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Attack on Gaza peace flotilla
What country sends its soldiers to carry out a raid on a civilian ship, killing several people, and then blames the...
What country sends its soldiers to carry out a raid on a civilian ship, killing several people, and then blames the people on the ship for all the murder and mayhem? Israel. The head of the Israel Defence Force (IDF – a misnomer if ever there was one) was quoted as saying after the deadly attack on a flotilla of ships carrying activists from all over the world trying to break through Gaza’s naval blockade (in place since 2007) the following: “There is no connection between what occurred on the ship and peace efforts and humanitarian aid. Our forces were met with extreme violence from cold weapons, and in once instance, from firearms that were snatched from our fighters.” So, General Gaby Ashkenazi is saying that the soldiers of the much-vaunted Israeli army had to use all the resources – read weapons – at its disposal to quell the resistance it apparently faced from activists who were trying to break through the naval blockade. Perhaps one should ask the IDF chief if this indeed was the case, how come not a single Israeli soldier was killed or even wounded but 20 activists died?
The Israeli version has been contested by a reporter accompanying the activists who said that Israeli commandos began firing before they boarded the ship. At least 10 of the dead are reported to be Turkish citizens and three Pakistanis, including a well-known journalist, are on board one of the ships. We hope that Israel’s chief backer, America, will have some strict words to say to Tel Aviv after its latest exhibition of savagery and barbarism. There is absolutely no ground for justifying what Israel has done and to say, as Defence Minister Ehud Barak said on Monday, that the activists were ‘asking for it’ makes a mockery of logic and common sense. Israel’s response was disproportionate and borders on criminal given that the activists on the ships were not going to Gaza to fight a war but carrying aid for the beleaguered residents of the city. A word of advice for Washington — since that seems to be the only voice that Tel Aviv listens to. Please realise that it is your unequal treatment of Israel and Palestine which enables Taliban and al Qaeda to find ready recruits.
Published in the Express Tribune, June 1st, 2010.
Reader Comments (9)
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Very well said !!Recommend
I read the above, and I couldn’t believe for the ignorance. It looks like Israel fills in the need of hate and disgust, for a lot of people in the world.
And I feel sorrow for that, because I can feel the unfounded hatred. Clearly, most of you been held by the magic of the fairy tail “The Strong Against The Weak”. But sadly, this attitude is extremely simplistic and superficial.
Just imagine to yourself that you are a citizens in a country in the middle of nest of hornets, which called “The Middle East”. In this place, you have to fight for survive. Ask youselfs: how moral would you be?
I don’t know how would you act, but I do know that the West, which fights this days in a war which is not a matter of surviving in Iraq and elsewere, is not as moral as nearly as the IDF.
So clearly, people do not hate Israel because of Israel. I have a reason to believe, that people hate Israel because of themselves: Because it’s easy, because it’s entertaining, because they want to fill in the need of vent, and especially because they want to feel faultless and clear conscience..
But do you know what? in contrary to a lot of people in the world, we know we are right. We know that we are moral. And that is – because we don’t think for a second we are perfect.
But don’t bother yourself too hard with what I say. Don’t think too much. Hate me and my brothers in arms. Entertain your selfs with hatred.
Israeli from IsraelRecommend
The constant Israeli spin is that they were ‘breaking the blockade’. This is a bald face lie. The Flotilla was 50 miles out, well into international waters. They were not challenging a blockade. The IDF came
after them, 50 miles out, in the dark of night. Israel broke international law. The IDF were the aggressors.Recommend
The IDF have killed pakistanis and turks. 50 Nations were represented on the flotilla. I have no need to hate Israel and will continue to condemn international war crimes all around the world. We in Britain have recent experience of our own leaders committing war crimes with their “partners” America in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I don’t hate israelis, I hate war criminals. This includes the IDF participants in this shameful attack.Recommend
by this activity Israel give a message to the world that He can do whatever he want….. n also can break international rules and regulations… as USA id on his back…. wake up pakistan n wake up Muslim Ummah….Recommend
We should be vary of generalizations such as “the West”, “the Jews”, and “America”. Simplifying complex actors and bunching them together does not help and neither does it help in developing nodes of sympathy and support across eh world. Some of the staunchest critics of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and the blockade of Gaza happen to be Israeli’s and a vibrant civil society has campaigned and lodged cases in the Israeli Supreme Court on behalf of Palestinian interests.
Along with condemning America for its failure to openly condemn Israeli adventurism in Gaza and yesterday in international waters, we should also question what role our fellow Muslim states have played, or lake of a role they have played in resolving this issue. Along with Israel, Egypt for example has also upheld a blockage against a Hamas administered Gaza.
They are multiple actors involved, and we should try to connect with global organisations and individuals regardless of their religious beliefs or nationalities to bring an end to the blockade of Gaza and the creation of a viable Palestinian state. Yesterday’s events were not about a flotilla of ships alone. However, in the spirit of the multinational, multi-religious cooperation that the flotilla was able to galvanize we too should move on from labels and reach out to those who share our contempt for the blatant disregard for human rights and international law .Recommend
a firm editorial,well done.Nadir el Edroos digs for reasons to blame the Muslim Ummah.For Christ’s sake Nadir Bhai,atleast this time it demanded a total condemnation.Your Muslim bashing could’ve waited for a few days…sympathise totally with those dead.Just as we would sympathise with innocent nonMuslims killed unjustly.Recommend
@ rehan: What Muslim bashing have I been involved in? Where am I not condemning what happened on Monday?Recommend
By any standard IDF (Israel Defense Forces) cannot be termed as professionals. The colorful heroism of Israelis during operation Entebbe, 1956 War, 1967 War are merely false stories.Recommend