Flotilla Update: Israel Attacks Convoy, Deaths Reported (2)

[Jeff]

Continued from here.

[Elvis]

[American Dream]

http://maxblumenthal.com/2010/06/idf-ad ... t-retract/

IDF Admits It Doctored Flotilla Audio Clip. Washington Post’s Kessler Must Retract
On 06.05.10, By Max

The IDF admitted today in a press release that it doctored audio footage from its exchanges with the Gaza flotilla in order to paint the flotilla passengers as anti-Semites. I am beginning to wonder if the Israeli military hired James O’Keefe to handle its press shop.

This is the IDF’s “clarification:”

Yesterday evening on 4 June 2010, the IDF released an audio recording of a radio transmission between the Israeli Navy vessel and the Flotilla ships wherein unidentified flotilla passengers tell the Israeli Navy vessel to “shut up, go back to Auschwitz” and “we’re helping Arabs go against the US, don’t forget 9/11.” There have been questions regarding the authenticity of the recording as well as its attribution to a communication with the Mavi Marmara.

So to clarify: the audio was edited down to cut out periods of silence over the radio as well as incomprehensible comments so as to make it easier for people to listen to the exchange. We have now uploaded the entire segment of 5 minutes and 58 seconds in which the exchange took place and the comments were made.

This transmission had originally cited the Mavi Marmara ship as being the source of these remarks, however, due to an open channel, the specific ship or ships in the “Freedom Flotilla” responding to the Israeli Navy could not be identified. During radio transmissions between Israeli Navy and the ships of the “Free Gaza” Flotilla on 31 May 2010, the Israeli Navy ship attempts to make contact with the ‘Defne Y’ on channel 1-6. Other ships from the flotilla respond on the channel, without identifying themselves. At some point during the radio exchange the Israeli Navy is told by one of the ships to “shut up, go back to Auschwitz” (2:05) and “don’t forget 9-11? (5:42).

It’s nice that the IDF has “clarified” its doctoring of footage. But the new clip it has released that supposedly shows “the entire segment…in which the exchange took place and the comments were made” is highly suspect as well. Why? Because it contains an exchange with Huwaida Arraf that Arraf claims took place on an entirely different attempt to break the siege — Arraf has led previous aid boats to Gaza that were intercepted and hijacked by the IDF. Arraf told Ma’an News:

“I was by the radio the whole time there was any communication. Mine was the only boat in which I answered and not the captain and they all answered in a very professional manner.” Arraf told Ma’an that while she might have spoken of having permission from the Gaza Port Authority on a previous attempt to break the blockade, she is certain that she did not say it on Monday morning. ”When they radioed us, we were still 100 miles away,” she explained.

Mya Guarnieri of Ma’an goes into more detail about the suspicious nature of the new clip the IDF has released, demonstrating how absurd their latest attempt to save face is. The lesson of the debacle is that nothing the IDF says can be trusted by anyone. Not ever. (Of course, that should apply to any nation’s military, and not just “the most moral army in the world”).

Hours after the IDF’s admission, major news outlets which reported on the doctored audio clip as though it was a shocking revelation and not a scandalous forgery have still not corrected themselves. The most blatant stenographer of IDF propaganda is the Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler. Here is what Kessler reported after being participating a briefing session with an IDF flack:

Israeli forces spent four hours trying to persuade the 300-foot-long Turkish ship to shift course away from Gaza, senior Israeli officials said in a briefing Friday for a small group of reporters.

The activists responded repeatedly with shouts — “Go back to Auschwitz!” — and kept the ship at its maximum speed of 10 knots.

Besides the fact that Kessler reported on the “Go back to Auschwitz” claim without investigating it, he claimed that the passengers “repeatedly” shouted the slur. But even the IDF did not claim that anyone “repeatedly” shouted anything; the “Auschwitz” statement is heard in the doctored audio clip only once.

Kessler’s report was so slanted in favor of the Israeli military he was compelled to include this as his opening line: “This is the Israeli version of the deadly raid on an aid ship bound for Gaza.” But Kessler also cited the opinions of “Turkish officials,” and worded his article as though it were an authoritative report on what really happened on board the Mavi Marmara.

