Israel kills 10+ on Free Gaza Flotilla taking aid to Gaza
IMCista | 08.06.2010 21:00 | Flotilla to Gaza | Palestine
At 4.30am local time, armed Israeli troops boarded one of the boats in the Free Gaza Flotilla which was carrying construction supplies, medical equipment and schoolbooks to Gaza, in an attempt to break the siege which Israel imposed on Gaza over 1080 days ago.
35 UK citizens were aboard the boats, which carried activists from over 50 countries. The boats were reportedly 80 miles off the coast of Gaza, and many on the boats were said to be asleep when Israeli troops opened fire with machine guns. Many wounded have reportedly been taken to Israeli hospitals. Israel is on a media offensive claiming that its troops were attacked first. Even if it were true, they would need to explain why they were boarding a ship flying a Turkish flag in International waters.
A demo was held outside Downing Street yesterday afternoon and Stop the War had already called a demo for this afternoon at 2pm outside Downing Street.
ISM London stated that they were "horrified" by the incident but also stated that "We’re not surprised that the attacks took place in International waters, or that they were a reckless, murderous over-reaction to unarmed ships carrying medical supplies and building materials. Israel routinely meets non violent Palestinian protest with lethal violence."
On the 31st May protests were held across the country with reports coming in from London, Cambridge, Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, and Galway. In London the protest moved on from Downing Street to the Israeli Embassy, whilst in Bristol a protest was held in solidarity with Palestinians and the two Bristolians aboard the attacked convoy. In Galway a protest was held inside Marks & Spencer in protest of their support of the occupation, and in Manchester protesters attempted to storm the BBC building in protest of biased reporting.
There is also news that Israel vows to attack next Flotilla boat - possibly tomorrow
Video: Call for action from activist Caoimhe Butterly (Gaza TV News)
31st May Protests: London: 1 | 2 | 3 Cambridge: 1 | 2 | 3 Bristol: 1 Birmingham: 1 Sheffield: 1 Galway: 1 | Manchester protesters try to storm BBC
UPDATE: On Tuesday 15th June two survivors of the attack, Alex Phillips and Osama Qashoo who were on board the Mavi Marmara spoke at a public meeting in Sheffield organised by the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
IMCista
Comments
Hide the following 49 comments
Also protest 11am Foreign Office, 5pm Manchester BBC
31.05.2010 09:16
Andrew
Demo Bristol hippodrome 3pm
31.05.2010 10:14
.
Oxford demo - Tuesday, 1pm, Cornmarket Street
31.05.2010 12:32
Kit
e-mail:
munilooney@gmail.com
Vigil in Oxford this evening
31.05.2010 14:50
AT CARFAX
Come if you can - I know many are away today. Bring a candle if you can.
I've made a leaflet and am making a banner.
We'll also have a bigger action (a line down Cornmarket?) on Saturday,
and aim to focus attention on the continuing seige of Gaza, as well as
protest today's murderous piracy by Israel.
[Passed on from Oxford Ramallah]
Kit
Resistance
31.05.2010 17:35
I think it's probably a mixture of the two, incompetence and evil.
Hermes
War crime, piracy, murder, kidnapping
31.05.2010 19:37
Israel has committed various crimes tonight. This time cannot hide, behind the war against the "terrorists of Gaza", this time is against citizens of 50 different countries. Let me tell you:
Its first crime was: Waving war against Turkey for attacking ships under Turkey's flag (Crime against the Humanity)
Second: Piracy for the assault of ship in international waters
Third: Murder 14 civilians
Fourth: Attend of Murder in the account of every single person in the ship
Fifth: Kidnapping for transporting the people of the ships to military bases
The UN MUST start procedures against the President of Israel and all his cabinet for these crimes. Interpol MUST arrest these criminals. USA and EU MUST start a blockade against Israel.
Tonight; Israel killed for bricks and mortar so Gaza cannot repair its infrastructures. Gaza needs our help so does not depend of Israel for food, medicines and jobs. The bricks in the ships were the foundations of a better future for Gaza. Israel has proved once more its lack of respect for international laws and carried out the last episode of the "Palestinian Holocaust". The Uniforms are different, the ideas are different but the tactics are the same:
Warsaw ghetto (blockade, isolation, hunger, poverty,lack of medicines, etc...)
How long the USA and Europe will protect this criminal state?
