Rough Seas for Israel After Gaza Flotilla Intercepted (Updated through the day)
Undeniably, Israel appears to have stepped directly into a trap of a carefully planned suicide mission dressed up in the clothing of a humanitarian effort. If the goal was to blacken Israel’s image internationally, it was undoubtedly successful, as the hateful sloganeering against Israel sweeping across Facebook and Twitter demonstrates.
As they watched the public relations nightmare unfold, many Israelis — even those who support the three-year-old blockade on Gaza — began asking if it couldn’t have been executed in a manner that might have avoided bloodshed. Commentators in the Israeli media asked whether it could or should have been possible to block the flotilla’s progress at sea without sending soldiers on board, or somehow surrounding and isolating the flotilla and stranding them at sea. Others asked whether it would have been so terrible to allow the flotilla to arrive in Gaza without incident, despite the fears that it would set a precedent and cause damage to Israel’s security. Questions were raised as to whether the damage created by the operation was not greater than that potentially incurred by allowing the flotilla to defy the blockade.
This damage is expected to be significant in a number of ways. First and foremost, since the mission was represented as that of the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation — though its “humanitarian” nature is a matter of controversy — there is significant worry about how the events surrounding the interception of the flotilla will act as a catalyst for Israel’s already problematic relationship with Turkey. Haaretz commentator Amos Harel wrote:
The damage that Israel has caused itself internationally can hardly be exaggerated. A previous crisis with Turkey that erupted earlier this year after Israel humiliated Ankara’s ambassador now looks like small change in comparison. Even before then, relations with Turkey had deteriorated over Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza and the generally anti-Israeli stance taken by Turkey’s moderately Islamist government. The new crisis is likely to lead to a total break in ties.
In addition to the international damage, the aftermath is also exacting a price from Israel internally, with demonstrations that very well may turn violent scheduled to take place in Arab communities across Israel. The unrest among Arab Israelis was heightened by persistent rumors that the head of the Israeli-Arabic Islamic Movement’s northern branch, Sheikh Raed Salah, was among the casualties in the clash, and that the Israeli forces had targeted him directly.
Unfolding events are also undoubtedly throwing a wrench into the plans for what both countries had planned would be a warm and conciliatory meeting between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, which was hoped to smooth over the recent bumps in the U.S.-Israel relationship. According to reports in the Israeli media, Netanyahu has seriously been considering postponing the visit, but a final decision has not yet been made, as officials debate the benefit of the visit with the potential political damage caused by the prime minister being overseas when the situation at home is so volatile.
Their spokesperson on CTV News this morning sounded faintly jublilant at how things had gone. I could detect no sorrow or shock or anything suggesting that she was sad to have lost friends. Draw your own conclusions but it sure seemed they got what they had come for.
Do peace activists sing songs about murdering Jews?
Here is the Al Jazeera interview from the decks of the terror ships -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3L7OV414Kk&feature=player_embedded
As always, we are in a damned if you do, damned if you don’t, viser-like grip with the world media.
While hindsight is always 2/20, one fact is VERY clear-this terror floating flotilla was NEVER meant to be a humanitarian mission.As a matter of record, its organizers said as much all over the airwaves after the sh-t hit the fan.
In essence, they opined that this was a Political convoy aimed at breaking the blockade,(in fact, as they well know there is NO aid blockade, as tons of aid goes through our crossings on a continual basis)and what was left unspoken was their other goal, to use this standoff as a media PR ploy, both to tarnish Israel internationally (as IF that is hard to accomplish) and to stir up her internal Arab fifth column.
It is abundantly clear that Israel could not afford to allow these ships through, not only because the cargo onboard may very well contain terror ‘surprises’,(Karin A, anyone?) but because demonstrating timidity in the face of obvious Islamic provocation only breeds more death and destruction for Israel.
Therefore, if I were in charge I would have advised the forces to give several clear warnings to the boats to turn to our ports and obey our army.I would have told them thusly, that if they failed to do so, ALL options were on the table, including sinking the ships.
Can anyone imagine ANY other normal nation NOT acting in their own defense?
The world (the leftist part of it) is in the grip of Islam apologetics. Even many American Jews cannot get rid of it. Rest Assured that many American Christians (myself included) stand with Israel and her people. Unfortunately, we elected a pro-Islam marxist and are paying a heavy price. Pray we can start reversing that in November. America must support Israel.
As always, we are in a damned if you do, damned if you don’t, viser-like grip with the world media.
While hindsight is always 20/20, one fact is VERY clear-this terror floating flotilla was NEVER meant to be a humanitarian mission.As a matter of record, its organizers said as much all over the airwaves after the sh-t hit the fan.
In essence, they opined that this was a Political convoy aimed at breaking the blockade,(in fact, as they well know there is NO aid blockade, as tons of aid goes through our crossings on a continual basis)and what was left unspoken was their other goal, to use this standoff as a media PR ploy, both to tarnish Israel internationally (as IF that is hard to accomplish) and to stir up her internal Arab fifth column.
It is abundantly clear that Israel could not afford to allow these ships through, not only because the cargo onboard may very well contain terror ‘surprises’,(Karin A, anyone?) but because demonstrating timidity in the face of obvious Islamic provocation only breeds more death and destruction for Israel.
Therefore, if I were in charge I would have advised the forces to give several clear warnings to the boats to turn to our ports and obey our army.I would have told them thusly, that if they failed to do so, ALL options were on the table, including sinking the ships.
Can anyone imagine ANY other normal nation NOT acting in their own defense?
“…if I were in charge I would have advised the forces to give several clear warnings to the boats to turn to our ports and obey our army.I would have told them thusly, that if they failed to do so, ALL options were on the table, including sinking the ships.”
Sinking the ships should have been plan A all along. With 10-20 dead the chattering classes will whine on with their “cycle of violence” pablum. With the whole lot gone the calculus changes immeasurably. Now the world knows Israel means business and will not be deterred from doing all that is necessary.
No, is not damned, Israel did alright, . . . might have been better though, not to have boarded the first ship, but simply clipped off five feet of the bow of each boat in defiance, then discombuberated the rudder, and towed the boats, . . . and if one or more boats sank, save those in the water who wished salvation, . . .
Dear Readers,
We must understand the FACT that the Gazans under the leadership of Hamas (Harakat al Mawqawama al Islamiyya or “Islamic Resistance Movement”) has declared a genocidal war of extermination against the people and nation of Israel.
From the Hamas charter:
“Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.” (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, ‘of blessed memory’).
“The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. ”
“There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors.”
“We will not rest until we destroy the Zionist entity” – Hamas leader Fathi Hammad in Gaza after Friday prayers (January 2nd 2009 – ref BBC)
The ‘activists’ knowingly entered a war zone, even after being warned and turned away before. War is a serious business and any fool who knowingly enters a war zone should not expect to be greeted with tea and crumpets.
If the Gazans want to end their suffering, they should abandon their war of extermination and sue for peace.
~The Infidel Alliance
We live in the most dangerous times since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Our Dear President has given up the riegns as leader of the free world. He has shown open hostility to Israel and has bowed (literally) to the Muslim nations. When the big dog who rules the street and keeps peace decides to lay down and demonstrate that he is no longer willing to bite, the little dogs will become encouraged to roam and cause trouble. We made a very big mistake in America.
Hey James…You may have a point..Even Putin agrees with you…Did’nt he said that the end of the Soviet Union was a geopolitical disaster..
