israeli consulate a few minutes after the radio and TV reported the attack on the humanitarian convoy. Many threw bottles of water and other objects at entrance to the building. Scenes of anger and protest have also been seen in Ankara in front of the residence of the Israeli ambassador to Turkey, Gaby Levi, where also this morning hundreds of people carrying Turkish and Palestinian flags shouted or prayed under the vigilant eyes of the police protecting the building.
And military co-operation between Israel and Turkey seems to be at an end, at least for the time being:
The Ankara government has today decided to cancel three joint military operations with Israel that have been scheduled for some time, following last night’s attack by Israeli marines on a six-ship convoy carrying passengers and humanitarian aid to Gaza… “The Turkish ambassador in Tel Aviv, Oguz Celikkol, has been recalled to Turkey and all military exercises due to be carried out with Israel have been cancelled. Turkey has also called for all international organisations to intervene in this situation. We want our citizens to be sent back to Turkey. We want true information from Israel that removes any doubt over the attack on the ships”.
Cruise tourism between Turkey and Israel has been suspended, and Turkey has decided to cancel a youth football match between the two countries.
The EU has reacted predictably, with its newly-minted foreign minister playing her appointed role:
The European Union has asked Israeli authorities to open an inquiry into the attack on ships bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza which resulted in a number of deaths. Reports were from EU Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton, who also underscored that Israeli must ensure the unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Ashton demanded that Israeli authorities respect the unobstructed transit of flotillas carrying humanitarian aid, asking for an “immediate and unconditional reopening of transit for the transport of goods and people from and to Gaza”.
Notice that Ms. Ashton is echoing the party line of the OIC, which in essence denies Israel any sovereign rights over its own territory.
Hamas is ready for a good fight:
In Gaza, Hamas has spoken out against the Israeli navy’s boarding of the flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and pro-Palestinian activists, calling it “organised state terrorism”. Hamas also called for “an intifada (revolt) before Israeli embassies throughout the world” to protest against the attack, according to Ahmad Yusef, one of the representatives of the Palestinian radical faction in Gaza. Other spokesmen from the movement called the incident “an international crime”, calling on the UN and the international community to react and set in motion an inquiry so that “the culprits be punished”… Local sources do not rule out an immediate resurgence of attacks or rocket launching at Israel. Intervention by the Arab League was called for in a public speech by the head of the Hamas government in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh. Haniyeh also called on the entire Palestinian population to take to the streets to protest the Israeli operation and on the Palestinian Authority for it to halt proximity talks with Israel.
And the notorious “Palestinian street” has awoken:
Palestinian streets have today reached boiling point in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip following the Israeli attack on the “Free Gaza” flotilla, in which a number of activists were killed. In Gaza City, people waiting for the arrival of the convoy went from hope to rage. Steadily growing numbers of protesters began grouping in the centre of the city later, after the call to protest issued by the leaders of Hamas and the invitation by the head of the de facto government of Gaza, Ismail Hanyeh, to hold a “day of anger” against “Zionist crimes”… Hanyeh also put pressure on the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) of the moderate President Mahmoud Abbas to immediately withdraw from proximity talks with Israel, which have been laboriously kicked off by the United States in the last few weeks, in an attempt to revive the Middle East peace process.
The cause of all this trouble was the alleged “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza. But no such crisis exists — Gaza is the most aid-glutted piece of real estate in the world:
There was no humanitarian crisis and nobody is dying with hunger in the Gaza Strip, where the real problem is the fact that control of the territory is in the hands of a terrorist organisation (Hamas), said Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak today.
I see that more ANSAmed news stories have arrived in our email since I started writing this post. But this will have to do for now…
23 comments:
Baron. If you want to see the extent of how far the anti-Israel press and academia has progressed in Europe, just take a look at the comments at the Daily Mail in regards to the story. And that is just a small sample. Does it come as a big surprise? No. But I was quite shocked at some of the anti-Israel comments posted. They could have come out of the mouth of a member of Hamas. The sheer ignorance, hypocrisy and truth twisting is breathtaking. Yet some of these commenters will tomorrow rail against Muslims and Mosques in the UK.