Finally, Kessler reports the IDF’s discredited claim that numerous Mavi Marmara passengers were terrorist “mercenaries:”

The activists also had substantial funds, perhaps 1 million euros. Many of the activists who battled the soldiers were each carrying 10,000 euros, which officials speculated meant that they were mercenaries who had been paid to fight.

Right. The IDF had retracted its claim about terrorist mercenaries on board the Mavi Marmara a full day before Kessler filed. Kessler and the Washington Post have let the Israeli military play them for fools. They should issue corrections immediately.

If the Post does not correct, readers should let WaPo Ombudsman Andrew Alexander know that his paper’s coverage of the flotilla massacre remains riddled with major factual errors. Alexander can be reached at ombudsman@washpost.com or 202-334-7582.

[Laodicean]

Jewish flotilla to break Gaza siege

German Jewish group prepares flotilla to protest Israel's blockade on Gaza. 'Activists frightened, but not by Hamas,' member of organization says

Aviel Magnezi
Published: 06.06.10, 20:33 / Israel News

The German-Jewish organization Jewish Voice for Peace in the Middle East is preparing a Jewish flotilla to the Gaza Strip. "We intend to leave around July," a member of the organization, Kate Leitrer, said to Ynet. "We have one small craft so far, in which there will be between 12 and 16 people, mostly Jews."

Leitrer, herself Jewish, said there was great interest in joining. "Getting another boat means more expenses, and we're discussing this possibility," she said. "Because of limited space, there will be school equipment, candy, and mainly musical equipment, and there'll be musicians aboard who'll teach the children of Gaza. They need to see that Jews are not what how they are drawn in their eyes."

Leitrer also claimed that Israel acted criminally in its lethal raid on the Gaza flotilla last Monday.

"The head of UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) appealed to the world to send ships due to the shortage of important supplies in Gaza," she said. "By stopping the flotilla, Israel acted criminally. Israel must not act like pirates."

The activists are frightened, she said, but not by Hamas.

"Jews have been to Gaza in the past, and they were treated in a friendly manner," Leitrer continued. "We have also talked with them recently, and they are very keen for us to come. We are frightened by what happened on the Marmara, but if you are committed to do good things, you have to act. People were also killed in the fight against fascism."

She rejected Israel's fears that weapons would be smuggled into Gaza on the aid boats.

"We haven't heard there were weapons on the last flotilla, and people were shot and killed there," she said. "We have contacted Israel figures and told them they are welcome to carry out searches on the boats, but we ask to be allowed to continue to Gaza. These are Gazan waters, and Israel must not control them."

'Open a window to Gaza'

Edith Lutz, a German Jewish member of the organization, said to Ynet the vessel is already anchored in Mediterranean waters, and that the organization had received many requests from Jews and non-Jews to take part in the flotilla.

"We began in Germany," she said, "but many have called us from England, Sweden and the US. There may also be another boat accompanying us, mainly carrying reporters."

Lutz explained that the Jewish flotilla aims to convey a message: Lift the siege.

"Our vessel can open a window between Israel and Gaza residents," she said. "Two years ago I took part in the Free Gaza flotilla and wore a Magen David (Star of David), and the kids said, 'Look, she's Jewish,' and they all accepted me very well. When we met (Hamas leader) Ismail Haniyeh and they told him about me, he turned to me and said they have nothing against Jews or Israel, only against the occupation."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... 15,00.html

[MinM]

1) Helen Thomas falls on the sword.

2) IDF kills with impunity.

3) Wield the power of The State Dept. to 'investigate'/fabricate Flotilla's already discredited ties to oh kayda.


Sounds about right...

[Laodicean]

Jewish flotilla to break Gaza siege

German Jewish group prepares flotilla to protest Israel's blockade on Gaza. 'Activists frightened, but not by Hamas,' member of organization says

Aviel Magnezi
Published: 06.06.10, 20:33 / Israel News

The German-Jewish organization Jewish Voice for Peace in the Middle East is preparing a Jewish flotilla to the Gaza Strip. "We intend to leave around July," a member of the organization, Kate Leitrer, said to Ynet. "We have one small craft so far, in which there will be between 12 and 16 people, mostly Jews."