Karlos Xardel
karlos Xardel
e-mail:
karloxardel@gmail.com
Ignore comment advertising demo 1pm Oxford
31.05.2010 20:02
There'll be a demo on Thursday at 6pm on Cornmarket Street instead. Better to have a big'un than split the effort.
Kit
Call for action from activist Caoimhe Butterly (Gaza TV News).
31.05.2010 21:30
freeGAZA
Like a microcosm of the whole conflict
01.06.2010 02:37
Israel acts like 'You should let us kill anyone we like, anywhere we like, and if you don't, you're an anti-semite'. You are so far removed from reality. It has nothing to do with anti-semitism. It's about basic humanity and common sense. When are you going to stop painting yourself as the victim and using it to justify every sort of atrocity?
Hermes
US activist loses eye in West Bank
01.06.2010 09:44
31 May 2010: An American solidarity activist was shot in the face with a tear gas canister during a demonstration in Qalandiya, today. Emily Henochowicz is currently in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem undergoing surgery to remove her left eye, following the demonstration that was held in protest to Israel’s murder of at least 10 civilians aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters this morning.
21-year old Emily Henochowicz was hit in the face with a tear gas projectile fired directly at her by an Israeli soldier during the demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint today. Israeli occupation forces fired volleys of tear gas at unarmed Palestinian and international protesters, causing mass panic amongst the demonstrators and those queuing at the largest checkpoint separating the West Bank and Israel.
Hermes
Israel admits previous sabotage
01.06.2010 10:34
"We have to transfer because this boat is in bad shape. Even though it's been certificated and tested, everythings been checked on this boat, it's been road tested, suddenly the steering is failing, the pumps are failing, it is actually taking water so we have no alternative but to pull into a port and make repairs. There is a lot of people who view this as sabotage, it could be the case, but we aren't going to know until we examine the boat"
The sabotage theory was today confirmed by the Israeli government.
'Vilna'i hinted on sabotaged ships'
“Every possibility was considered. The fact is that there were ten less ships in the flotilla than were originally planned.” - Deputy Defense Minister Manan Vilna'i
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More confirmation of sabotage
01.06.2010 12:34
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Help break the Pro-Israel censorhip on de.indymedia.org!!!
01.06.2010 15:32
Please send articles about Gaza to de.indymedia.org
f
Why 600 passengers?
01.06.2010 16:01
loppy
Why 600 passengers?
01.06.2010 22:59
A more obvious clue is in the name, WitnessGaza.com , as if you were witnessing a murder you would want more than one witness. The real question is 'Why aren't more than 600 witnesses sailing to Gaza with aid?'
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30 odd people are more than enough witnesses
02.06.2010 10:22
loppy
@ loppy
02.06.2010 10:32
freeGAZA
I am sorry to sound contrive my English isn't that good
02.06.2010 15:39
loppy
FreedomFlotilla, IDF-Pirates and International Law
02.06.2010 17:46
The San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea seems to show that Israel has complied with international law to the letter.
Paragraph 47 lists ships that are exempt from attack. Presuambly, the flotilla organizers consider themselves to fit under sub-paragraph (c)(ii):
(c) vessels granted safe conduct by agreement between the belligerent parties including:
(ii) vessels engaged in humanitarian missions, including vessels carrying supplies indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, and vessels engaged in relief actions and rescue operations;
The next paragraph mentions a major exception:
48. Vessels listed in paragraph 47 are exempt from attack only if they: (a) are innocently employed in their normal role;
(b) submit to identification and inspection when required; and
(c) do not intentionally hamper the movement of combatants and obey orders to stop or move out of the way when required.
In addition, such sea-blockades in international waters are legal:
96. "The force maintaining the blockade may be stationed at a distance determined by military requirements."
More relevant sections:
98. "Merchant vessels believed on reasonable grounds to be breaching a blockade may be captured. Merchant vessels which, after prior warning, clearly resist capture may be attacked."
103. "If the civilian population of the blockaded territory is inadequately provided with food and other objects essential for its survival, the blockading party must provide for free passage of such foodstuffs and other essential supplies, subject to: (a) the right to prescribe the technical arrangements, including search, under which such passage is permitted; and (b) the condition that the distribution of such supplies shall be made under the local supervision of a Protecting Power or a humanitarian organization which offers guarantees of impartiality, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross."