I am not trying to pick on the UK. I know this is widespread in Europe. But none the less it is quite disturbing. If I were an openly religious Jew living in Europe I would move ASAP. Very, very sad.
I should also add that this whole thing smells like a set up to me. Hamas, PLO, Turkey, I dont know. But somebody wanted an international incident and boy did they get one. This thing is going to get huge in the next few days.
Figures. Obama’s Terroroist Pal Bill Ayers & Top Bundler Jodie Evans Are Top Activists With Gaza Flotilla Group via GatewayPundit
Turkey is calling a meeting of NATO, which is omnious for Israel. It is also reported that the Turks may send more ships to Gaza and they may be escorted by Turkish warships and fighter planes.
Israel braces for Turkish, Hizballah, Hamas reprisals
4-5000 on the streets of Dublin, Ireland, a country with a pathological love of Hamas and, it seems, no patience to await the arrival of facts.
If the “Free Gaza Flotilla” was truly bent on obtaining a public relations coup, they would have readily acquiesced to disembarking in Ashdod and having all of their "humanitarian supplies" offloaded there. Subsequent inspection by the Israelis would then have found absolutely no contraband materiel or weapons concealed in the cargo and the pro-Palestinian factions would have come out smelling like a dead rat ... er, I mean rose.
Right? ... Right?
Instead, they intentionally spark a confrontation and, as usual, try to play the victim all the while screaming "bloody murder", despite being the ones who were chanting genocidal slogans.
Is there someone willing to bet on whether there will be any illegal arms found in the cargo carried by this “Free Gaza Flotilla”?
[crickets]
Now, who is willing to bet that any finding of weapons and war materiel in the cargo will be attributed to an Israeli plot aimed at discrediting this "peaceful and humanitarian" mission?
Moreover, how in Hell is support for an organization that has as its avowed mission total destruction of the Israeli state able to be termed as "humanitarian aid"? Since when has it become "humanitarian" to aid and abet an openly avowed terrorist organization?
Here is some background on scum bag Sheikh Raed Salah.
In Gaza, Hamas has spoken out against the Israeli navy’s boarding of the flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and pro-Palestinian activists, calling it “organised state terrorism”.
How rich; “organised state terrorism” as ajudged by the unqualified experts on that subject.
In Gaza City, people waiting for the arrival of the convoy went from hope to rage.
There is an old saying that goes:
Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
What made the "Palestinians" so sure that these floating garbage scows were going to get through in the first place? I doubt there was even a single bookie on this entire planet willing to give equal odds that these boats would ever come ashore on the Gaza coast.
Steadily growing numbers of protesters began grouping in the centre of the city later, after the call to protest issued by the leaders of Hamas and the invitation by the head of the de facto government of Gaza, Ismail Hanyeh, to hold a “day of anger” against “Zionist crimes ...
Isn't every day a “day of anger” against “Zionist crimes" for these terrorist maroons?
Hanyeh also put pressure on the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) of the moderate President Mahmoud Abbas to immediately withdraw from proximity talks with Israel ...
Isn't it long past tea for Ismail Hanyeh to feel some .50 caliber pressure courtesy of Mossad?
The cause of all this trouble was the alleged “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza.
Now this is what I call a HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
Permit me to suggest an alternate title to this post:
"Ship of Tools"
[Homer Simpson]
It works on so many levels!
[/Homer Simpson]
PS: Despite being far more accurate, "Ship of Useful Idiots" just didn't work nearly as well.
In hoc signo vinces
"this incident was a Turkish probe"
Spot on Baron.
Israel Will Prevail
It will be interesting.
I am netural so far.
Despicable, was the actions of the Greeks.
Man, I am surely getting mad of with the Greeks.
But again, what can you expect from Eastern Europeans who want to pass for Western Europeans...
Did you know the Greeks expelled the Israeli ambassador? Shameful, I believe.
Sheer ignorance indeed. Israel had no right to attack a ship in intl. waters. As they had no right to board the ships. Also they had no right to arrest, to wound or kill civilians. That's right they were civilians. They may e devout Muslims , but they were neither muslim bros, or Hamas or al qaida. Israel done what she shouldn't have done, and you people come to your senses and see the truth. You may be anti-Muslim or some other shit, but you can't be this blind.
kerem, actually according to international law, apparently Israel had every right to board a ship that was approaching a blockade and wasn't willing to change course if it had the suspicion it wants to break the blockade or carried contraband. In the same time, when the Israelis were attacked, they had every right to open fire or arrest civilians.