Leitrer, herself Jewish, said there was great interest in joining. "Getting another boat means more expenses, and we're discussing this possibility," she said. "Because of limited space, there will be school equipment, candy, and mainly musical equipment, and there'll be musicians aboard who'll teach the children of Gaza. They need to see that Jews are not what how they are drawn in their eyes."

Leitrer also claimed that Israel acted criminally in its lethal raid on the Gaza flotilla last Monday.

"The head of UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) appealed to the world to send ships due to the shortage of important supplies in Gaza," she said. "By stopping the flotilla, Israel acted criminally. Israel must not act like pirates."

The activists are frightened, she said, but not by Hamas.

"Jews have been to Gaza in the past, and they were treated in a friendly manner," Leitrer continued. "We have also talked with them recently, and they are very keen for us to come. We are frightened by what happened on the Marmara, but if you are committed to do good things, you have to act. People were also killed in the fight against fascism."

She rejected Israel's fears that weapons would be smuggled into Gaza on the aid boats.

"We haven't heard there were weapons on the last flotilla, and people were shot and killed there," she said. "We have contacted Israel figures and told them they are welcome to carry out searches on the boats, but we ask to be allowed to continue to Gaza. These are Gazan waters, and Israel must not control them."

'Open a window to Gaza'

Edith Lutz, a German Jewish member of the organization, said to Ynet the vessel is already anchored in Mediterranean waters, and that the organization had received many requests from Jews and non-Jews to take part in the flotilla.

"We began in Germany," she said, "but many have called us from England, Sweden and the US. There may also be another boat accompanying us, mainly carrying reporters."

Lutz explained that the Jewish flotilla aims to convey a message: Lift the siege.

"Our vessel can open a window between Israel and Gaza residents," she said. "Two years ago I took part in the Free Gaza flotilla and wore a Magen David (Star of David), and the kids said, 'Look, she's Jewish,' and they all accepted me very well. When we met (Hamas leader) Ismail Haniyeh and they told him about me, he turned to me and said they have nothing against Jews or Israel, only against the occupation."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... 15,00.html

Useful Idiots: A Jewish Flotilla Goes to Gaza

by Alexander Levkovsky (Via David Horowitz's "NewsReal Blog")

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, although left-leaning, is one of the pillars of the Israeli media. In fact, it’s the most widely-read paper in the country, and I am one of its readers. On June 6, while scanning the paper’s Ynet website, I suddenly came across an article that left me totally flabbergasted. It started with this paragraph:

The German-Jewish organization Jewish Voice for Peace in the Middle East is preparing a Jewish flotilla to the Gaza Strip. “We intend to leave around July,” a member of the organization, Kate Leitrer, said to Ynet. “We have one small craft so far, in which there will be between 12 and 16 people, mostly Jews.”

“Mostly idiots!” I wanted to shout. “And not just regular idiots, like all 700 passengers of the Turkish flotilla that was stopped by the Israeli Navy on May 31, but useful idiots, playing willingly the dirty games invented by the sworn enemies of Israel and the Jewish people!”

I went on reading:

Leitrer, herself Jewish, said there was great interest in joining. “Getting another boat means more expenses, and we’re discussing this possibility,” she said. “Because of limited space, there will be school equipment, candy, and mainly musical equipment, and there’ll be musicians aboard who’ll teach the children of Gaza.”

To teach the children of Gaza?! Ms. Leitrer, the children of Gaza do not need your musical lessons. Most of them, starting at age 6, have already been taught how to handle the AK-47 and prepare suicide belts, while reading by heart passages from the Koran condemning Jews as the most implacable enemies of the Islam. The best classical music for their ears is the sound of a shooting Kalashnikov!

“Jews have been to Gaza in the past, and they were treated in a friendly manner,” Leitrer continued.

Edith Lutz, a German Jewish member of the organization, said to Ynet that the vessel is already anchored in Mediterranean waters, and that the organization had received many requests from Jews and non-Jews to take part in the flotilla.

Lutz explained that the Jewish flotilla aims to convey a message [to Israel]: Lift the siege.

I think the best message that Israel could convey to this bunch of useful idiots would be this: to let them enter the Israeli territorial waters, then arrest all of them for violation of the border, and put them in a high-security jail.

There they would have plenty of time to teach classical music to the blood-covered terrorists from Gaza.

http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/06/07/ ... s-to-gaza/

[seemslikeadream]

The War Against Israel
Terror, lies and slander are the main tools of the Leftist-Islamist alliance against the Jewish state.