Israel does all of these things. Last week, Israel delivered more cement to Gaza than the flotilla wanted to provide - but Israel gave the cement to UNRWA under strict conditions and ensuring that they are used only for the purposes they are earmarked for.
BTW according to Xinhua, at the moment Hamas is refusing to recieve parts of the Flotilla-Aid, which is now being delivered through Israel.
Another BTW: The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, Article 101 explains the following:
Piracy consists of any of the following acts:
(a) any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft, and directed:
(i) on the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft;
(ii) against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State;
(b) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship or aircraft;
I don’t think even the Gaza flotilla defenders claim that the IDF raid was “committed for private ends.” (Just the opposite, actually). And, in general, piracy cannot be committed by a national ship, only by private ships or by national ships that have been taken over by their crews.
So can we drop the stupid piracy meme? The very hard legal issue left is:
Did the IDF use disproportionate force? (I have no idea). This last question is really the key issue here, and it is also the one that is never going to be resolved with any certainty given that it is dependent on neutral factual determinations that will never happen here.
(A)
*owch*
02.06.2010 18:11
...is that a group of full on type protesters on board the ship that wouldn't kowtow, resisted the boarding by Isreali military, who were, bizarrely, totally unprepared for such a type of resistance, and started using guns to fight off the raging militants. I think its true to say that the Isreali military were expecting the NVDA (non violent direct action) type resistance. What they got was a serious beating until they took control with guns. However by pushing the case like this, and basically martyring themselves, these protestors, plus whoever else was shot, have created a propaganda implosion for the Isreali state...and HOWEVER the Isreali state does not have the right to enact genocide/ethic cleansing of the indigenous people of Palestine, a reality that is neccessary in order to make room for the ever explanionist Isreali state. It is this crux reality that needs to be fundimentally acknoledged by the Isrealis, and peace made with neighbours, before true peace can be achieved. Who can do this? Yah perhaps :)
Worth saying also that Hamas are a nasty bunch of scum that no one should support. Headcases lead by mad mullahs that are directing the fucking stupid suicide bombing type trip. Militarily insane. It has been proven many many time over in military campaigns, that targeting of infrastructure is the most effective way to attack a country/enemy. I.e. Expressway systems/bridges etc. But will these egoising wankers learn? Like fuck. Instead ''you will go to heaven if you blow yourself up in a crowd of civilians.'' I think it also needs to be said that both christian, jewish and Mulsim religious books bear NO REALITY WHAT-SO-EVER to the original teachings/channelling religious telepathy thought of the relevant saints/entities, and have been highly modified by associated patriarchal filth that think they control societies. (enforced bonnet wearing etc etc etc etc etc)
I do think that individuals like Jesus and Mohammed were also egoising pricks...as well as being religious channels in the magical/pyscik/telepathic sense. The fact that modern nonsensical religious dogma is being enforced in their name by extreme violence would be truely horrifically screamingly upsettingly weepingly nightmare for these saints. That, by the way is part of the reason why its important not to egoise and become a individually identifiable community wide effect consciousness transcending saint. These days by the way, a Jesus type saint (with the community wide effect) operating in western society would more than likely be fitted up as a paedophile, rather than cruxified on the cross, by the ritual abuse masonic state. It MIGHT be possible to work within the Islamic or Hindu paradigm...perhaps with certain constraints...but Mason manor - ooo deary deary me. A definite no no.
...Know this knoledge from the sadu trip in India by the way, where this stuff is mainstream, even in the modern age.
Fucking annoying idiocy all round.
Sort yerselves out please.
Blessings
Creation Dream Becomes Manifest With Extasy
Sloppy Loppy
02.06.2010 20:25
It wasn't just a supply ship. The supplies carried were a tiny part of what Gaza needs, the aim of the flotilla is to break the inhumane seige of Gaza by opening sea channels that were open until 2007, as called for in last years UN resolution on Gaza which "Welcomes the initiatives aimed at creating and opening humanitarian corridors and other mechanisms for the sustained delivery of humanitarian aid"
"I doubt all of them are Doctors I sure many of them are on a free ride and a trip for no propose. I just think it would had been more a success if a true explanation was given"
A true explanation has been given, you've just not bothered to read it and instead embarrass yourself here by asking stupid questions. If you had bothered to read the Free Gaza website, instead of criticising a movement you haven't taken taken five minutes to investigate, you would have read:
"We want to break the siege of Gaza. We want to raise international awareness about the prison-like closure of the Gaza Strip and pressure the international community to review its sanctions policy and end its support for continued Israeli occupation. We want to uphold Palestine's right to welcome internationals as visitors, human rights observers, humanitarian aid workers, journalists, or otherwise"
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Zionist Violation of International Maritime Law Concerning the Gaza Relief Ships
02.06.2010 22:53
In light of the fact the United States turned over a goodly number of nuclear warheads to them, the people of the World should be extremely concerned that such an unstable rogue state is in possession of such weapons.