Oh, and I will care about the rights of Muslims when they will care about mine, which is never. When Islam will not ask for me to be murdered, then I will care about Muslims being killed. And in the same time, Turks aren't my people, ethnically, so who cares about what happens to them? Also, I will not take any preaching from Muslims about rights, considering what Sharia mandates.
kerem: Israel had no right to attack a ship in intl. waters.
Muslim terrorists unleash their attacks on international soil, at sea in international waters, in international airspace and anywhere else it suits them whenever the mood strikes or a maximum loss of human life will result. Yet, according to you, the rest of the world must conduct their operations according to the rules that Muslims routinely ignore.
Priceless.
… they were neither muslim bros [Muslim Brotherhood], or Hamas or al qaida …
Which means precisely squat when Muslims are creating new terrorist groups as the occassion suits them.
Did you bother to notice how the sponsor of this "flotilla" is IHH, a Turkish organization that supports the terrorist group Hamas?
Perhaps you don't read Jihad Watch so you may also have failed to notice how the Gaza flotilla participants invoked killing of Jews.
I doubt you will even have the courage to reply about this but it is always important to deconstruct the usual Muslim taurine fecal matter that Islam and its fellow travelers strew about so freely.
This was a set-up from start to finish. Everything that has come afterwards is no suprise ie the international condemnation, the false reporting, the bias, the reactions of the Muslims, the Anti-semitism etc etc. Totally predictable and totally disgusting. I despair for the west if it can fall for the lies and deceptions of the Muslims<
The tromulator unit. Of course. If you had mentioned it earlier, I would have warned you to beware of the tromulator unit. It's always the part that fails first. And don't ever let the cat near it. Cats love tromulators.
It was Afonso Henriques up there. Sorry about that anonymous comment.
If you watch this video on youtube you can see at around 0.52 - 0.54 that the Israeli soldier has a paintball gun in his hand.
Is a paintball gun the weapon of choice for someone engaging in "state terrorism"? Of course not.
Case closed.
Okay, latest reports say only 9 were killed, and two new ships have left Turkey and are heading to Israel. Reports are Israel only went in after requests to allow cargo inspections were told off. Riots are sparking off all over too.
One can only imagine what will happen next.
Turkey is wanting Israel charged under international laws. Personally, I think Israel should have just sunk the ships, as it might have caused less international outrage, but who knows. I'm just waiting for the riots to start hitting American streets in large numbers.
In semi-related news, Az lawmakers are trying to over turn the new immigration law in international courts as well.
Dear @rebelliousvanilla : I implore you to check your sources, Israel has no rights to intercept and seize no more than 12 miles from their shores. But they do have control over Gaza shore from a treaty with Palestinians. That said, they have every right, within their territorial waters or Gaza`s to inspect the cargo. Israel army is one of the best in the world, my country (Turkey) and Israel had countless important defense projects in the past. For an army that professional, the use of unpropotional force is mind boggling. Turks on the ships may resist, because the boarding is unlawful, but you can not respond fist with an automatic weapon or a knife for that matter.
I am a Muslim, not so religious perhaphs but I don't and don't want to abide by sharia, dont want to kill Israelis or Europeans. Unlike you, I was very upset at the Gaza bombardments as well as at 9/11. Muslims in the past care about others, for example in 1492 many Sephardic Jews sought refuge in Ottoman Empire, as in WWII (Muhtar Kent CEO of CocaCola, his father was helping Jews escape Nazis). So I can understand your ethnic criterias but I could never say I can be like that. (Also I think I am in the wrong place :))
Dear @Zenster : "........ that Muslims routinely ignore."---> yes the world must conduct according to rules, why? because it is also wrong to respond to a wrong with another wrong. The people on flotillas are not terrorrists, they are civilians and who never fought against Israel or the West. The IHH may be what you said, but not everyone in the world counts Hamas as terrorists and the people on the boat are there to help people. I don't read JihadWatch, I prefer here which is the lite version, but I see you are in the side to respond to speech with automatics. Cartoonists will be so sad!! On the matter of courage, there is nothing here to be afraid or anything, and I don't think you are capable of deconstructing anything.