Who cares about the Turks and the Europeans? Turkey has already gone over to the dark side and the European elites have been open about their anti semitism for many years now. This whole event was planned to give Israel a black eye and the Israelis did the right thing by killing a bunch of the so called “humanitarians”. The Jew hating cowards in Europe and other places understand and respect only one thing and that is force. If they think that their hate filled actions and words will put themselves at risk they won’t be so eager to demonize Jews. Israel needs to realize that the left wing European elites are just as involved in open warfare against the Jewish state as the Muslim terrorists and let the Mossad target a few of them.
After the crews of these Turkish flagged vessels fired at Israel’s soldiers a state of war exists. This was an unforgivable act of treachery on the part of Turkey (the flotilla was sponsored by the ruling party in Turkey’s parilament) and cannot go unanswered.
No, Turkish flagging isn’t enough. To be an act of war they would have to be Turkish naval vessels.
Yes, the treachery is even worse. This was an attack on Israel’s armed forces by the “civilian” crew/passengers of a ship sent by the Turkish government. That was an act of war no matter how you slice it. And since they fired under civilian cover they are an irregular force and not subject to international rules of war.
That the inhabitants of this ship are not now feeding the fish with their corpses is an indescribable affront to all law-respecting citizens.
I have a bad feeling about that. Tougher times for Israel and for all those who support it. Let us pray.
Oh please, Israel was damned if she did and damned if she didn’t. How convenient that Turkey erupted before anyone else knew about what happened on the boats. Did it dawn on anyone that the entire thing from start to attack on the Israeli embassy in Ankara was planned from the get go. The enire flotilla was planned by the IHH which has ties to al Queda, Hamas and Hezbollah.The hand ringing is obnoxious and unnecessary. Everything Israel did is legal under treaty and the force of international law, of course that is assuming that Jews are entitled to defend themselves like everyone else…oopps forgot we’re talking about the UN, EU and the MSM (oh yeah the Obama administation too). Of course, the Jew haters from around the world condemn Israel, its their thing. This article was just annoying and dumb.
In this instance, Israel was naive about the intent of the flotilla and the “relief” shipment. It was a set-up from the beginning and those who planned the event got exactly what they were hoping for. Now, when Israel is attackec by a combined force, backed by Turkey, Iran, Syria, Egypt, and other radical Muslim countries, no one, including America will come to her defense. Israel will have to stand alone and defend herself.
The anger, hatred, and vitriol directed toward Israel by liberals, Democrats, and in particular, the NYT has finally paid off. Now, this small nation, surrounded by enemies, will perhaps face destruction or have to capitulate and make concession after concession in order to survive. This was a game changing incident.
I believe our president is perhaps very much relieved the way events played out. Now, his attitude toward Israel can be justified without bringing out his obvious leanings toward Islam, and prejudice against Judaism. Wonder how loud the outcry against Israel by American Jews will be?
I guess if such a ‘combined force’ does indeed attack Israel, all individual members would have to bear the consequences. Of course we have to figure that, since Egypt and Turkey combined to help Obama put his hands around Israel’s neck with the NPT resolution, that the Egyptians knew that Turkey’s gov’t was intimately involved in this. Egypt essentially declared war on Israel with her role in the UN vote; it’s only that Israel’s leaders will not yet say so.
However, if the Egyptians should openly attack Israel in the manner of 1973? That would be their error. The Turks won’t help them. Turkey is now threatening to send her navy up against Israel; again, the Turkish-Iranian cooperation in this is obvious beneath the surface.
So the salient point I get from your post is that Egypt is on the cusp. I agree with that. Mubarak will eventually have to decide whether he is on Iran’s side, or Israel’s.
The peace demonstrators were armed? Violent? Hard to believe. Why didn’t the Israelis use rubber bullets? Bean bags? Taser guns? Why didn’t the Israelis just let these well meaning people deliver their supplies and complete their humanitarian mission?
Too bad Noam Chomsky wasn’t aboard and among the dead. Likewise some prominent J Streeters.
I have a bit of advice for Natanyahu: After you’re done getting dissed by Obama, go to Louisiana and tour the spill site with Bobby Jindal. Make sure the reporters get lots of pictures of the Israeli Prime Minister with the future Republican presidential candidate.
A desperate attempt to supply Gaza’s luxury restaurants has failed and resulted in deaths. Perhaps catering will solve the tragedy.
Anti-Israeli groups wanted a tragedy and got one. Rather than disarm and disown Hamas, Palestinian Arabs continue to play the disproportion game wherein having the bigger gun is deemed immoral and intent is thrown out the window. 2000-3000 rockets flying out of Gaza mean nothing to the international media in such a scenario. Arabs across the region will bang the drum while holding the children of the now extinct ‘refugees’ hostage in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza itself. Nice PR move if one likes George Orwell or has the mind of a child.
Oh well, 14 fewer useless idiots in the world. No loss there. AGW believers should be cheered by that. You know, smaller carbon footprints and all.
Bibi MUST take a hard line on this:
a) No “investigation” (read inquisition) by the Nazis of the EU and the UN. Any such “investigators” MUST be denied entry and if they enter secretly, must be arrested and tried PUBLICLY!!
b) Any European nation that is overly vociferous (and anti-Semitic) in their denunciations, Israel must recall their ambassador, and expel (or jail) their journalists. Attacks on that nation’s shipping (I’m looking at you, Nazi Greece) would be in order.
This is a declaration of a second Shoah by the UN and Europe, and Israel must treat them as the mortal enemies that they are.
If only he would react that way! I voted for Netanyahu twice because at the time, there was no choice. He had the reputation for being a “hard-liner” (translation, non-liberal) and I suppose compared to the other candidates, he was. However, at this point in time, he is not the same politician that he was 10 years ago. He is becoming soft and is not standing up to Obama. (as I believe the way Ariel Sharon would have) He had better wake up, and fast.
Correction: he is exactly the same as he was. Remember who gave away Hevron in the first place.
You are very hard on him — I myself have been at times. But I wouldn’t like to be in his shoes — standing on the edge of an abyss, having to make decisions not knowing where they will lead — or rather that no matter what decision he makes about anything, Israel will face condemnation. Better that though than defeat and destruction.
Yes, he should take a strong stand — Israel will be condemned anyway — but it’s unknown what the treacherous will do so it’s wise to keep eyes in the back of one’s head, and a machete in the hand.
Look at what happened here. Violent suicide stalkers attacked soldiers who were not attacking them, and the soldiers defended themselves. There is no one who believes these were “humanitarian aid” workers or “peaceniks.” No one. But it doesn’t matter. Only Israel would be faulted as criminal for defending themselves in that situation — ambushed. Perhaps Israel slipped in judgment by boarding instead of something (what?) else — easy to say in hindsight — but slips are common in war and warlike situations. There isn’t any way at all to avoid slips — slight errors in judgment — often more than slight. There is no doubt — not to anyone — who ought to be condemned. But they don’t care.
It’s good and necessary that Israel clarify its actions and what occurred — to those who already support Israel and those that are open minded. For the rest, the devils whose numbers are legion, it doesn’t matter what Israel says — it will be talking to the wind. They are determined to satisfy their blood lust —
Islamists are who they are and nothing decent can be expected from them. I vehemently condemn the Europeans. They have reverted to their worst nature, and it will come back to them in spades.
(I include Obama in with the Europeans — he does not represent the feelings or behavior of the American people — and just hope that he can be defeated before karma overtakes the rest of us.)
Combatants marine convey is lucky it wasn’t sunk to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea!
