Gaza aid flotilla to set sail

[AD-15]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010...la-aid-attempt

[Kata]

The arrival of 700-800 politicians and activists is bound to help stabilise the situation...

*facepalm*

[shadowmaster]

Good luck, I hope some of the aid gets through

[neonplanet40]

its a joke that the international world has let the blockade stay in place when ppl are starving.

I hope it gets through

[shadowmaster]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog...ops-gaza-ships

Attacking aid ships, good to see the IDF keeping up with their record.

[neonplanet40]

I think its complete hypocrisy that they are allowed to get away with this kind of stuff always quoting the haulocaust as their right to do it.

They cant expect Iran etc to get rid of nuclear arms when Israel acts how they do. They are even refusing to go to the non proliferation conference.

Its about time someone stepped in and put pressure on them.

[Michael]

It's absolutely disgusting that Israel have done this, absolutely disgusting. They knew exactly what that Flotilla was for, they knew it was no threat, and yet still they do this?

Hopefully their actions will be their downfall now and the international community will step in.

It's a shame the news don't report on this kind of thing until after the fact, I wouldn't have known anything about this at all until today if it weren't for the fact that I started reading Aljazeera a few weeks ago after hearing about it on Hexus.

[Lucio]

It's absolutely disgusting that Israel have done this, absolutely disgusting. They knew exactly what that Flotilla was for, they knew it was no threat, and yet still they do this?

Hopefully their actions will be their downfall now and the international community will step in.

It's a shame the news don't report on this kind of thing until after the fact, I wouldn't have known anything about this at all until today if it weren't for the fact that I started reading Aljazeera a few weeks ago after hearing about it on Hexus.

Actually, they knew what the publically stated intention was, what they didn't know was whether this was genuine or a front for terroism. What I'd love to know though is why these idiots were deliberately trying to force their way through the blockade instead of complying with the navy's requests and landing at the correct port.

IMO the people who organised the flotilla knew exactly how this would end and did this on purpose, knowing it'd bring down condemnation on Israel.

[shadowmaster]

Actually, they knew what the publically stated intention was, what they didn't know was whether this was genuine or a front for terroism. What I'd love to know though is why these idiots were deliberately trying to force their way through the blockade instead of complying with the navy's requests and landing at the correct port.

IMO the people who organised the flotilla knew exactly how this would end and did this on purpose, knowing it'd bring down condemnation on Israel.

Its an illegal blockade I might add.

What do you mean they did not know if it was a front for terrorism, it was well publicised aid convey that left Turkey (not Iran). The most dangerous item they had was probably the CAT scanner. However lets assume the aid convey was looking for this sort of reaction. Surely if the Israeli's were so paranoid they could quite easily forced the conveys to another port without abseiling trigger happy commandos onto a civilian packed aid ship.

[format]

Actually, they knew what the publically stated intention was, what they didn't know was whether this was genuine or a front for terroism. What I'd love to know though is why these idiots were deliberately trying to force their way through the blockade instead of complying with the navy's requests and landing at the correct port.

IMO the people who organised the flotilla knew exactly how this would end and did this on purpose, knowing it'd bring down condemnation on Israel.

Yeah I'm sure all these aid workers really wanted to die just to prove their point

[Lucio]

Yeah I'm sure all these aid workers really wanted to die just to prove their point

Why not? Many many people are willing to lay down their lives for a cause, particularly if they believe that in doing so they protect others further down the line. Sure they don't *want* to die, but they're defiantely willing to take the chance, in the same way soliders do every day..

[shadowmaster]

Why not? Many many people are willing to lay down their lives for a cause, particularly if they believe that in doing so they protect others further down the line. Sure they don't *want* to die, but they're defiantely willing to take the chance, in the same way soliders do every day..

You cant really compare soldiers with human right activists. The convoy had people from all religions and races, there were Euro MP's, journalists, and even a Nobel peace laureate. The point of this convey was to bring aid to the people of Gaza and to protest against the illegal blockade. I doubt anyone had the intention or even the thought that they might die in the process.