@Kerem, I would disagree with you on two points.
One, yes, Israel probably should have waited for the ships to enter national waters. That said, their blockade is probably set up on the border of those waters and that would mean allowing those ships into the blockade. Israeli intelligence under Mossad is one of the best in the world. If they suspected there were weapons on board, there probably are, and to allow potentially enemy ships within firing range of their navy or to enter their national waters would be foolishness.
Israel has always deal with threats by showing uncompromising force. This is little different. My personal opinion on Israeli soldiers opening fire is that they were justified the instant they were attacked. But that again, is the opinion of someone who is a polytheist and counts among my gods deities of war. Perhaps it is different for a Muslim.
The second point I would disagree with you is in the idea that Israel or its leaders should be held responsible internationally. This is for two reasons: One is that most often International actions against a state are generally useless, Two is that if the leaders of Israel or its people were indeed punished by either criminal or other sanctions/charges you would have the entire nation raging. Attempt to arrest any leaders and charge them in international court, and you'd start a war.
Robert Marchenoir: The tromulator unit. Of course. If you had mentioned it earlier, I would have warned you to beware of the tromulator unit. It's always the part that fails first. And don't ever let the cat near it. Cats love tromulators.
A mere piffle at best. That's nothing compared with what happens when the left-handed catawhumpus goes south on you. We won't even go into high speed failures involving a veeblefetzer. But, in reality, there's nothing worse than when one of the cross beams has gone out of skew on the treadle.
kerem, according to the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea:
114. If the commander of a warship suspects that a merchant vessel flying a neutral flag in fact has enemy character, the commander is entitled to exercise the right of visit and search, including the right of diversion for search under paragraph 121.
An alternative to visit and search is to be diverted from its declared destination. So the boarding was lawful, considering the ships refused to be diverted and due to resisting the boarding, the IDF had a legitimate reason to open fire. Considering that the ships were heading towards a blockade, the IDF commander had every reason to suspect the ships' neutral character. So give me a break, Israel had every right to do what it did. Also, if Israel counts Hamas as terrorists and the convoy was organized by IHH and Israel acted on this intelligence, then the ships were bonafide enemy ships, not neutral ships. It's irrelevant how other countries consider Hamas - who by their charter are a terrorist group, by the way. I don't care what Muslims or PC people think of it. It's like a Jew asking a Nazi if Nazis are bad.
And the Gaza thing would be a non-issue if Muslims could respect ceasefires and so on. Or oust Hamas and the like.
And to sum it up, the world doesn't have to act according to rules. If something is a threat to my people, I want it completely destroyed regardless of rules. Just like rights - rights are abstract creations to ensure a civil society, but if people in the society act to undermine my people, I will disregard their 'rights'. I wish people still understood this like they did in the past.
kerem: The IHH may be what you said, but not everyone in the world counts Hamas as terrorists and the people on the boat are there to help people … I don't think you are capable of deconstructing anything. [emphasis added]
As rebelliousvanilla already noted, by its own charter, Hamas identifies itself as a genocidal, terrorist organization. It matters not what random people do or do not think. The actions of Hamas speak far louder than any words.
"The Americans and Europeans say to Hamas: either you have weapons or you enter the legislative council. We say weapons and the legislative council. There is no contradiction between the two."
− Ismail Haniyeh −
The above quotation is a clear demonstration of how Hamas and all other Islamic terrorist groups seek to have their cake and eat it too. They feel free to use force of arms against innocent civilians as a wing of political action despite intentionally avoiding the use of military uniforms or adhering to the conventions of war.
By appearing upon a battlefield out of uniform, the Geneva Conventions entitle terrorists to one thing and one thing alone: summary execution as spies. According to that definition, anyone on those boats participating in the assault upon Israel's military could have been shot on sight. That only ten of them were was a mark of tremendous restraint upon the part of the Israeli soldiers.
@ RV
thankyou for that reference - I've been looking for it.
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