Israel should have borrowed some torpedoes from North Korea.
Gee, Israel over reacted when activists invaded their borders? Golly I don’t understand why they would do that. People (who want Israel wiped off the map) have never used “activists” to do their dirty work for them. They’ve never lied to or tricked people into doing things they normally wouldn’t do “for a good cause”. They’ve never used, say, children to bomb market places or women to bomb shops. No these are patriots whether they know what they’re doing or not.
Activists are simply terrorist lite, domestic or foreign, old or young, muslim or phleps it’s the same thing. Forcing people to do and behave in the way YOU think is appropriate according to YOUR agenda no matter what the laws and ordinances of the country are, no matter what the majority decides. Activist and lobbyists both should be encouraged to go start their own country, someplace nice and warm so they can save the rain forest, live with the endangered species and leave the rest of us alone. Oh and take the terrorist sympathizers with you.
The Israelis debate internally what might have been done differently to save lives while to the north their enemies have prepared an offensive strike force of 40,000 missiles. One side values the life of each and every individual (even the lives of their enemies), the other would inflict a second holocaust if it had the means. European leftist elites rush to make a pact with the devil. Are they so morally obtuse that they do not know good from evil? Is it naivete? Selfishness, perhaps? I don’t care to know the reasons anymore because the mind boggles at the shear perversity of it all.
The fuse is lit. The world stumbles towards war. Last minute peace overtures attempt to douse the flames before they become a conflagration. I fear it’s already too late. The crisis could not come at a worse time for the west. We are faced with economic turmoil and a dearth of righteous leadership at the critical moment. Who will be our champion?
Ben Netanyahu once described his people as small in number but luminous in achievement. Indeed, the Jews will carry the torch of civilization yet again against the forces of darkness. This time alone except for the prayers of a few righteous gentiles. God speed you, Israel. Your cause is just and noble. May the western “leaders” who side with your enemies wear a crown of shame and the stigma of cowardice to the end of their days. May their names be recorded as anathema in the annals of history.
Should have killed more. The IDF is too restrained in its actions.
Exactly right!!!, One doesn’t kill off a few cancer cells to fight the disease. Only total eradication solves the problem.
Hamas, the “Islamic Resistance Movement”, has not just declared war on Israel.
In a sermon aired on Hamas’ Al-Aqsa television, cleric Yunis Al Astal stated, “Today, Rome is the capital of the Catholics, or the Crusader capital, which has declared its hostility to Islam, and has planted the brothers of apes and pigs in Palestine in order to prevent the reawakening of Islam.
I believe that our children, or our grandchildren, will inherit our jihad and our sacrifices, and, Allah willing, the commanders of the conquest will come from among them”
He maintained that Rome would become, “”an advanced post for the Islamic conquests, which will spread though Europe in its entirety, and then will turn to the two Americas, even Eastern Europe.” (Fox 14 Apr 2008)
Hamas is just one division in the Army of Allah, and their war of extermination against Israel is just one battle in a much greater conflict:
THE ISLAMIC WORLD WAR.
~The Infidel Alliance
Isn’t this what the islamofascists have been say all along? Now it’s war war. Playing suicide by Israel might not work out so great.
it is just a matter of time iran will have the bomb and must use it on israel..
If Iran gets their bomb together on Monday, they’ll send it off, on Tuesday, etc., . . . that wild middle-east bunch, so many of our ding-a-ling chatterers in the pattern of the Jimmy Carter type, are saying: “Oh, let’s reason with them.”, well, reasoning has to do with elements of a higher characteristic—things which appertain to a capacity which is quite above animal impulse—things of human capacity; and as appears, so very many of those middle-easterners–and ALL MOSLEMS have quite a ways to go, . . . their mullahs and other of them–from the least to the greatest–standing up like some oddly assembled Goliath, beating their chests, in the most offensive effort possible, sweating out great boasts about conquests to come–dear G-D in heaven, when shall we have some elected people who can understand and who will perform, . . .
Isreal the only country with the strenght and resolve to tackle these ” man caused disasters” head on . Everyone in need of ” humaitarian ” aid could use a few weapons and some fire power. Right. Isreal is fighting enemies that want them purged from the face of the planet. So is the USA but with the weak one in office we are only kind of sort of fighting this global evil. Bravo to Isreal. They need our prayers and support. They are likely to get neither with the Kenyan muslim in office. Netanyahu is under no illusions about where Isreal stands with this administration. He is a lone wolf.
Video was released to the media from cameras that accompanied the forces landing on the boats, showing the so-called “unarmed humanitarian activists” clearly attacking and beating the soldiers who boarded their ship.
Yes. Its too bad no one’s invented the technological capability of embedding video media in blogs yet. That “video” would have done a lot to prove your point. Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to trust that you’ve watched it.
That well-known bastion of neoconism, the Washington Post, has confirmed the existence of the video:
But, of course, the WaPo hasn’t discovered how to embed video yet either, so you’ll just have to take their word for it.
When replying to leftist bigots, you waste your time using truth and facts.
Meh, it’s a holiday, I have time to waste.
And facts and truth are never wasted… at least by his ignoring of said facts and truth, the so-called Principal is shown to be the lefty ideologue he is.
Look below the fold. We’ve had the video up for twenty minutes.
um, it’s all over the web. If you haven’t watched it yourself by now, you’re not trying.
The soldiers descend their ropes shouting to each other ‘don’t shoot!’ as in, don’t deploy your lethal weapons. Their reward is to be clubbed like seals, with big iron bars and pipes, upon hitting the deck. One has his pistol taken from him and is dumped over the rail to fall 30 feet to the next deck. The clubs and knives are in the hands of the men on the deck before the soldiers even come down.
It is a genuine assault ON the troops, who are doing their level best not to hurt anyone. The other seven ships surrendered control without incident. This ship was packed with genuine terrorists who were ready and willing to kill as many Israelis as they could, and they tried.
That particular soldier is clinging to life at this very moment. If you belive in prayer, now’s the time…
Here is a link with some tehilim for the sick. Here is Perek 20.
http://dailytehillim.com/Default.aspx?Perek=20&Category=1
such a video was on television earlier…
I hope Israelis and their supporters understand that Israel had no choice. It must stop all attempts to enter Gaza because otherwise, first Southern Israel and then the whole of Israel will be a target for missiles launched from Gaza. This is a time for clarity and long-avoided decisions must be faced. For too long, Israeli Arab leaders have been allowed to get away with subversive activities – this must be stopped. There’s also no point in avoiding the truth about Turkey either – it’s obvious, Turkey is no Israel’s friend and this fact should be taken into consideration when Israel’s political & economical decisions are made. Turkish leaders are deliberately baiting Israel for both domestic and international reasons; it’s time for Israeli leaders to stop belly-aching about it and stop playing into the hands of their enemies.
This is a lesson (not that any rational person needed it!) of what happens when Israel tries to make concessions to its enemies. If Israel still maintained control over Gaza, this wouldn’t happen.
It wouldn’t have done a thing for them; and for their enemies and allies, it would have looked like they were really after Eretz Israel–not peace.
At some point, reality must intrude on the belief there is a UFO marked YWH behind the moon that will save the one bomb state no matter what.
When Israel gave up Gaza, that was the intrusion of reality.
Unsurprisingly, the terrorist sympathizers have planned protests for precisely this event. Show up and counter-protest (preferably with Israeli and American flags); I will. Here’s a list of their locations.
These people went under the electric fence and got into the pen with the bull. Now they cry foul when the bull gored them. Ha Ha Ha this is hilarious.