[directhex]

Actually, they knew what the publically stated intention was, what they didn't know was whether this was genuine or a front for terroism. What I'd love to know though is why these idiots were deliberately trying to force their way through the blockade instead of complying with the navy's requests and landing at the correct port.

IMO the people who organised the flotilla knew exactly how this would end and did this on purpose, knowing it'd bring down condemnation on Israel.

They were attacked in international waters

In international waters, a ship is sovereign. Boarding a ship in international waters is known as "piracy". When Somalis board ships in international waters, they get shot in the face. When Israelis do it, they do the shooting.

They had not reached Israeli waters, in order to attempt forcing their way through the blockade - they were boarded, and almost a dozen of them murdered, by an Israeli pirate force, in international waters.

[Galant]

Some points for consideration -

1. The aid group leading the flotilla, the IHH, a Turkish Islamic Group, was banned from Israel in 2008.

2. Lots of talk but few firm facts available yet. We should be careful to wait on the truth. There have been previous cries of massacre and injustice before which later proved to be false or distorted. If anyone cares about justice then they have also to care about the truth.

3. In all of this the larger context cannot be forgotten. Gaza is being blockaded because it is lead by Hamas. Their own charter (go and check it out) calls for the destruction of Israel and reclamation of all the land. They do not hold back from using civilians or other such means as cover.

I do not pretend to believe that Israel are always innocent or are not guilty of wrong doing. However, as regards the question of the need for aid, surely, if you care about getting that aid through, you should do it with the least possible conflict in the most efficient way. There were better ways to go about this than for a distrusted aid group attempting to use an aid flotilla to break through an established blockade. Whoever was in charge needs to face some serious questioning over such a foolish approach.

As for Israel, I'll wait until the facts come out and dust settles before I make my determination.

[kalniel]

Some points for consideration -

1. The aid group leading the flotilla, the IHH, a Turkish Islamic Group, was banned from Israel in 2008.

Many aid groups are banned from Israel.. not sure what the relevance is. They weren't going to Israel.

2. Lots of talk but few firm facts available yet. We should be careful to wait on the truth. There have been previous cries of massacre and injustice before which later proved to be false or distorted. If anyone cares about justice then they have also to care about the truth.

They were attacked in international water - fact. There were no guns aboard the flotilla before the Israelis boarded - fact (according to Turkish government, not some aid group).

3. In all of this the larger context cannot be forgotten. Gaza is being blockaded because it is lead by Hamas.

The people of Gaza democratically voted for Hamas. If Israel wanted a different government they could have shown their support for the people of Gaza and other candidates, instead of opposing Fatah and isolating Arafat.

Their own charter (go and check it out) calls for the destruction of Israel and reclamation of all the land. They do not hold back from using civilians or other such means as cover.

And Israel appears not to hold back from shooting civilians. One wrong does not excuse another.

I do not pretend to believe that Israel are always innocent or are not guilty of wrong doing. However, as regards the question of the need for aid, surely, if you care about getting that aid through, you should do it with the least possible conflict in the most efficient way. There were better ways to go about this than for a distrusted aid group attempting to use an aid flotilla to break through an established blockade. Whoever was in charge needs to face some serious questioning over such a foolish approach.

So you think all the other failed aid efforts and international diplomatic attempts just didn't happen? People have been trying to get aid to Gaza ever since the blockade. Sending unarmed ships with politicians, nobel peace laureates and Jewish survivors of the Holocaust *was* the way with the least conflict/most efficiency.

[directhex]

So you think all the other failed aid efforts and international diplomatic attempts just didn't happen? People have been trying to get aid to Gaza ever since the blockade. Sending unarmed ships with politicians, nobel peace laureates and Jewish survivors of the Holocaust *was* the way with the least conflict/most efficiency.

If the pen is mightier than the sword, that Nobel laureate was a big risk