An interesting analysis of the flotilla coverage

[falxori 0]

Boatloads of bloody-minded pacifists

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NOTHING more to be said. Israeli soldiers kill at least nine peace activists trying to ship aid to a starving people. Or, as the front page of The Age screamed yesterday: "Israel kills boat protesters."
End of story. There are riots and protests in London, Paris, New York, Istanbul, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and throughout the Middle East.

The UN whacks Israel and calls for an emergency meeting of the Security Council. From Moscow to Washington, Israel stands utterly friendless. Dangerously alone.

What a coup for those pledged to destroy that tiny Jewish country. How discredited and defenceless Israel seems. Someone couldn't have scripted this any better.

Well, almost no better, because even the journalists most sympathetic to the activists on the ships intercepted by Israel couldn't help but refer, albeit grudgingly, to a couple of untidy details too obvious to ignore.

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ABC host Jon Faine, for instance, described these victims of Zionist aggression as "humanitarian activists with a few knives". Er, with knives? Humanitarians? And a strident report in The Age, Australia's most left-wing daily, conceded that video of the Israeli soldiers being lowered on to the ships from helicopters did shows some of the "hundreds of politicians and protesters" on board had offered "signs of resistance".

Here are some of those "signs of the resistance" that report failed to detail.

You see the Israelis, at first brandishing just paint-ball guns, being grabbed as they landed, dragged to the ground, and beaten brutally with pipes and clubs.

On another clip, apparently shot by protesters, a soldier is stabbed in the back, and then in the front. Another soldier is beaten and thrown over the side.

Photographs show two Israeli soldiers, one of them shot, being carried off with serious wounds. This isn't what you'd normally expect from "peace protesters" or "humanitarian activists", even those armed merely "with a few knives".

These clues suggest the media - and many foolish politicians - have fallen for a brilliant propaganda coup.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd also fell for it, saying he was "deeply concerned" and condemning "any use of violence under the sorts of circumstances we have seen".

His Foreign Affairs Minister, Steven Smith, likewise attacked Israel for a "terrible and shocking event" and demanded it hold an inquiry.

Not once did Rudd or Smith suggest an inquiry into who organised this trap in which Israel had fallen - or into those who now stand most to gain.

So who are we talking about? Here's another clue. The Israelis took over an "aid" flotilla trying to pierce the blockade which both Israel and Egypt have imposed on Gaza, controlled by the Islamist Hamas.

Only on one of six ships did the Israelis meet a resistance that clearly - and fatally - caught them by surprise. This was not on one of the ships manned by Western politicians, aid workers and other useful idiots brought along for camouflage.

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It broke out instead on the Mavi Marmara, a ship supplied by a Turkish "humanitarian relief fund" known as IHH.

IHH may boast about its good works, but intelligence agencies warn that it is in fact tied to Islamist terrorists.

In 2001, Jean-Louis Bruguiere, the prominent French counter-terrorism magistrate, testified in the trial of the "Millennium bomber" that IHH had played "an important role" in the plot to blow up Los Angeles airport.

He said the charity was "a type of cover-up" to infiltrate mujahidin into combat, get forged documents and smuggle weapons.

In 2006, the Danish Institute for International Studies reported that Turkish security forces had raided the IHH's Istanbul bureau and found firearms, explosives and bomb-making instructions.

The Turkish investigators concluded this "charity" was sending jihadists to Bosnia, Chechnya and Afghanistan.

IHH is a supporter of Hamas, listed in many countries as a terrorist group. This time it planned something more effective than an explosion. It decided to destroy Israel's moral standing among its more fickle friends.

Its Mavi Marmara would now head a flotilla to break through the Israeli blockade of Gaza - or, rather, to provoke Israel into stopping it by force. IHH head Bulent Yildirim gloated that this would be seen as "a declaration of war" against all the countries which supplied the flotilla's passengers, which is why so many foreigners, and particularly sympathetic journalists such as the Sydney Morning Herald's Paul McGeough, were on board, having been recruited from Australia, Britain, the US and many other countries that IHH and its allies hoped could be turned into enemies of Israel.

It was obvious Israel would act. It had to. To relax the blockade once would be to open a corridor to yet more ships, giving Gaza another conduit for the smuggling of jihadists and militarily useful supplies.