This was a terrorist attack against Israel, funded and supported by Islam, carried out by liberal activists.
Its goal was to hamstring Israel internationally so that Islam can get the Bomb.
The West does not have the moral strength to support Israel. So this takes any possible Israeli strike off the table.
When its our turn, the attack will be delivered by proxy. We may be able to broker a Strong Condemnation from the UN.
“I have a bad feeling about that.” We all should; the consequences will prove to be enormous. The peaceful times brought to us courtesy of the “Greatest Generation” are now officially over.
The Palestinian’s wanted to start something that’s why they shot first forcing the IDF to return fire. Everyone knows the IDF was only doing an inspection for weapons. All those ships had to do was heev-too and no one would have died. It seems as though the world looks at Israel and thinks they should just lie down and take it. A strongly worded statement will be forth coming from chairman Obama any day now.
Good thing I wasn’t in charge of the Israeli response. I’m afraid I would have turned it into a remake of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bismarck_Sea
I was thinking more along the lines of the Mariana’s Turkey Shoot.
I kind of think that, the Israeli defense folks might do well to confer with Oklahoma law enforcement and learn more about how to handle those who are of the sub-human persuasion, and get that mess over there “cleaned up”–first step is to erase the Gaza luxury homes in which the Hamas leadership lives, second thing, use the predator drones on Hamas, . . . just send on to the waiting virgins, or whatever, . . .
“Indeed, the Jews will carry the torch of civilization yet again against the forces of darkness”
Lets not get carried away here. a Dozen +/- people died, it will take time to sort out who/what/where, and then we will have the truth.
But since when did the Jews carry the “torch of civilization”….??
Specifics please, not bible versus.
Always good to see the Russian anti-Semites popping up on the web.
Since you asked, the Jews in Israel and from around the world have been honored 146 times as Nobel laureates: 46 times for biology, 29 times for chemistry, 24 for economics, and 44 times for physics. My list does not even include laureates in literature, music, and the peace prize, but I think it should be sufficient to answer your question.
If that’s not enough for you, you might consider that the Jews were the first to recognize and profess monotheism. They gave us one of the pillars of western civilization, a little something known as Judeo-Christian ethics and morality. Combined with Greco-Roman philosophy and an Anglo-Saxon contribution known as the rule of law, you can see clearly the foundation for something known as modernity.
Or perhaps you prefer the company of 7th century barbarians who believe that unspeakable acts against civilization earn them an orgy with 72 virgins? So why do you take their side? Hmm?
here’s one specific– before Israel, the world knew women as chattel and property, second class citizens, and multiple wives were common. Hebrew civilization taught from day 1 (sorry, had to say that) that one man marries one woman for life, and that a man and woman become ‘one flesh’, metaphorically united and looking out for each other like your arm looks out for your leg.
This understanding of marriage was entirely absent from the ‘civilized’ world before Hebrews, Mosaic law, Jewish society. It has come to be the accepted picture of civilized marriage and relationships , except in Utah and in the Ummah. And in Utah it’s not much of a problem anymore.
that’s one.
“The Hebrew Republic: Jewish Sources and the Transformation of European Political Thought” by Eric Nelson.
Eric Nelson is the Frederick S. Danziger Associate Professor of Government at Harvard University.
Prof. Nelson, a gentile, demonstrates the influence of Biblical and Rabbinic literature on the thinking of John Milton, James Harrington, and Thomas Hobbes, the folks who brought us the justification for Republican democracy and opposition to Monarchy as a valid approach to governance. Sound familiar? It should since these were the clearly stated views of our founding fathers when they opposed the rule of the British Monarchy over the colonies of America.
It is time for Israel to engage in nuclear sabre-rattling, and I mean rattle to the western world. A simple doomsday warning will do it.
Any ‘activists’ who were either apprehended or photographed with weapons in their hands should not be deported. They should be put on trial in Israel and, if convicted, sentenced to prison. Israel could then consider swapping some of them for Gilad Shalit.
This was a political action by anti Iraeli forces.
Israel just has to hold the fort until the anti Israeli Barrack Obama is kicked out in 2012.
This is what happens when you send a helicopter to go a gunship’s job.
I am amazed that you all seem to think that swedish crime-author Henning Mankell and dozens and dozens of other european adults are now members of l Quaeda and deserve anihilation and death. With fans like you folks, its not strange that the rest of the world is turning away from Israel. And 15 dead and 60 wounded because a few streetfighters snapped and tried to hit a trained fully armed commando with a metal pipe? Thats at the very best disastrous fire-dicipline and at worst a massacre.
I do understand that for you guys Israel can do no wrong, but boarding a Turkish ship in international waters is an act of war against NATO member Turkey, wich is currently fighting alongside US forces in Afghanistan. That might cause some of you to think…?
Have a look at the photo of one of the “peace activists” we just added about 10 minutes ago.
Sir, just seen the vid, still doesnt convince me. Sure, there was a fight: I see clearly a guy charging a soldier w a pipe, another throwing some casing at them and one fistfight that looks like one of them is taking a beating. If those guys had gotten arrested and beaten up during that arrest, or even if a couple of them had got legshots, you wouldnt have heard a word from me, sir.
But 10 killed and 30-60 wounded? They must have hosed the deck with live ammo, either a copter mg or a set of snipers. I cant wait to see the forensic reports. This is the best and “most moral” infantryforce in the world doing a set-piece assault on a position with no enemy fire. And they reach that number of kills? Gimme a break.
Yep, it’s not safe anymore for you pigs to scream and flail about using C-list celebrities and twentysomething videographers as shields.
I’ll repeat that, in the hopes that it will get through your skull to what passes for your brain: It’s not safe. You can die.
21 foot rule, idiot. Tueller drill. Look it up.
The commandos did not over react, but acted with great discipline.
Attempting to break a military blockade in favour of Hamas, an organization that even the UN considers a terrorist organization is also an act of war. Look at the video. Do Israelis have the right to self defense? I think so. Additionally, when one of the protesters seized a gun and began firing in closed quarters, which in addition to not being very smart, also demands lethal retaliation. After all, I don’t know of any other country who would let someone break a military blockade against a hostile entity, do you? Or is Israel supposed to be treated differently than every other country on the planet.
Imagine the shoe on the other foot. A boat wanted to bring supplies to an Al Qaeda contingent in Iraq. The US boards the boat and is met with an attempted lynching. What do you think would happen? A Tea and crumpets party?
They weren’t in international waters, but Israeli territorial watewrs- where the IDF has every right to exclude or intercept.
Conservative Wanderer. You really are this gullible. Here’s the thing Sherlock. If someone tells you that they have a video of something, but then doesn’t show it to you, it should set off an alarm. That is for normal people with critical faculties. Not you people.
What then should we infer about someone who continues to complain about the missing video when it’s embedded in this very article?
That he’s a typical Obamabot?
This is the video that you must be talking about. I don’t see civilians attacking soldiers, rather the other way around.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHXzeFJxJgw
Charlie Martin. You should thank him for forcing the hand of the author to provide the video. Or you would, if you hadn’t already decided that the video shows everything you want it to.
Levine, don’t be a fool: we added the video as soon as we had it in an embeddable form. I’m the “Ed.” making the updates right now.
Keep watching, as we’ll have video interviews from the Middle East, likely within the hour.
Hey, Prince,
You can drop the attempt to appear “one of the tribe” with your fake last name. We know you are a shaygetz!