Hopefully such a case will be the becoming of the process whereby the zionist regime will be compelled to turn over their nuclear stockpile to the United Nations.
Owen Chase
(A)
03.06.2010 00:17
What the fuck do I know?
propanganda, rogue states and international law
03.06.2010 03:11
since you've given no source for your claim that "one of their [the IDF's] major aims was their attempted assassination of certain individuals on the lead ship" i'll take it unproven and just another peace of common islamistic propaganda picked up somewhere in the internet. So-called journalists from Pakistan and Syria claimed for example that the IDF had executed 4 palestinean TV-journalists on Marva Marmara with headshots right in front of them. Another one: the IDF kidnapped a palestinean baby-child and threatened to kill him if the captain of Marva Marmara didn't stop the ship. no proof whatsoever.
also your condemnation of Israel as an "unstable rogue state" is IMO a bit harsh. Consider the situation over there: Israel is in fact surrounded by enemie states and organisations. Now just recall how british government reacted on the IRA, the spanish government's reaction on ETA, the german governments reaction on the RAF.... (could go on). Compared to Hamas and Hizbullah these were all minor threats. In the end you'll see Israel is in good company with any modern bourgeois state in Europe and elsewhere. Doesn't make it any better, but will reveal that cruelty and state-terrorism are not especially Israelian traits.
@ what the fuck do i know
it sure needs two parties for a good war, but the paper i quote referrs to armed conflict at sea in general. further the paragraphs i quoted are applicable to neutral ships.
redfront!
(A)
Someone Seems Nervous
03.06.2010 04:35
Patience. The inquests have not yet begun.
In the meantime, is there is any good reason why a state the size of New Jersey should hold one of the five largest repositories of nuclear weapons in the World?
Owen Chase
patience and nuclear wepons
03.06.2010 11:24
no raw nerves hit, yet ;-) Just as you said: let's all keep hysteria down and wait patiently for serious inquest results. that's what I'm trying to say. thank you.
"is there is [sic] any good reason why a state the size of New Jersey should hold one of the five largest repositories of nuclear weapons in the World?"
(though i'm not sure wether that was ever proven or admitted by israel in public)
No, i think there's absolutely no good reason for any state to maintain larger arsenals of nuclear weaponry - but there's explanations. As I tried to point out before israel is one of the (if not the!) most endangered state(s) in the world. For a (modern) state it's only "natural" to accumulate any kind of leathal devices to defend (this includes aggression) against its enemies. Yet israel has never used her nuclear weapons against any of her numerous enemies nor shown serious intention to do so.
Again we see israel in good company with any modern bourgeois state in Europe and elsewhere.
BTW Ever wondered why france, great britain, the usa or russia still hold enourmous amounts of nuclear weapons? Ever been anxious about nuclear weapons in pakistan, india or north-corea?
redfront!
(A)
(A)
03.06.2010 11:52
If they don't then the peacetime rules apply and this is an act of murderous piracy, and consequently Gaby Ashkenazi, Ehud Barak and Benyamin Netanyahu should all be the object of international arrest warrants for ordering it.
wtf
War and peace, allies and foes
03.06.2010 13:11
as I said before, the papers i quoted such as
- the Helsinki Principles on the Law of Maritime Neutrality
- the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea
- the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea
are fully applicable to neutral ships, i.e. ships flying the flag of a neutral state such as Turkey or the USA. Their application is also not subject to formal declaration of war or s.th. - these paragraphs may be applied to any kind of armed conflict or conflict with involvement of armed forces at sea.
(do also read my other comments)
And if you look at the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, article 101 you'll find that piracy qua definitionem cannot be committed by states or state ships. So what happenend was certainly not "piracy" and whether it was "murderous" (i.e. "murder") or "self defense" (possibly with disproportionate use of force) is still to be investigated.