By GERALD M. STEINBERG

Jerusalem

The blurring of terrorist-activists and civilians that characterizes 21st century warfare took on a new dimension in the violent confrontation between the "Free Gaza Flotilla" and the Israeli Navy last week. Ostensibly, the hundreds of passengers on a ship carrying a large Turkish flag were "peace activists" on a "humanitarian" mission to bring aid to Palestinians "trapped behind the Israeli blockade." But this moral façade hid a strategy of engaging Israel in a bloody confrontation to exploit the "halo effect" (automatically granted to groups claiming moral missions) and to reinforce the image of Israelis as "war criminals."

Despite all the misreporting, Gaza is not starving as Israel allows tons of food, drugs and humanitarian aid to reach Gaza every day. The entirely legal naval blockade is designed to prevent arms, primarily from Iran, from reaching the terrorists in Gaza, from which Israel withdrew in 2005. The flotilla's aim was not to feed ordinary Palestinians, but to help Hamas break the embargo so that it can bring in weapons.

The "Free Gaza" group is a potent example of how the new alliance between radical-left Western groups and Jihadists is waging this new war. In 2001, 1,500 organizations, both Islamic and Western, participated in the NGO Forum of the United Nations Durban Conference on Racism. They declared Israel to be "a racist, apartheid state" and "a crime against humanity," while calling on the "international community to impose a policy of complete and total isolation." To advance this hate agenda, Israel's enemies would use terror attacks to provoke an inevitable response, and then strip away the context to highlight allegations of "war crimes."

The approach was implemented in the 2002 Jenin massacre myth, when Palestinian lies alleging Israeli atrocities were reported by the mainstream media and NGOs as facts. This strategy was further perfected in the 2006 Lebanon and 2009 Gaza wars, when Hezbollah and Hamas respectively attacked Israeli civilians while hiding behind their own civilian populations. Israel was then held responsible for the unavoidable death of civilians in the cause of its legitimate self-defense. In each case, false allegations of "war crimes" were published by NGOs and then adopted by U.N. inquiries, such as the deeply flawed Goldstone report.

View Full Image

Associated Press
The 2001 Durban U.N. conference pioneered the new anti-Zionist strategy.

The "Free Gaza" round of provocation and condemnation marks a major escalation. The Turkish Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation) reportedly purchased the boats and provided the crew, as well as the paramilitary forces that attacked the Israeli boarding party. As the videos from the ship's own security cameras and the IDF show (http://www.youtube.com/user/idfnadesk), the soldiers acted in legitimate self-defense as they were assaulted by a lynch mob armed with slingshots, steel bars, broken glass bottles, chairs, chains, and knives. Prior to the flotilla launch, activists chanted Islamic battle cries "[Remember] Khaibar, Khaibar, oh Jews! The army of Muhammad will return!" Khaibar was the last Jewish village defeated by Muhammad's army in 628. The battle marked the end of Jewish presence in Arabia.

One participant told Al Jazeera, "Either the Israelis let us reach Gaza, or they can stop us . . . . We can also die as martyrs and never return, which is okay with us."

For the IHH, as in the case of other Islamist charities, the "humanitarian relief" dimension is a cover, or at best, a side show. IHH is a prominent member of the "Union of the Good," which was designated by the U.S. government as "an organization created by the Hamas leadership to transfer funds to the terrorist organization." In 1997, before the Islamist AKP came to power in Turkey, a police raid on an IHH building in Istanbul found weapons, explosives, and instructions for making improvised explosive devices widely used by insurgents and terror groups.

At a 2001 U.S. Federal trial emanating from the Millenium plot to bomb the Los Angeles airport, Jean-Louis Bruguiere, the leading French counter-terrorism investigating magistrate, gave evidence on the IHH's "important role" in obtaining weapons, documents and dispatching fighters in various al-Qaida operations. A 2006 report published by the Danish Institute for International Studies quotes from Mr. Bruguiere's legal depositions, including revelations that Turkish authorities had uncovered IHH links to Al-Qaeda in Milan and to Algerian terrorists in Europe, as well as having had a major role in recruiting militants sent to Bosnia, Chechnya, and Afghanistan.