Oh, and ignore soothing claims now that Hamas, which runs Gaza, should actually be negotiated with, rather than blockaded. Hamas fires rockets at Israel and has a charter which calls for the destruction of Israel, declaring "there is no solution for the Palestinian question except through jihad."

Indeed, jihad was also the spirit on the Mavi Marmara as it sailed for Gaza.

Those on board refused offers by Israel that they dock at an Israeli port so their aid could be checked and forwarded to Gaza. They rejected warnings to turn back. They prepared instead for confrontation. Arab television showed a woman exulting: "We await one of two good things - to achieve martyrdom or reach the shore of Gaza."

She said: "These are people who wish to be martyred for the sake of Allah. As much as they want to reach Gaza, the other option is more desirable to them."

They got just what they wanted, then, as did Hamas and its chief backer, Iran.

Iran, needing a distraction from its nuclear program, pumped out instant YouTube footage of this Israeli "atrocity".

Meanwhile Hamas spokesman Samil Abu Zuhri called for a global "intifada": "We call on all Arabs and Muslims to rise up in front of Zionist embassies across the world."

And in capital cities around Australia we yesterday saw the new front open as angry demonstrators took the streets.

So what, you may scoff. A few of the usual hotheads. But see this time how many of our politicians, journalists and "thinkers" are on the wrong side of this front.

See how willingly they've surrendered to a clever Islamist plot more effective than any Bali bomb.

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[remibond 0]

I'm all for spin, but how about an impartial source next time.

[Amazon 7]

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I'm all for spin, but how about an impartial source next time.

I take it you prefer Al Jizzeeera??

[falxori 0]

Oh sorry, I forgot us jews control the world media.

how is an Australian newspaper more or less impartial than any other?

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[remibond 0]

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I take it you prefer Al Jizzeeera??

Nope, never watched it. My point simply was that you'd get more people to agree with you if you posted an article that appeared less biased.

[wmw999 2,589]

I heard an interview on NPR this morning with an American, former diplomat in the region, who was on one of the other boats. It rang very true.

He said that his ship thought about and practiced passive resistance in the earlier parts of the voyage; they expected to be boarded, but not until they were in Israeli waters.

He was below when they were boarded, and apparently there was some roughing, but nothing brutal -- cuffing the head, stuff that apparently is done when you're trying to force unwilling participants to do things. Since they were did not resist with any sort of weapons, there were no shots. However, the soldiers were armed.

They were professional, firm, efficient, uncompromising, and not brutal. He was unwilling to comment on anything he didn't see (which is generally a mark of a good witness). It just sounded very consistent.

The boarding in international waters is doubtful. If they behaved on the other ships like they did on the one this interview covered, then it sounds like they were disposed to get their way (i.e. intercept the shipment). And it sounds like the Turkish ship might not have behaved the same way.

Either way, by boarding in international waters the Israelis did exacerbate the situation. If nothing illegal other than cement is found on any of the ships it won't help their cause. But it's a damn shame that by resisting, the one ship might have ruined what was otherwise a pretty decent protest/convoy.

Never underestimate the PR impact of your opponent making himself look like an asshole. It's incredibly more effective than trying to badmouth him.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[falxori 0]

I agree.
and it also makes me believe that many of the people who joined this thing in good faith were misled by the organizers who, as clearly apparent by their own statements and video shown, did not plan for a quiet resistance.

I don't think it matters what was actually on board. the fact is that Israel said it would allow it to go in once inspected.
btw, the supplies that were on board were already transferred to Gaza and currently Hamas refused to accept the shipment so its stuck in the border crossing.

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[wmw999 2,589]

Note -- they were roughed up, and it was in international waters. That second item is rather doubtful in its legality, and it's the part that would have hurt Israel had the one ship not resisted. He did not say the soldiers were gentle.

And while some folks involved apparently planned a resistance, it's by no means clear that it was the leaders of the entire thing. Maybe just the leaders of that ship.

The same thing that works for the resistance (i.e. letting the Israeli's actions speak louder than words) will work for the Israelis as well. Right now, with their overwhelming firepower advantage, they look like bullies. Really. Yes, they're scared, but the whole situation is so ugly now that it'll be generations before people will let the hurt go enough to compromise. If you really, really think that as long as the Palestinians just do everything the Israelis tell them to, that everything will be OK, well, you don't know much about human nature.