Me, I am proud to be a Christian Gentile who supports Israel’s right to exist. Too bad more Jews don’t show the same support for their ancestral homeland.
Or, if the last name is truly indicative, the proper characterization of Levine would be kapo.
Principle le Grouche, he of many names, arrives once again to teach us “unwarshed hillbillies” a lesson.
IDF tapes everything its soldiers, pilots, sailors and commandos do. If they were attacked first, there is a video somewhere supporting it, although boarding international waters will cause them issues regardless.
If they boarded a ship in international waters, and drew first blood, then its going to be a step backward for Israel. They did this with full govt approval and sanction and will
be tough for them to explain this away, there are better ways to handle a situation.
the vids are on arutzsheva
Israel did the right thing but stopped too short with just shooting 10 or so. Israel should deport all Muslims and take out Iran with its own nukes. We have a spineless president. Netinyahu is the only leader in the West with a spine and Israel is currently the last bastion of Western Civilization.
Here’s the other thing. Vessels in international waters are allowed to defend themselves from attack.
Not if they are violating a blockade. Then they are committing an act of war and can be attacked without warning by the blockading party. Rules of war old bean.
The Israelis were quite restrained.
Exactly: and since known terrorist organizations had launched this flotilla, the Israeli Navy had all the rights to investigate the ships to check for weapons.
And the violent reaction to this perfectly legal move is a crime.
We do inspect ships daily on the East Coast of Africa, and if they react violently we do use cannons against them.
And once again liberalist folly meets the real world.
So what’s the problem? One suicide bomber can kill more than 14 Israeli children and no-one gets very upset. These people asked for it. They got it. Everyone should be happy.
The point you make is decisive.
there is no international reaction when the terrorists launch THOUSANDS of missiles against Isreal, and for YEARS.
Translation: the fight of the filo-jihadists against Israel is genocidal in its means and in its intentions, and the trolls supporting it are the new nazis.
ONLY IF YOUR SICK.
Israel is losing the propaganda battle just like America did in Vietnam and elsewhere. The media is infested with left-wingers who hate the West more than anything. It’s shameful.
I don’t see what choice Israel had here, if they let the ships go through without touching them it’s a major propaganda coup for Hamas and Co. and they can get supplies for their war efforts against Israel. If you go on board, well you see what happens, the Arabs and their left-wing friends will provoke, provoke, even attack you but the moment you fight back they are “civilians” and “human rights activists”. Every time a Western nation acts robustly in self-defense, it’s only a matter of time before the usual anti-Western suspects on the Left cry foul and the Western nation has to expect being shredded in the papers and on TV thus forming and perpetuating hostile views against the West amongst ordinary people around the world .
As far as the people on the flotilla are concerned, I have no doubt that there were many on board who didn’t expect to end up looking at an Israeli gun from up-close. However, those Swiss, Swedish, German, Canadian, British or what else intellectuals and leftists have been taken for a ride by their Arab friends and have just showcased their criminal naivety. No doubt in their minds it’s all the fault of the Israelis but when you get on board (quite literally here) with Hamas and Hizbollah supporters who are quite literally prepared to die for their cause, well you should be aware of what that might entail for you. The real world in the Middle East isn’t a university hall in Stockholm or a newsroom in Hamburg.
Boarding a ship in international waters is certainly legal if there is suspicion of illegal activity : we do it every day on the East Coast of Africa.
The ship crew must allow the inspection.
The rest is in the video.
But of course the legion of filo-jihadists that has woven this trap and has the moral responsibility of ALL the consequences will now set-up the usual international parade of stupidity.
The filo-jihadists have too much time in their hands when they are not busy celebrating September Eleven in the streets.
Really Charlie? I read this article one hour ago. The video was uploaded by the IDF three hours ago.
And did the IDF immediately send it to PajamasMedia, or did the author and/or editors have to go looking for it, find it, edit this post to add it, amongst all their other duties keeping a website this size up and running?
Your spinning reeks of desperation. You’re grasping at any straw you can find to make PJM look bad. Fortunately, you’re as transparent as you are desperate. So keep it up, it shows everyone your true colors.
Go look at the time stamps. Allison filed well before the video was released, and yes, it took us a little while to track down an embeddable version.
Don’t like it, go somewhere else.
The genocidal scum on that flotilla deserve far worse than what they got.
Israel claims 12 NM as its territorial waters and able to exert defense at that limit. The boarding took place at least 70NM off its coast….this is going to be a problem for Israel, they may have had an easier explanation if this took place inside the 12 NM limits. armed Boarding of ships in international waters is aggression and can be repelled by force.
I am not surprised by the warmongers on this board though, there seems to be a general attitude to roll the nuclear dice. If Israel is the last bastion of western civilization then maybe the world does not to start over, this time leave behind the remnants of medieval religious wars and beliefs on both sides.
Twelve nautical miles is pretty much the international standard nowadays.
I know that the filo-jihadist trolls are not listening but I will repeat the argument presented by Tom Perkins above:
the flotilla tried to violate a blockade.
This is an act of war.
The Israeli Navy has the right to inspect the ships to check for weapons…and they found them and they have been attacked by NON UNIFORMED personnel (a crime of war in itself).
I hope that the filo-jihadist trolls get well paid, because the role that they have to play is the role of the perfect idiot and it must be depressing…
If I’m a war monger then you are a holocaust perpetrator. I’ll wear mine if you wear yours.
Medieval? islam is heathen dark ages vintage, some 600 to 900 years behind the curve, riding in the short bus of history.
An epidemic of full retard like islam can only make the argument of the virus against the healthy cell: sheer numbers validate its political positions. But one surgical cure later, and even that spurious basis for legitimising the soiled nappy of world culture will be gone.
Smart in stopping convoy in international waters in case the boats had something big and nasty set to go off inside Israeli waters or near shore.
“Peace” activist with knives, clubs and metal bars? some peace activist.
If the NorKs can torpedo a ship and nothing is said or done to condemn this act then whyinahell didn’t the IDF just sink the ships at night and shut up about who “might” have done it ala North Korea?
How about the Russian acts dealing with Somali pirates? why is it Israel must operate as most civilized nations do with restraint or even abject surrender when faced with threats?
The best scenario would be to have an Israeli ship go out of control and smash all the peace convoys ships to peices and then appoligize for having defective equipment.
Since my reply disappeared, we try again. Please excuse overposting. In reply to the vid:
“Sir, just seen the vid, still doesnt convince me. Sure, there was a fight: I see clearly a guy charging a soldier w a pipe, another throwing some casing at them and one fistfight that looks like one of them is taking a beating. If those guys had gotten arrested and beaten up during that arrest, or even if a couple of them had got legshots, you wouldnt have heard a word from me, sir.
But 10 killed and 30-60 wounded? They must have hosed the deck with live ammo, either a copter mg or a set of snipers. I cant wait to see the forensic reports. This is the best and “most moral” infantryforce in the world doing a set-piece assault on a position with no enemy fire. And they reach that number of kills? Gimme a break.” Something must have gone all to hell, someone must have snapped. Ive served in noncombat, and know combat vets. Seriously, this was a screwup of dimensions. 60 wounded?
Lol, remember that we moderate the comments — even with something like this, with editors looking at it regularly, it can take some minutes before you get approved, and then it can take up to 5 minutes before the cache updates.
There wasn’t anywhere near that many killed. Closer to 10 – 12 people died. And that, on a ship in a mêlée on the deck of a ship with well over a hundred men on board can easily be explained (without resorting to wild accusations of machine gunning) with the order (very belatedly given) that soldiers were finally allowed to use their pistols instead of simply continuing to get stabbed, beaten, hurled overboard, and refraining from firing their pistols (as many of the videos clearly show).