Thus, the IHH was a logical vehicle for the Islamist-led Turkish government, headed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to turn against its former ally Israel. While embracing Syria and Iran, Mr. Erdogan is fueling anti-Israel hatred in his country and throughout the region.

The second partner in this violent "humanitarian" confrontation was the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) which promotes Palestinian "resistance" and fuels the violence. On April 30, 2003, a suicide terrorist blew himself up at the entrance to Mike's Place, a popular bar on the Tel Aviv beach promenade. Three Israelis were murdered, and over 50 wounded. Just a few days before the attack, the terrorists (British citizens) had spent time with a group of ISM members.

Indeed, ISM declares on its own website that its mission is to "support and strengthen the Palestinian popular resistance" through direct confrontation with the IDF. In 2002, ISM co-founder Adam Shapiro and his Palestinian-born wife promoted both "non-violent and violent" tactics in support of the Palestinian resistance. "Yes, people will get killed and injured," but these deaths are "no less noble than carrying out a suicide operation" and "would be considered shaheed," using the Arabic word for "martyr," usually applied to suicide bombers.

The ISM's Caoimhe Butterly—a prominent Irish participant in the Free Gaza campaign—has had many run-ins with the IDF. In April 2002, following a series of Palestinian terror bombings that led to the IDF's operation "Defensive Shield," she spent 16 days as a "human shield" in Yasser Arafat's compound.

The hysteria, extreme hatred for the West, and for Israel, in particular, is a trademark of many ISM members. According to ISM media coordinator Flo Rosovski, "'Israel' is an illegal entity that should not exist." For the ISM, like IHH, labels like "peace activists" and "humanitarian aid workers" are convenient masks for this hatred.

In addition, this Leftist-Islamist alliance is supported and legitimized by mainstream NGOs, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Notwithstanding embarrassing exposes on how, in May 2009, HRW solicited funds from the Saudis by touting the need to counter Jewish and "pro-Israel pressure groups," and the documentation of its systematic anti-Israeli bias, this organization immediately joined in the condemnations of Israel. These once-respected watchdogs have become an integral part of the efforts to criminalize legitimate responses to terror through false allegations of human rights violations.

For the "peace activists" aboard the Free Gaza Flotilla, the deaths and the images of violence from their excursion are viewed as a great success. As an IHH official in Istanbul declared, "We are very thankful to the Israeli authorities." Once again, Israel is on the front lines of this strategy, but NATO and the West are next in line in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere.

[yathrib]

To say I'm no fan of Michael Savage is an understatement, but now and then anybody can surprise you with a tiny, faint divine spark of rationality, and I do mean tiny and faint. Of course he has to go and blame the whole situation on Bill Ayers toward the end...

[17breezes]

Goods brought by flotilla pile up in army warehouses because Hamas rejects their entrance by land

Despite international criticism against Israel following a calamitous IDF raid on an aid flotilla to Gaza, it appeared Monday that Hamas was the one preventing the goods brought by the flotilla from entering the Strip.

The army announced Monday that the humanitarian aid brought by the ships had been mostly unloaded, and estimated that the task would be completed in the next few days.

However Hamas continues to insist that the shipment not be brought in through the land crossings, and in the meantime the goods continue to pile up in the army's warehouses.

Major Or Elrom, of the office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the (Palestinian) Territories, said there was nothing on board the flotilla's ships that Gaza's residents did not already have.

"All of these goods have been previously conveyed there, and we hope we can do the same in this case," she said.

A Defense Ministry facility adjacent to the Tzrifin army base has been turned into a temporary warehouse over the past few days, containing beds, mattresses, couches, medical supplies, shoes, clothing, and medicine – some of which has reportedly expired.

Eitan Kosto, who heads the Defense Ministry's logistics corps, said the cargo had not been loaded onto the ships according to professional guidelines and therefore some of the goods were damaged during the unloading.

"We had to work for a long time and devote many resources to unloading it all," he said. "The fact that it wasn't properly organized caused damage to some of the goods, but finally we succeeded in organizing everything so it could be transferred to the Strip."

Much of the equipment so far unloaded from the ships – mostly shoes and electric carts – was secondhand, while other products were apparently donated by various organizations and civilians, Kosto said.