They have, in fact, been shat on for a couple three generations. That some of them have struck out, and that not all Israelis are involved, is irrelevant any more.

It took over 100 years for most US Americans to realize that the Indians weren't necessarily the bad guys.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[kelpdiver 2]

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They have, in fact, been shat on for a couple three generations. That some of them have struck out, and that not all Israelis are involved, is irrelevant any more.

That statement makes the issue seem rather one sided, like the American pushing aside of the Indian tribes on the central plains.

These people are in fact fighting, and their allies have in fact try to destroy Israel on multiple occasions. And yes, it will take a couple generations past a compromise event for a higher level of peace to result. Hence, the lack of it.

[kelpdiver 2]

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btw, the supplies that were on board were already transferred to Gaza and currently Hamas refused to accept the shipment so its stuck in the border crossing.

Interesting - where is this being reported? Despite claims that the media props up Israel here, it's quite the opposite. I am seeing articles about more ships embarking for Gaza, but nothing about the contents or disposition of the cargo on the original convoy.

[wmw999 2,589]

I wasn't trying to make it sound one-sided. The firepower is fairly (but not entirely) one-sided. The Palestinians have been shat on, and many of them have done their best to hurt back. Which means that those that they have hurt now want to hurt back. Anyone wonder why war is so bad?

And it's not like the Indians didn't push back. There were a decent number of massacres.

It's an ugly situation.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[falxori 0]

i saw it here
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3898181,00.html

it's an Israeli newspaper but considering that Israel said from the start that it will deliver the supplies to Gaza, I don't think it should be an issue (no issue of "opinion" here).

sadly, this fact is being ignored by the mass media elsewhere...

edit: a cnn link as well:
CNN

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[kelpdiver 2]

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He added that some unusual items were also found, but refused to elaborate.

Colonel Moshe Levy, head of the Gaza Coordination and Liaison Office, said that "there was no need for this cargo. The same goods have been sent into Gaza over the past year on a regular basis. There were more than 100 electric scooters, and tons of medical equipment. This proves that the entire sail was propagandist and provocative and had nothing to do with aid."

that first line is interesting, seems possibly contradictory to the second paragraph.

[Iceburner 0]

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He was below when they were boarded, and apparently there was some roughing, but nothing brutal -- cuffing the head, stuff that apparently is done when you're trying to force unwilling participants to do things. Since they were did not resist with any sort of weapons, there were no shots. However, the soldiers were armed.

They were professional, firm, efficient, uncompromising, and not brutal. He was unwilling to comment on anything he didn't see (which is generally a mark of a good witness). It just sounded very consistent.
Wendy P.

my only problem with this post is the fact that (s)he said "they were armed"....do you think it would be right to put soldiers boarding a vessel they think may contain illegal supplies aboard without arming them? Soldiers carry weapons, it's for their safety. I took an M4 to Haiti during the earthquake relief opperations, not because i thought i would ever need to use it, but it would be pointless to put us there unarmed incase something did occur. There is always a possibility that harm may be done to a soldier (or whatever you want to call them...i hate being called a soldier because i'm a Marine), but even on peace missions we carry weapons....we dont plan on using them, but you never know when you may need one...and being put in a foriegn country (or onto a foreign ship), it's nice to know you have that life saving tool at your disposal, if the need to use it becomes necessary. The US Navy regulary boards non-hostile ships with armed sailors....which I 100% agree with. Better to have and not need than to need and not have, especially when your life may become at risk.

--edit to add: I'm glad that they acted professional and not brutal on this ship. In my experience with training foreign militaries, this concept is one we stress, but culturally is hard to apply to foreigners

[wmw999 2,589]

The "however they were armed" comment was in response to some reports I heard that the Israelis said they only had paintball guns.

Frankly, if I were in charge of a sortie to board a ship, I'd make damn sure they had weapons. And a valid reason to board when and where they did.

I think the Israelis were short on that last one (the "where" being international waters).

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[falxori 0]

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The "however they were armed" comment was in response to some reports I heard that the Israelis said they only had paintball guns.