(do also read my other comments)
Redfront!
(A)
Its time to call zionists for what they are, racist savages
03.06.2010 13:44
It is long overdue that this stockpile is turned over to the United Nations and nuclear whistle blower Mordechai Vanunu be allowed, finally, to leave the clutches of his captors.
Winston Churchill
Swedish Port Workers Blockade Israeli Goods
03.06.2010 14:58
Solidarity Forever
Unfortunately
03.06.2010 21:04
Hermes
Zionism Is Racist and Wrong
04.06.2010 00:27
The Zionists, the active and willing collaborators of Adolf Hitler, attempt to defile Judaism by using it as a pretext and justification for their horrendous crimes. They are despicable.
Fortunately long after Zionism ends, Judaism will live. It was here long before Herzl and his racist criminal gang and will be here long after them.
No Justice, No Peace
We Shall Overcome
Paul Robeson
(A)tomic (A)pologist
04.06.2010 09:17
"Yet israel has never used her nuclear weapons against any of her numerous enemies nor shown serious intention to do so"
In the 1973 Yom Kippur / Ramadan War Israel deployed thirteen 20 kiloton nuclear weapons and was seriously intending on using them. This was confirmed in 2003 by Naftali Lavie, who was Defence Minister Moshe Dayan's spokesman during the war. This is generally regarded as the closest we have come to nuclear war since the Cuban misile crisis.
Israel agreed to sell nuclear weapons to Apartheid South Africa, hardly the act of a responsible state.
Israel has currently briefed that it has deployed three nuclear armed submarines of the coast of Iran.
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Sabotage delays the MV Rachel Corrie
04.06.2010 09:40
(Cyprus, June 4, 2010) On Tuesday,, Colonel Itzik Tourgeman told the Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday that two more ships are on their way to try and break the naval blockade of Gaza. The head of research in the operations division said, "The ships have not reached their target as of today because covert action was taken against them."
We had suspicions about our two boats, Challenger 1 and 2 and their mechanical problems as they sailed toward the flotilla, but we were not going to say anything unless we could prove it. Turns out we didn't have to prove it. Israeli mouthpieces did.
The Guardian ran a piece the same day, saying,
Israel gave strong indications today that its forces had secretly sabotaged some of the ships bound for Gaza as part of the freedom flotilla.
Matan Vilnai, the deputy defence minister, was asked on Israel Radio whether there had not been a smarter alternative to direct assault. He answered that "all possibilities had been considered," adding: "The fact is that there were less than the 10 ships that were due to participate in the flotilla."
An unnamed Israeli Defence Force source who briefed the Knesset's foreign affairs and defence committee on the widely criticised armed interception of the flotilla at sea, also spoke of "grey operations" being mounted against the flotilla."
We were lucky that our two captains were supurbly trained and able to offload the passengers safely.
So we are going to make sure the Rachel Corrie is well protected and that Israel is put on notice that anything that happens to her, the passengers and the crew will rest with Israel. As a result of these threats, we're going to pull Rachel Corrie into a port, add more high-profile people on board, and insist that journalists from around the world also come with us.
And sabotage happens with more than deeds. It also happens with words. In today's Haaretz, Barak Ravid reported,
"A diplomatic solution seems imminent to allow the humanitarian aid vessel the Rachel Corrie to dock without incident at the Ashdod Port. According to European diplomats and senior Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem, quiet messages have been exchanged over the past few days between Israel and the group operating the ship, to allow it to dock."
This, too, is sabotage in writing. We called Haaretz and the reporter. He did not return our call.
We have no intention nor would we ever have any intention of ever docking in Ashdod.
Contact: Greta Berlin 00 357 99 18 72 75
Mary Hughes, 00 357 96 38 38 09
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Oh come off it!
04.06.2010 14:50
Israel agreed to sell nuclear weapons to Apartheid South Africa, hardly the act of a responsible state.
Israel has currently briefed that it has deployed three nuclear armed submarines of the coast of Iran."
The only people who really believe any of that, are living in Israel!
Realist
Israeli nuclear PRopoganda
04.06.2010 15:40
Obvious nonsense. The NYT reported this, as did every major international news media including right wing media inside Israel.
"Ever been anxious about nuclear weapons in pakistan, india or north-corea?"