If a solider (after the order to fire if your life is threatened) is attacked by a man with an axe and shoots his legs, the man goes down. Now man #2 comes running at the same soldier with another weapon — perhaps the long knife we saw in one of the Al-Jazeera photos, or perhaps the now famous long steel bar, whatever — now the soldier fires at man #2′s legs. Maybe the bullet grazes his leg and lo and behold continues on its way and hits… who? The first man (Mr Axe-wielder) who is now lying on the ground behind the pipe wielder running at the soldier. He gets hit while on the ground and in a way that is lethal. He can blame his friend for attacking while he was down instead of tending to his wounds, or at the least dragging him away from the fighting. But we all know how precious Muslims view each other’s lives.
Repeat this scenarios a few times and its easy to see 10 people getting killed. You must remember that at the end of one of the Al-Jazeera’s reports, an Arab woman on board says “we will reach one of two happy outcomes. Either we will reach Gaza, or we will become Martyrs!” So, given the clear a priori determination of the “peace activists” on board that particular ship (I think it was ship #6), one can see an extended violent battle taking place where soldiers were ambushed the second they landed and later soldiers reluctantly firing at the legs of oncoming men with weapons and on occasion hit a man already down on the ground behind the on-rushing attacker.
It’s not hard ever for this civilian to figure that out. But hey, maybe I just don’t know what I’m talking about. Please feel free to point out where I am laughably wrong.
It’s a pity that the North Koreans didn’t sink the Turkish vessel. Than there would be no world outcry.
When are we going to organize a freedom flotilla for the oppressed Kurds, the largest ethnic group without their own country? Let’s see how the Turks like that.
Just brilliant.
And very true.
I like that… I like that very much!
We have now passed fully into Orwel’s world. Reality is whatever the Obama media says it is. Any 12 year old with objective reasoning skills would understand that EVERYTHING is rigged now. Truth has been slain on earth. The elites of the Left know what the reality is, given this blockade running incident, or any other political situation. They don’t care. They are fully prepared to augment and assist another holocaust if it means advancement of their goals. The human virus must be controlled, beaten back to some manageable proportion ( something like perhaps one billion world population) and the Gaia worshipers put in full an d total control. They will likely nuke the muzzies when they get done using them. Perhaps sterilization chems in the water?
This whole “relief expedition” was undoubtedly intended to create a confrontation and generate a public relations coup. Sadly it seems to have succeeded. The legal rights of Israel mean little in the face of the increasingly sophisticated propoganda campaign waged by their enemies. Of course it must be stressed that this campaign would make little headway (at least in the West) if the liberal establishment had not already bought into the eliminationist argument of the Arab states.
.
Next time,
just blast the frigging peace boats out of the water.
We will send President Obama to clean up any of the oil leaks.
I cannot believe how the Israelis played into the ROP’s hands on this. They could not have screwed the pooch any worse. The idiot defense minister should be shot. Several high-up military commanders should instantly be given dishonorable discharges from the IDF. NO LESS than a dozen commandos should have hit that deck simultaneously. The way it was done instead was literally criminal. UNBELIEVABLE!!!
The most serious danger, I think, is that the Turkish Islamist ruling clique may go cuckoo & decide to send warships and warplanes to break the Gaza blockade. If that happens, then 1.) the US should get them expelled from NATO and 2.) the IDF should inflict such heavy damages on them (including bombing the Turkish mainland, if need be) that they will retreat and lick their wounds and 3.) Israel should go all out to assist Free Kurdistan–not just in Turkey, but in Iran and Syria as well.
Some of us have this thing we call reality, you know. Turkish forces are fighting in Afghanistan alongside their NATO brethren. WTF is this new Israeli initiative that the laws of the sea dont apply to them? First they unilateraly declare their border at 68 miles, and then they attack at 86? Against a turkish flag? Whut? thats a declaration of war against a NATO member…
This thing you call reality is slippery. Follow some of the recent updates: it turns out that eighth ship was filled with militants, armed with light weapons, and proceeding under the cover of a civilian convoy. On the one hand, you have the Israelis giving multiple warnings to divert to a nearby port for inspection, and seven out of eight obeying; on the other, you have one ship that refused, and turned out to be a false flag ship filled with unlawful combatants in the process of committing several war crimes.
Sadly, you apparently don’t see the fnords.
Chrlie M: If that narrative proves to be correct, I will be much surprised. But then Ill admit you will have a strong point.
i come from socialist Norway, and I know at least one (I think maybe two) who is onboard. Theres like conservative scandinavian intelectuals. And they are not idiots, because we fought the nazis when they were jewhaters way back when. I also know a lot of navy hunters, we are a small country with a specialized SF contigent. And ISrael screwed up on this one, theres a lot of different ways they couldda defused it.
If u see what I mean. 10 dead? 30 wounded? wtf, Baghdad shootout w two counterfire reports? Whut?
There are multiple reports out now, confirming in most part what Landes is saying. (Five out of six or seven out of eight?) I’m about to add extended video of the “peace activistis” with their knives chantying their desire for martyrdon.
The real question here is whether you can see past the fnords to what you aren’t supposed to see.
OK, have it your way, Nordic-F. It’s a war. Bring it on. Let’s see if Turkey decides that it hates Jews enough to sacrifice blood, treasure, and prestige.
If the Jew-haters in the EU feel the same, let them volunteer for an international brigade & we’ll see the color of their blood too.
Shame George Galloway wasn’t among the dead terrorists.
…if only… *sigh*
The most serious danger, I think, is that the Turkish Islamist ruling clique may go cuckoo & decide to send warships and warplanes to break the Gaza blockade.
An example of the typical fantasy that passes for analasyis in these pages. Over the past five years, its been Israel that has attacked other countries with warships and warplanes. Turkey hasn’t had an international escalation of force in its history as a nation. But yeah, watch out for Turkey…they’re “cuckoo”.
Ask the Armenians about this one. I’m sure they’ll disagree with you.
Or the Kurds. I could introduce you to some Kurds with unpleasant things to say about the modern state of Turkey and Saddam Hussein as well if you are interested.
Erdogan talks like a lunatic. And there are no doubt worse people waiting to replace him in the Islamist faction. Turkey is rapidly betraying the great secularist legacy of Kemal Ataturk. The time seems not far off when they’ll be a carbon copy of Iran. So be it.
kapo
These attacks would have to be the ones after rocket, suicide bomber, and small arms attacks suffered by Israel for years. So, of course, in your delusional world that makes Israel the aggressor. Just as halting this attempt by armed fighters to escape having their cargo checked before entering Gaza by Israel was somehow illegal.
The only mistake Israel made in this latest encounter with radical muslims was that they chose the path of minimal violence. Israel would have been well within their rights to have forced the ship to stop by firing upon it, instead of sending some poorly armed commandos to do the same.
” Turkey hasn’t had an international escalation of force in its history as a nation. ”
Tell that to the Armenians. Levine gets an F in history.
This minor-seeming incident could turn out to be huge like the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand.
I am proud of the IDF but disgusted at the incompetent government which sent troops with rules not to engage in a high risk situation. And they were forced to improvise. This is unacceptable.
Also the government is failing to communicate well, everyone shot off with the mouth again, including the horrible black pantsuit wearer feminist loudmouth Tsipi Livni.