I don't think anyone said they ONLY had paint guns.
they had personal side arms as well but were ordered to use them only as a last resort.
They asked for permission to open fire only after some of them were almost beaten to death and their side arms were taken and used against them

if they didnt have side arms they would have been dead

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[shah269 0]

1) If in the middle of the night a bunch of guys with what appeared to be guns jumped on my boat I think I would do my best to kick their asses.
I'm sorry while in international waters what did you think was going to happen? Give them a hug, a cup of tea and some cookies? Hell now, guys land on deck guys get shit kicked out of them and asked to go swim with the fishes. Like it or not it was international waters.

2) Never drop a line on a deck of a ship. Really! I know that the US pays IDF for its education and it would be nice if they actually paid attention for once. All one of these people had to do was take the rope, tie it to a solid part of the deck and the Capitan to either stop the ship or make a hard U turn. And that bird in the sky would be nothing more than fish food.

3) This so called god that gave these people the right to kick and punch and evict natives from their lands. Can we maybe call this looser to the stand to verify if that is exactly what he was talking about. This kind o f behavior does not work in the 21 century. Either work with your neighbors and integrate or die. I'm sorry that you are outnumbered 4-1 by tan people. Screw more have more kids and maybe you can make that an even 1-1 till then shut up sit down and lean to live with your neighbors and those you have hurt.

But what am I talking about, we are in the US, you can questions gods chosen people in polite company in the US!
Oh well....let's hand them another billion in aid and see if that will help things out!
Never mind we could use that money to maybe fix our own country!

Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

[sundevil777 102]

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The firepower is fairly (but not entirely) one-sided.

Why does that matter? Should war have to be a struggle between equally armed adversaries? Perhaps you don't remember how it was a few decades ago, when the firepower advantage was not on the side of the Israelis.

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The Palestinians have been shat on, and many of them have done their best to hurt back. Which means that those that they have hurt now want to hurt back. Anyone wonder why war is so bad?

No, we don't wonder why war is bad.

The palestinians have been shat on? If you repeatedly try to destroy a country since it was created by the UN in 1948, and repeatedly fail, then shouldn't you expect to have suffered?

Do you have the ability to make a judgment about which side is at fault, to blame, wrong?

In this conflict I think one side is basically wrong and the other basically right. That insults the delicate sensibilities of many, it seems so attractive to be non-judgmental and much nicer to assume both sides are equally bad, although as you have done the side with better military capability becomes worse.

All the crap about having the blockade extend into international waters is meaningless. There is a war there, and completely unreasonable to expect that ships headed to gaza would not be stopped in international waters. If the palestinians could, they would blockade Israel, because they are at war, and that is the kind of thing that happens during a war.

The Israelis have repeatedly shown they are willing to live in peace with their neighbors, as shown by their actions when Sadat decided that peace was the right path. The other side have repeatedly shown they only want it to look like they are willing to live in peace. They want to be perceived as the innocent victims of a bully while they trying to hide their real objective of the destruction of Israel and killing Jews. Actually, they don't hide that objective very well, and that says a lot about those that choose to not acknowledge it.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[sundevil777 102]

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1) If in the middle of the night a bunch of guys with what appeared to be guns jumped on my boat I think I would do my best to kick their asses.
I'm sorry while in international waters what did you think was going to happen? Give them a hug, a cup of tea and some cookies? Hell now, guys land on deck guys get shit kicked out of them and asked to go swim with the fishes. Like it or not it was international waters.

2) Never drop a line on a deck of a ship. Really! I know that the US pays IDF for its education and it would be nice if they actually paid attention for once. All one of these people had to do was take the rope, tie it to a solid part of the deck and the Capitan to either stop the ship or make a hard U turn. And that bird in the sky would be nothing more than fish food.

3) This so called god that gave these people the right to kick and punch and evict natives from their lands. Can we maybe call this looser to the stand to verify if that is exactly what he was talking about. This kind o f behavior does not work in the 21 century. Either work with your neighbors and integrate or die. I'm sorry that you are outnumbered 4-1 by tan people. Screw more have more kids and maybe you can make that an even 1-1 till then shut up sit down and lean to live with your neighbors and those you have hurt.

But what am I talking about, we are in the US, you can questions gods chosen people in polite company in the US!
Oh well....let's hand them another billion in aid and see if that will help things out!
Never mind we could use that money to maybe fix our own country!

You've certainly chosen sides, gotta give you credit for that.

Your side didn't like the result of WWII. There were a lot of changes due to that war, but your side just couldn't get over that.