He added that his personnel had not yet unloaded the cement and building materials on board, which would have to undergo security checks before entering the Strip.



However it remains unclear whether Hamas will allow the materials to enter. Last week the group kept out eight trucks carrying humanitarian supplies, which were attempting to enter through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... 62,00.html

[Percival]

I was away yesterday so I didnt get to respond to several people who adressed me so I will try and do so now, I am at work so I dont have a lot of time but I will be here and there the rest of the day trying to catch up.

To C2W, I have to agree that the antisemitism here is a little frightening, I also agree with you other post and would like to give that more consideration as I have time this afternoon. Thanks for taking the time to share your viewpoint as a fellow Jewish person, I certainly appreciate that.


Alice, what I said was NOT hate, I do not hate Muslims are Arab folk, what I said was true and you know it is, when a Muslim is fighting Jihad they are allowed to blend in and do things that they are forbidden to do otherwise.
You are not going to get far with me because I have lived in the region and I worked as a journalist and I have spoken to Hamas militants myself and been told as much AND heard them admit to me that their ultimate goal is to EXTERMINATE EVERY JEW IN THE REGION, if these are the sort of people you wish to defend...well ok, but I will not.


Stefano, good to see you. I do agree that the settlements are a problem and I would much prefer Israel pull out of them and stop building them, however most of that occupied territory was taken to serve as a buffer and give the state of Israel more time to respond to any attack that may arise, please keep in mind that many radical extremist Muslims, NOT ALL MUSLIMS BY A LONG SHOT, but many militant Muslims organizations have sworn to exterminate the Jews, so Israel is simply doing what it needs to do to protect it IMO. I dont agree with Israel very often, but on this issue I feel I have little choice, our people must be protected from those who wish to do them harm.

[Percival]

Goods brought by flotilla pile up in army warehouses because Hamas rejects their entrance by land

Despite international criticism against Israel following a calamitous IDF raid on an aid flotilla to Gaza, it appeared Monday that Hamas was the one preventing the goods brought by the flotilla from entering the Strip.

The army announced Monday that the humanitarian aid brought by the ships had been mostly unloaded, and estimated that the task would be completed in the next few days.

However Hamas continues to insist that the shipment not be brought in through the land crossings, and in the meantime the goods continue to pile up in the army's warehouses.

Major Or Elrom, of the office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the (Palestinian) Territories, said there was nothing on board the flotilla's ships that Gaza's residents did not already have.

"All of these goods have been previously conveyed there, and we hope we can do the same in this case," she said.

A Defense Ministry facility adjacent to the Tzrifin army base has been turned into a temporary warehouse over the past few days, containing beds, mattresses, couches, medical supplies, shoes, clothing, and medicine – some of which has reportedly expired.

Eitan Kosto, who heads the Defense Ministry's logistics corps, said the cargo had not been loaded onto the ships according to professional guidelines and therefore some of the goods were damaged during the unloading.

"We had to work for a long time and devote many resources to unloading it all," he said. "The fact that it wasn't properly organized caused damage to some of the goods, but finally we succeeded in organizing everything so it could be transferred to the Strip."

Much of the equipment so far unloaded from the ships – mostly shoes and electric carts – was secondhand, while other products were apparently donated by various organizations and civilians, Kosto said.

He added that his personnel had not yet unloaded the cement and building materials on board, which would have to undergo security checks before entering the Strip.



However it remains unclear whether Hamas will allow the materials to enter. Last week the group kept out eight trucks carrying humanitarian supplies, which were attempting to enter through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... 62,00.html

I am glad you posted this, this exact issue was brought to my attention by a well respected friend of mine living in the region who knows about these matters and he told me last night pretty much what that article says. He is not the type of person that would lie to me, in fact he is a Jew who is very much pro-Palestinian and has worked to bring aid and relief to the Gaza for many years now.

[crikkett]

The War Against Israel

The approach was implemented in the 2002 Jenin massacre myth, when Palestinian lies alleging Israeli atrocities were reported by the mainstream media and NGOs as facts. This strategy was further perfected in the 2006 Lebanon and 2009 Gaza wars, when Hezbollah and Hamas respectively attacked Israeli civilians while hiding behind their own civilian populations. Israel was then held responsible for the unavoidable death of civilians in the cause of its legitimate self-defense. In each case, false allegations of "war crimes" were published by NGOs and then adopted by U.N. inquiries, such as the deeply flawed Goldstone report.

