which both sides
need to be
looked at
For the past few days we have been hearing a great deal of complaints on how the terrible nation of Israel attacked the Mavi Marmara, a “harmless” ship bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Perhaps it would be appropriate to look at both sides regarding that ship”s attempt to run an Israeli naval blockade before we hang Israel any further.
In a statement made June 2, Prime Minister Netanyahu had this to say about the incident, “This was not a love boat. This was a hate boat. These weren”t pacifists. These weren”t peace activists. These were violent supporters of terrorism.”
Here are “9 facts about the Gaza Flotilla incident” Israel has reported.
1. A state of armed conflict exists between Israel and the Hamas regime controlling Gaza. Under international law, Israel has the right to protect the lives of its civilians and has undertaken measures to defend itself, including the imposition of a maritime blockade to curb the smuggling of weapons by Hamas.
2. Five of the six flotilla vessels offered passive resistance to the Israeli boarding parties, and the redirection of these vessels to Ashdod was accomplished in a peaceful manner. This indicates clearly that Israel had no intention of harming any flotilla protesters.
3. However, the activists on the sixth ship, Mavi Marmara, violently attacked the Israeli landing party with knives, iron bars, hatchets, chains and other weapons. Some activists also discharged firearms and explosives and threw an Israeli officer over the side of the ship.
4. The premeditated nature of the violence was evidenced by the clubs, knives and bullet-proof vests that were found aboard the ship, and the coordinated actions of the attackers.
5. Having expected behavior in keeping with the flotilla”s numerous declarations of “peaceful intent,” the soldiers were instead confronted with a rapidly deteriorating “lynch” situation.
6. After several Israeli personnel were wounded, some critically, the landing party was forced to act in self-defense. Regrettably, nine of the attackers were killed.
7. The organization responsible for the ship, the IHH, promotes an extreme anti-Western agenda that has been implicated in the recruitment and financing of Jihadist terrorists worldwide, including al Qaeda. Large quantities of cash were found on board, some in the pockets of the attackers and most in courier belts ready for transfer to the Hamas.
8. The flotilla”s cargo is being off-loaded in Ashdod and the humanitarian items transferred overland to Gaza in accordance with standard operating procedures. On June 1 the Israeli Cabinet decided that the participants of the flotilla are to be repatriated as expediently as possible.
9. Israel does not prevent aid from reaching Gaza via established land-based crossings and there is no lack of humanitarian aid to the Strip. Israel repeatedly proposed that the flotilla organizers land in the port of Ashdod and transfer their aid to Gaza through the existing overland crossings. Had the aid been delivered directly to Ashdod in the first place, as Israel offered, the entire tragic incident could have been avoided. For additional information, visit www.mfa.gov.il/MFA, or www.israelpolitik.org
The question is, does Israel have the right to defend itself in this manner?” Another question might be, under similar circumstances, what do you think the U.S. Navy would have done?
Bill Edmunds
Clearlake