Pakistan, India and North Korea combined have less nukes than Israel. All their nukes are pointed across a single border, where as Israel claims to be surrounded by enemies so will be targetting more people and inherently more dangerous. If the Israeli submarines near Iran fire their nuclear missiles at Iranian nuclear sites then there would be war with Iran and Syria, but the US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan would bear the brunt of that. If Israel is threatening to nuke an islamic country just because it could develop a bomb, is it not also capable of nuking an Islamic country that already has nuclear missiles? If an Israeli nuclear armed cruise missle hit a Pakistan nuclear site, it would be likely that Pakistan and India would fire all their missiles at each oither. Israel could justify that to its own deluded and fearful people as punishment for AQ Khan leaking Pakistani know-how.
Nuclear Arsenals
Russia (former Soviet Union) 4,650 / 12,000
United States 2,468 / 9,600
France ~300
United Kingdom 225
China 180-240
Pakistan 70-90
India 60-80
North Korea <10
Israel is estimated to have between 200 to 400 nukes. At 200 Israel would have the fitth or 6th largest nuclear arsenal, but if they have 400, they would be the third largest nuclear arsenal.
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Egypt fails to block Gaza tunnels
04.06.2010 21:49
gar
Homepage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0M1s5m1LYQ
Oh come on, again!
05.06.2010 08:12
Do you have ANY idea how much it costs to maintain an arsenal that size? And are you aware how much effort Israel puts into perpetuating the notion that it is armed with nuclear weapons? Or why?
And the NYT and other media report what it is told. Not one of those stories can be verified as being reports based on fact. Israel has always denied having weapons like this.
You don't understand just how small Israel is? We are a nation of almost 70 million people and cannot afford our own ballistic missile program, we buy off the shelf from the US and even so, the cost is horrendously high. How do you work out the sums for a nation of 7 Million?
Exactly how does a nation with a population the size of London afford to maintain a nuclear arsenal of submarine, aerial and ground-based ballistic systems delivery of 400 nuclear warheads?
To talk about Israel being on par with super-powers does nothing but inflate Israel's reputation around the world and it is that that allows it to behave in the way that it does!
See Israel for what it is, not what it wants you to think it is.
Realist
Nukes - a head up
05.06.2010 08:18
...
jackslucid
How does Israel maintain its arsenal?
05.06.2010 13:24
Hermes
Israel too poor to own nukes?
05.06.2010 14:30
Poor Israel
You claim to be an Israeli and yet every Israeli knows about Israels Jerico missiles. The Jerico 3 can hit the Europe and most of North America so we know about them too. To claim Israel is too poor to possess the weaponary it clearly possesses is obfuscation.
"How do you work out the sums for a nation of 7 Million?"
If you divide the 101 Billion dollars in US aid between 7 million people, thats about 15 million dollars per person. Poor Israel.
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Fear, pain and propaganda: an activist’s story
06.06.2010 05:56
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contradicting witnesses
06.06.2010 11:57
anon
Witness reports are complimetary, not contradictory
06.06.2010 14:05
The Lebanese account makes clear in the following quote that the live ammo shooting started before the boarding, when the activists were still trying to prevent a boarding from Zodiac boats, which is more damning than McDermots trstimony. It says:
The standoff lasted about 10 minutes until the Israelis opened fire, he said: "One man got a direct hit to the head and another one was shot in the neck."
Whereas McDermot witnessed a passive media organiser being executed, in the quote I already provided. McDermot also witnessed Israeli commandos being captured. However, to say that the Israeli cover-up is simply to hide their incompetence is to ignore the fact the Lebanese witness saw one murder before the ship was even boarded, and McDermot witnessed another murder when the ship was secured. Two blatant murders by the IDF, added to the autopsy evidence that five of the dead were shot in the back, is reason enough to explain the cover-up.
In a typical Israeli 'fuck you' to the rest of the world, one Israeli commando who claims to have shot the six of the victims is to be awarded a medal of valour.
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(A)pologist - your stock 'San Remo defence' demolished
06.06.2010 14:43
"Every comments thread on every internet site on the world which has discussed the Israeli naval murders, has been inundated by organised ZIonist commenters stating that the Israeli action was legal under the San Remo Manual of International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea.
They ignore those parts of San Remo that specifically state that it is illegal to enforce a general blockade on an entire population. But even apart from that, San Remo simply does not apply.