Two can play the flotilla game.
http://wearegovernment.blogspot.com/2010/05/free-kurdistan-flotilla.html
The rise of Islam around the corner. What is said in the Quran about the destruction of the Jews, will occur. Jews will be killed by Muslims, so the trees can speak, tell any Jew hiding behind it.
Like that idea, do you? How brave are you, personally?
Amir,
No informed human being would choose Muhammed over The Messiah Jesus of Nazareth. The two figures are 180 degrees opposed. Love on one hand and death and destruction on the other. Obviously those who choose the prophet of death are under a great great curse condemning them to eternal oblivion.
Amir, please address and phone number so we can discuss further. Thanks.
Amir-
Since you seem so convinced of the rise, you could speed it’s arrival if you were in someplace where it needs to be spread faster, like Russia. Entering through Chechnya should help things.
The rise of Islam? In case you haven’t been paying attention to current events the last century or so, Moslem countries have fallen even further behind the rest of the world in all forms of development. Illiteracy and poverty are widespread and your countries are ruled by a motley collection of theocrats, military strongmen, and “kill first, ask questions after shehada later” street gangs. The West has been busy with productivity; the medicines and technology that separate a comfortable post industrial life from the suffering found in pre-industrial societies all come from us. Tiny Israel has more economic output than all of the Arab countries combined minus oil revenues. We have trained doctors and engineers while your countries have lived in squalor and destitution. While you seem certain about the final outcome of the Jews, you have contented yourselves in the meantime with slaughtering each other on a scale that would easily equal genocide if perpetrated by an outside group. The next time you go to the hospital (if one is available) or drink purified water (if that is also available), remember that we were out being productive while you were clinging to fantasies about Jews hiding behind talking trees.
The Qur’an doesn’t say that, it’s in the hadith. Are you really so ignorant of your own faith, or just a troll?
Frank 1
Troll 0
As an American Christian, I’ve never been one who thought Jews of Israel were perfect and can do no wrong – that’s the common charge I receive from the Leftist American Army of useful idiots.
I am sane enough to recognize the persecuted ally when I see one and I commend the IDF for job well done. Your restraint and humanity are noted. I wouldn’t have been so restrained had a band of thugs approached me with knives and clubs while I held an automatic weapon. We call that open season in my parts.
I wish Israel would quit wavering between two opinions, unify, and make it loud and clear there will be no more land for peace, nor will there be a two state solution that you can can agree.
My suggestion is to continue walking softly and start carrying a bigger stick. Bullies understand force, which they were reminded of this morning. Use the ululating and gnashing of teeth to be a signal at just how effective your were – the louder the wailing, the more effective.
Let the insane idiots and thugs run their mouths until their blue in the face. You’re tough enough to dispatch with the insults, as this is only a louder and shriller version of the norm and to be expected.
To get through this Israel has to buck up . Stand up to the bullies or your woes will just get worse.
No Nation has to excuse itself to any other trying to protect their sovereignty from those sworn to destroy them.
This is a wildly pessimistic article. In a week or two, this thing will be out of the news, and Israel will have achieved a certain level of deterrence against these types of operations. Hopefully, this is exactly what these “peace activists” Jihadists know they can expect from now on.
I do agree that the Israelis were very naive in thinking they were up against “peace activists” and should have initiated contact with far more force then they originally did. The good news is that they eventually got it right, and a level of deterrence has now been established.
Amir –
President Obama has his fingers in his ears and is saying, “la la la la la, I can’t hear you.”
Do not believe, however, that the rest of us aren’t aware of the truth of what you are saying.
Except for the talking tree part.
These situations are unavoidable as long as one side has no interest in avoiding them. In fact they appear to have every interest in pressing them. Today, tomorrow, the next. It doesn’t matter what Israel does or how it handles things. If one attempt fails, there’ll be another one tomorrow and sooner or later they’ll get what they want, which is violence and dead bodies. Besides, whenever it happens, Israel will be found guilty by the western press and this new generation of Chomskyite nitwits. The facts, as we see again and again, are utterly irrelevant to the narrative.
I can feel only shame at the way the American media is covering this attack on IDF soldiers. Shame on you AP!!!
A staged diversion compliments of Tehran & ‘friends’ Israel must confront combatants approaching a closed military zone.
Israel was clearly within its rights to intercept this terrorist flotilla. Unfortunately the anti-Semitic Left (but I’m being redundant)around the world is turning this into a PR nightmare for the Israelis. The good news here is that at least 10 Muslim terrorist thugs are now enjoying their virgins in paradise. I truly hope Barry 0 can summon up the testicular fortitude to stand with the Israelis on this. However, given his own anti-Semitic background that is probably wishful thinking.
I challenge anyone to get around the following criteria:
1 – There are shortages in the Gaza Strip.
2 – Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, is counting on what it has in common with the Gazans it oppresses to shield itself from the wrath of the Gazans who are oppressed by them.
3 – The catalogue of what has been smuggled into the Gaza Strip since 1948 is long, and the quantities are hardly insignificant.
4 – Those who took part, and those who okayed the flotilla, and those who did
not lift a finger to stop the flotilla are guilty of perpetuating the ongoing
hegemony of Hamas, and other nasties, because the alternative is simply unacceptable to them.
Rebuttals anyone?
No rebuttal, but the media hand wringing is quite a contrast when compared to the relative somber silence by the same people over the unprovoked North Korean sinking of a South Korean war ship. I guess the moral of the story is dead men tell no tales, and apparently it’s editorially better if everyone is in uniform, oriental, and goes down with the ship. Perhaps mysterious “Bermuda Triangle” sinking incidents off the coast of Israel would be more productive than standard boarding operations?
When “Bias” by Bernard Goldberg came out, I gave up my hope to find any hope of even-handedness from the usual suspects.
One thing that they avoid is this axiom, or truism: text out of context is pretext.
The story started before the boarding, but that is simply not allowed in “the better” newsrooms, for it would shine a light on their filth that they propagate.
After all, they are in the business of delivering what they conclude their audience wants, and it would be better for the audience to accept how the messenger sees it, because it is harder for the messenger to communicate what
the messenger finds dubious, rather than what the messenger concludes.
Media modus operandi when it comes to Israel:
1) Strip away all context;
2) Imply dark motives on Israel’s side, always;
3) Use selective footage, outraged intonations by the reader, and liberal quoting of Arab/Muslim ‘witnesses’;
4) Add several ‘the world has been Israel to stop this’; and
5) Top with ‘the ISRAELIS are killing the peace process.’
If you’re on a roll, throw in some ‘Old Testament’ imagery, and the story’s done. Fictional but effective.
Not a rebuttal, but an extension: observe this map of the Gaza Strip, and observe further that it borders two countries in the Middle East. The border is at about 34°E, and what country is to the west? The one with the cities Rafa and Sheikh Zuwayid?
That would be Egypt.
Want to break the “blockade”? Just open the Egyptian border.
It is part of the conspiracy of silence about Arab actors’ actions, and also the ‘man bites dog’ syndrome that there is near-total media silenced about Egyptian treatment of ‘Palestinians.’ In some ways it is – or used to be before the media crossed the line into cheerleading for terror – a compliment. That is, it’s a ‘story’ because ‘we don’t expect Israel (US), etc. to behave this way.’ We expect it of the Arabs.
It is hardly a full explanation, but it is part of the genesis of the current media madness.
Go Israel!
You have this American gentile’s full support.
I am sick at heart. The knee jerk anti-Semitic reaction to this in my own community is frightening. No interest in the whole story, no interest in more facts. Just immediate judgment and “kill the Jews.”