Wow, just wow. That's from the Wall Street Journal. The language is so slanted that I'd easily mistake it for vintage Soviet.

[Percival]

The War Against Israel

The approach was implemented in the 2002 Jenin massacre myth, when Palestinian lies alleging Israeli atrocities were reported by the mainstream media and NGOs as facts. This strategy was further perfected in the 2006 Lebanon and 2009 Gaza wars, when Hezbollah and Hamas respectively attacked Israeli civilians while hiding behind their own civilian populations. Israel was then held responsible for the unavoidable death of civilians in the cause of its legitimate self-defense. In each case, false allegations of "war crimes" were published by NGOs and then adopted by U.N. inquiries, such as the deeply flawed Goldstone report.

Wow, just wow. That's from the Wall Street Journal. The language is so slanted that I'd easily mistake it for vintage Soviet.

You dont think there is some truth to this. Some of you seem to really believe that Hamas is completely innocent and a victim in all of this.


Hamas ALWAYS uses its civilian population as human shields in war.


There is propaganda coming out of both sides.

What is NOT propaganda is the Hamas vow to exterminate every Jew in the region.

What do you suggest Israel do about that?

[17breezes]

The War Against Israel

The approach was implemented in the 2002 Jenin massacre myth, when Palestinian lies alleging Israeli atrocities were reported by the mainstream media and NGOs as facts. This strategy was further perfected in the 2006 Lebanon and 2009 Gaza wars, when Hezbollah and Hamas respectively attacked Israeli civilians while hiding behind their own civilian populations. Israel was then held responsible for the unavoidable death of civilians in the cause of its legitimate self-defense. In each case, false allegations of "war crimes" were published by NGOs and then adopted by U.N. inquiries, such as the deeply flawed Goldstone report.

Wow, just wow. That's from the Wall Street Journal. The language is so slanted that I'd easily mistake it for vintage Soviet.

You dont think there is some truth to this. Some of you seem to really believe that Hamas is completely innocent and a victim in all of this.


Hamas ALWAYS uses its civilian population as human shields in war.


There is propaganda coming out of both sides.

What is NOT propaganda is the Hamas vow to exterminate every Jew in the region.

What do you suggest Israel do about that?

The simplest logic tells us that if the blockade is broken Hamas will be able to acquire more and better weapons. They will use them. Israel will respond violently...there will be war. It's a simple equation beyond the thought processes of the single minded. They don't want war but their goals will lead to more war. Of course I suspect there are plenty on the left who would love to see Hamas "resisting" Israel until Israel responds of course. But there will never be an epiphany for them.

[Percival]

The War Against Israel

The approach was implemented in the 2002 Jenin massacre myth, when Palestinian lies alleging Israeli atrocities were reported by the mainstream media and NGOs as facts. This strategy was further perfected in the 2006 Lebanon and 2009 Gaza wars, when Hezbollah and Hamas respectively attacked Israeli civilians while hiding behind their own civilian populations. Israel was then held responsible for the unavoidable death of civilians in the cause of its legitimate self-defense. In each case, false allegations of "war crimes" were published by NGOs and then adopted by U.N. inquiries, such as the deeply flawed Goldstone report.

Wow, just wow. That's from the Wall Street Journal. The language is so slanted that I'd easily mistake it for vintage Soviet.

You dont think there is some truth to this. Some of you seem to really believe that Hamas is completely innocent and a victim in all of this.


Hamas ALWAYS uses its civilian population as human shields in war.


There is propaganda coming out of both sides.

What is NOT propaganda is the Hamas vow to exterminate every Jew in the region.

What do you suggest Israel do about that?

The simplest logic tells us that if the blockade is broken Hamas will be able to acquire more and better weapons. They will use them. Israel will respond violently...there will be war. It's a simple equation beyond the thought processes of the single minded. They don't want war but their goals will lead to more war. Of course I suspect there are plenty on the left who would love to see Hamas "resisting" Israel until Israel responds of course. But there will never be an epiphany for them.

Thats the sad truth. The blockade is pretty much the one thing that is preventing all out war and the Gaza being wiped off the map forever.