Too bad that losing several wars (especially when your side was stronger) has bad consequences. Your side tries to make it so that losing a war will be without pain, but hasn't quite succeeded yet.

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If in the middle of the night a bunch of guys with what appeared to be guns jumped on my boat I think I would do my best to kick their asses.
I'm sorry while in international waters what did you think was going to happen? Give them a hug, a cup of tea and some cookies? Hell now, guys land on deck guys get shit kicked out of them and asked to go swim with the fishes. Like it or not it was international waters.

The Israelis should have boarded ready to shoot. They should not have gone down the ropes with anyone standing nearby. If the people on the deck of the ship refused to move, they should have been shot. It is called war, and it happens even in international waters. The was no surprise that the ship would be boarded.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[shah269 0]

And we shall not mention anything about how some well adjuges Eastern Europeans blew up a hotel where a few dozen English officers were hanging out so as to force the UN to leave the country thus allowing them to maybe stretch out a little?

If you are in international waters, and dudes jump on your ship you are 100% with in your own right kick their sorry asses off!

Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

[shah269 0]

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If the people on the deck of the ship refused to move, they should have been shot.

Shooting unarmed civilians...?
Now would these repelling super men be speaking German and using well made Luger hand guns....?
Ah hell just gass the boat! I mean not like they are the master race / gods chosen people.

This didn't work in South Africa and it's not going to work for the chosen ones. Eventually they will be less chosen and US aid will stop comming in and they will have to find another way to keep their first world level of living with a third world economy.

Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

[sundevil777 102]

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And we shall not mention anything about how some well adjuges Eastern Europeans blew up a hotel where a few dozen English officers were hanging out so as to force the UN to leave the country thus allowing them to maybe stretch out a little?

I know you can be direct, please let us know what you're talking about.

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If you are in international waters, and dudes jump on your ship you are 100% with in your own right kick their sorry asses off!

They are at war, and if one side is strong enough to enforce a blockade, they will do it. The Israelis were just not wise enough to realize that the ship was not what they claimed. They should have been recognized for being combatants in disguise.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[sundevil777 102]

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If the people on the deck of the ship refused to move, they should have been shot.

Shooting unarmed civilians...?
Now would these repelling super men be speaking German and using well made Luger hand guns....?
Ah hell just gass the boat! I mean not like they are the master race / gods chosen people.

This didn't work in South Africa and it's not going to work for the chosen ones. Eventually they will be less chosen and US aid will stop comming in and they will have to find another way to keep their first world level of living with a third world economy.

Perhaps my advise should have been a little more restrained. The people on the deck were armed with weapons, so I think shooting near them would have been the first step. Perhaps the helicopters should have fired a missile into the water near the ship, and then if they didn't comply, then shoot a missile at the ship.

They are at war. That kind of stuff happens when you try to bust a blockade during a war.

It must be frustrating that your side has been exposed for what they really wanted to accomplish. It would have been much nicer for your side if there was no video, and if the press were more compliant in representing the story as you would prefer. I understand that your side has been accustomed to getting their side portrayed in much of the media without question, so irritating it must be for it not to have worked quite so well in this instance.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[shah269 0]

No no i like this idea!
Gods chosen shock troops free falling from the sky landing on the deck of a civilian ship and shooting any one they see who gets in their way. And how dare they stand up and try to resist being taken over! I mean after all....not like they are gods chosen people / master race! I mean come on! These people tan! And god only loves those people from Eastern Europe and who get well over 50% of their income from the US.

Bro, keep this up and you are going to make Binladin sound like he's of sound mind and body.

Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

[sundevil777 102]

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No no i like this idea!
Gods chosen shock troops free falling from the sky landing on the deck of a civilian ship and shooting any one they see who gets in their way. And how dare they stand up and try to resist being taken over! I mean after all....not like they are gods chosen people / master race! I mean come on! These people tan! And god only loves those people from Eastern Europe and who get well over 50% of their income from the US.

Bro, keep this up and you are going to make Binladin sound like he's of sound mind and body.

The Israelis were enforcing a blockade, a quite normal thing during a war. The people on the ship were armed and obviously wanting to attack when they came down.

The Israelis have the choice of giving up on the blockade, in which case they might as well surrender to their enemy (I know your side would be OK with that), or enforce the blockade.

Tirades about shock troops don't contribute to your argument. Your side is the one that has declared intentions of genocide.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am