The manual relates specifically to legal practice in time of war. With whom is Israel at war?
There is no war.
Israeli apologists have gone on to say they are in a state of armed conflict with Gaza.
Really? In that case, why do we continually hear Israeli complaints about rockets fired from Gaza into Israel? If it is the formal Israeli position that it is in a state of armed conflict with Gaza, then Gaza has every right to attack Israel with rockets.
But in fact, plainly to the whole world, the nature and frequency of Israeli complaints about rocket attacks gives evidence that Israel does not in fact believe that a situation of armed conflict exists.
Secondly, if Israel wishes to claim it is in a state of armed conflict with Gaza, then it must treat all of its Gazan prisoners as prisoners of war entitled to the protections of the Geneva Convention. If you are in a formal state of armed conflict, you cannot categorise your opponents as terrorists.
But again, it is plain for the world to see from its treatment and description of Gazan prisoners that it does not consider itself to be in a formal position of armed conflict.
Israel is seeking to pick and choose which bits of law applicable to armed conflict it applies, by accepting or not accepting it is in armed conflcit depending on the expediency of the moment".
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Bradford demo
07.06.2010 01:09
There is a feature on protests in the north on northern indymedia at the moment with photos, audio and video;
www.northern-indymedia.org
jen
Homepage:
http://www.northern-indymedia.org
Demolishing that stock 'San Remo defence'? - Failure.
10.06.2010 16:51
QUOTE "San Remo simply does not apply.
The manual relates specifically to legal practice in time of war." UNQUOTE
Simply WRONG! And you'd just 've had to read few sections of "San Remo" to find out.
(if anyone think I missed sth - sry, please help me with some quotes or sources)
QUOTE "With whom is Israel at war? [...] Israeli apologists have gone on to say they are in a state of armed conflict with Gaza." UNQUOTE
Replace "Gaza" by "Hamas, who are the leading racket in Gaza" and you've got your answer.
QUOTE "They [Israeli apologists] ignore those parts of San Remo that specifically state that it is illegal to enforce a general blockade on an entire population." UNQUOTE
First: What you and Mr Craig Murray do ignore is the simple fact that there is NO GENERAL BLOCKADE enforced on the population of Gaza.
Second: Since you and Mr Murray apparently were not able to find just one paragraph from "San Remo" to support your bold claims, I'll help you out a little:
"102. The declaration or establishment of a blockade is prohibited if:
(a) it has the sole purpose of starving the civilian population or denying it other objects essential for its survival; or
(b) the damage to the civilian population is, or may be expected to be, excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated from the blockade."
The naval blockade was installed to prevent (illegal) weapon-deliveries to Hamas (or other "terrorist organisations") coming from states like Iran or Turkey, which had frequently taken place before. And it serves this purpose just great.
In addition I would not by any means consider the damage inflicted on the civilian population of Gaza by the Isreali naval-blockade "exzessive". Israel and Egypt (and other states) help provide sufficient supply of essential goods and services and also support the commitment of NGOs such as the Red Cross, Red Crescent, UN(-RWA) etc.
And if you wanna take another look at "San Remo":
"103. If the civilian population of the blockaded territory is inadequately provided with food and other objects essential for its survival, the blockading party must provide for free passage of such foodstuffs and other essential supplies, subject to:
(a) the right to prescribe the technical arrangements, including search, under which such passage is permitted; and
(b) the condition that the distribution of such supplies shall be made under the local supervision of a Protecting Power or a humanitarian organization which offers guarantees of impartiality, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross."
you'll find that Israel does ALL(!) of these things. For example: just the week before the"flotilla incident", Israel delivered more cement to Gaza than the whole flotilla wanted to provide - but Israel gave the cement to UNRWA under strict conditions and ensuring that it's used only for the purposes it's earmarked for."
so far. Redfront!
(A)
PS
10.06.2010 17:05
(A)
(a)pologist pseud
12.06.2010 09:56
Yet that is exactly the measure of your criticism, a Israeli state press release to it's hasbara employees which you quoted instantly and repetively. Despite you portraying youtrself as an anarchist, your regurgitated arguments show your true fascist colours.
It's a bit offensive that you can cheerlead your states murder of activists, using the very non-arguments that those war-criminals use, and yet expect to be taken seriously as a left-wing anarchist. You are not an anarchist and you are not left-wing, you are a sick fake employed by a foreign, murderous state as their hasbara apologist here.