I seldom comment on blogs like this because I am so busy trying to make an honest living in very hard times. It doesn’t leave much time for anything else. Every once in awhile I feel compelled to submit a view as seen from these aging Jewish eyes. I have in past mentioned, that as young man aged 17, I left my comfortable home in Canada to join the Israeli army as the six day war broke out. I was not allowed to enter the army but instead was sent to a kibbutz to help pick the bananas and guard the farm at night while every man and women born there went off to fight against all odds. It was during that year that I had the privilege to find out for myself what a magnificent group of people we Jews are. It could be seen everywhere, a whole society living with one common goal – to live in freedom and dignity – to create good for all mankind and above all – SURVIVE A HOSTILE WORLD. With a little research on the web, it’s not hard to find how this little nation of Jews has done in such a short time (60 years). We have produced more science, technology, medicine, and art than any other nation during this time. Imagine what could have been accomplished if we were left alone and did not have to spend all to much time, money and energy just to defend ourselves from certain extinction if the majority of the world had it’s way.
We Jews however are not perfect. As imperfect humans we do make mistakes. This incident was not one of them. I don’t think any person who can honestly put themselves into a modern day Israeli’s shoes would disagree. Some of the very brave individuals in this forum, who complain that there was too much force used by the soldiers boarding, would no doubt never have had the bravery to be the 5th and 6th soldier sliding down that rope, that I guarantee. By this time these guys knew what was happening. Now according to the brave individuals complaining, the soldiers should have continued to board with smile and handshakes. Hardly! If I had seen my brother being beaten and clubbed before me I would not hesitate in using any means available to me make sure of his safety. Trained men in many disciplines cop, soldiers, etc in our modern culture – all act accordingly. I would never sacrifice a brother for theirs, NEVER! NEVER! I’d shoot the first S.O.B I saw beating my brother with a pipe – and not hesitate for a second.
One must remember, as well trained as the Jewish soldiers are, they are still just human beings. In our case we are targeted daily – globally, with hate and untruths. It has been this way for all time. There are young Jewish men serving in the armed forces who are afraid (not quite so perfect under stressful circumstances like this) who only want to survive to go back to their loved ones and have some sense of normality in a crazy crazy world. Once again, this was not a fight perpetuated by Israeli’s, but unfortunately it certainly is a fight that they cannot back away from. I don’t think it’s possible to understand this unless you are a Jew.
This brings me to my next thought. There might be some good that comes from this latest conflict. Once again we see how powerful the propaganda machine of the global Jew hater is. Before this story actually could be clearly defined or properly reported there was massive protest all over the world. I watched with some humor as a young Arabic women was sobbing in Times Square this morning praying for Martyrdom with several young Americans yelling anti Israeli slogans as if they any idea of what the conflicts in the middle east are really about. All they know that their father hated Jews as his father did before him. The good I see from this latest action is that those Jews who have not yet come to realize there is a very real, very serious problem for our people worldwide, surely will now have their eyes opened once and for all. Every Jew – every man and woman have to stand up for our people. You see on every news channel the Arab street and their supporters by the masses – in the streets and in academia – calling for the end of the Jewish nation – MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THAT! It is time we support our people in the same fashion. Shame on you if you do not. Double shame if you have a child that you have brought into this world and do not defend its rights. You do this by supporting Israel because Israel may become the only place left in the world where a Jew is really safe. You need to make your voices heard in every arena that the anti-Semite does. You need do take the advice my old dad used to give me when I was a kid. He used to tell me because I was a Jew I had to be twice as smart as the next guy, learn 3 times more than the next guy and work 4 times harder then the next guy in order to succeed in this world. It has always been this way and always will. Just saying. Now go out there and help.
One last thing – where were all the concerned people of the earth including our President and all his men when the South Korean submarine was sunk with all men aboard lost. Where were they when the Iranian dissidents were killed in the streets for peaceful protests in Tehran . Give me a break – enough is enough!
Very, very true. The reason why there were no protesters about what happened in Teheran last year (or Halabja under Saddam or Lahore last weekend or in the violent takeover of the Gaza strip) is that no one cares. The point is to demonize Israel. These people don’t really give a falafel about the Palestinians; they should rightly be called “Anti-Israel protesters.”
Thanks. Ohavim otcha, achi. arevim ze l’ze; all of Israel is the guarantor of the rest. Sleep well, the IDF and all the security services are watching out for us.
Crowd chanting: “Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Muhammad will return.”
And i will face this army directly.Youve already declared war on the West.Youve declared war on all infidels who are not Muslims.You all have no morals to stand on since your declaration of war.We will resist and we will win.Next time we will torpedoe your ships.
Unlike Obama, Israel won’t be spending a lot of time saying “what part of NO do you not understand.” Or please, please, please don’t make me send another strongly worded letter again.
Way to go, Israel. K.A. & T.N. It gets the cotton out of their ears.
“Sir, just seen the vid, still doesnt convince me. Sure, there was a fight: I see clearly a guy charging a soldier w a pipe, another throwing some casing at them and one fistfight that looks like one of them is taking a beating. If those guys had gotten arrested and beaten up during that arrest, or even if a couple of them had got legshots, you wouldnt have heard a word from me, sir.”
You have seen too many movies. Contrary to what the NY idiots in charge are trying to do, you do not shoot at legs or arms. That is not only dangerous to others around you, it does not stop determined attackers. When someone has a weapon that can kill you, and they are in close proximity to you, you do not engage in hand to hand combat when you have a functional firearm. But anyone who has ever had their life threatened already knows this. You obviously have not. So do not come here and try to critique how trained professionals behaved when you are neither trained, nor professional.
What Turkey did was force Israel into the corner, knowing the current govt would over react in the court of public opinion. Israel had many choices, it took the shortsighted path and rammed its head into the wall.
Its not reality, but perception that drives the world. Now the world will perceive Israel in a different light than before, regardless. Boarding in international waters was ill conceived, boarding a ship knowing it was political bait, was ignorant.
Winning a tiny armed conflict, and losing the political war, is what Israel accomplished.
Why is the blockade in place? Because of rockets fired into Israel, not to mention the kidnapping of Meir Schalit.
Are you in the least bit interested in putting forth any effort to put more details in context, or are you just a lard-ass on the couch expecting to be catered to, and others do the thinking for you?
The enemies of Israel have made it the whipping boy of social democrats who live in western countries. Arguments about who did what to whom are of no consequence. It’s bad for Israel if the Gaza blockade is broken. It’s bad for Israel if the blockade holds by virtue of events that allow this kind of international theatre.
Anyone who has been in a jam knows that decisions are made in a moment. Second guessing by people who were not there is pointless. Same thing applies to this incident. What was done is done. Israel was and is still surrounded by enemies. Because the provacateurs were so successful this time around, there will be sequels.
This flotilla isn’t some jolly campus protest against increased tuition fees. This is a stand off between implacable foes in a violent place. Scandinavian intellectual fellow travellers are taking part of their own volition and shouldn’t expect special treatment. Strange to say, only they can see that halo shining around their intellect. If Stockholm and Oslo were under fire from rocket attacks as Israel is, those intellectuals would of course condemn their own Sweden and Norway as evil places if they took counter measures against the attacks.
i’m just curious where all the bravado and might would be if another country, the US, did not supply the money and arms.
as for n. korea, i’m not sure if any one of us has comprehensive access to the full details of the “independent review” to make a correlation to this incident.