Irregradless of legality, the Israeli state has proven yet again that it is too immoral to deserve the right to govern, and the apartheid Israeli state should be consigned to the dustbin of history alongside it's ally, the apartheid state of South Africa and alongside Nazi Germany who's tactics you ape.
So (A)srseLicker, keep up with your paid propaganda if you want, keep cheerleading the murder of innocents, it reminds everyone here what sort of scum infiltrate our movements in disguise.
As to the legality, read this:
Part V Section II (95) of the San Remo Manual states that a blockade must be effective and cannot let certain vessels in while rejecting others. Israel has, since the start of the blockade, permitted certain ships to enter while not permitting others. Of the numerous trips staged by the Free Gaza Movement, several earlier trips have been permitted to reach Gaza through the blockade, where as others were not. All of these ships were carrying flags of “neutral states.” This inconsistency is contrary to Part V Section II (100 & 101) which states that the blockading party must treat ships of neutrally flagged states equally, and is a clear indication that the nature of the blockade is not legal.
The blockade is also in violation of Part V Section II (102) which prohibits blockades that:
"
a.) have the sole purpose of starving the civilian population or denying it other objects essential to its survival; or
b.) the damage to the civilian population is, or may be expected to be, excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated from the blockade.
"
Dov Wiesglass, the Israeli official and aid to Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated the intention of the blockade was “to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger.” Numerous international aid agencies and non-government organizations have made it clear that the deleterious effects on the civilian population are severe. (Arabic) A growing chorus of NGOs and officials, not excluding Israelis, has questioned the blockade's strategic value to Israel and many have concluded it is instead counterproductive in nature.
Further, the Israel blockade is also in violation of Part V Section II 106 (c) which states that the zone of the blockade shall not exceed the area “strictly required by military necessity and the principles of proportionality.” Israel has enforced a blockade around the 20 nautical mile mark for incoming ships, like those which are part of the Freedom Flotilla, but it has also enforced it at the three nautical mile mark against Gaza’s fishermen, devastating their livelihoods out of no military necessity whatsoever.
Clearly, a number of arguments can be made regarding the nature of the blockade and its failure to meet the standards required by the San Remo Manual. However, all of the above violations are predicated on the assumption that the San Remo Manual even applies to the territorial entities involved, in this case, Gaza and Israel.
The Manual only applies to “belligerent states” and “neutral states” as clearly indicated in Section IV. Gaza, which is part of the Palestinian Occupied Territories along with the West Bank, is not a state, due in large part, ironically, to Israeli intransigence. Gaza was occupied by Israel in 1967 and, under customary international law, Israel has been the belligerent occupier of the strip since. Despite ending their colonization of the Gaza Strip in 2005 when they withdrew the colonies they had developed and populated with their civilians, Israel still maintains “effective control” over the Gaza Strip through control of its borders, air space and of course, sea lanes.
Israel has had a love/hate relationship with its occupation of the Gaza Strip. It has loved the security advantage of effective control which it has exercised through incursions, the creation of buffer zones within the strip, routine aerial attacks and so on. But it has simultaneously hated (and denied) the obligations which come along with belligerent occupation; prime among which is upholding the well-being of the civilian population.
The international legal framework which is most appropriate for assessing Israel’s obligations is the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a party to. Part 1 Article 55 of the IV Geneva Convention clearly states:
"
To the fullest extent of the means available to it, the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population; it should, in particular, bring in the necessary foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate.
"
And Article 56:
"
To the fullest extent of the means available to it, the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring and maintaining, with the cooperation of national and local authorities, the medical and hospital establishments and services, public health and hygiene in the occupied territory, with particular reference to the adoption and application of the prophylactic and preventive measures necessary to combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics. Medical personnel of all categories shall be allowed to carry out their duties.
"
Clearly, not only does the San Remo Manual not apply to this blockade since Gaza is occupied territory and not a state, even if Gaza was a state, the nature of the blockade is contrary to the stated requirements in the Manual. Further, since the Geneva Conventions do apply to this situation, the blockade and siege of Gaza are intentional efforts on Israel’s behalf that leave it in default of its primary obligation as a belligerent occupier: the protection of the Palestinian civilian population.
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