Thanks Mary for keeping us updated. I especially appreciate yr clarifying the Carter Center’s position & answering the scurrilous charge brought by Shurat Ha-Din. I’m hoping to write about your trip and project for another publication soon. Maybe we can break down a little bit the wall of silence in the U.S. media.

Going back to Richard’s original post, I can confirm that the Carter Center did endorse our project. However, they have a policy of not allowing their name to be used in connection with any fundraising efforts, so since we were (gratefully) accepting donations through the PayPal link on our website, we removed the Carter Center from our list of endorsers.
We are proud of the many who have contacted us to offer their support, including Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nobel Laureate Mairead Maguire, among others.

Certainly any claims that the Carter Center was involved in funding the Free Gaza project in any form is completely false.

Re the LIBERTY connection, we have been contacted by several members of the surviving crew of the original LIBERTY, all expressing full support of our endeavor. We have been asked to buy 34 long stemmed red roses that we will throw into the water as we depart Cyprus, and our plan is to read the name of each crew member who died as we toss a rose into the Mediterranean in his memory.

We appreciate all the good wishes and messages of support we have received through our website http://www.freegaza.org, and we are astonished at the incredible volume of articles that have appeared around the world (with the exception, of course, of the United States) Four of the passengers are from Los Angeles, and to my knowledge there has been no mention of our project in the LA Times.

Thank you, Richard, for posting this story, and thank you to those who have posted messages of support.

Mary in Cyprus

This news may have also solved a mystery for me. I had read in the news reports this week about Adm. Mullen’s meeting with the Israeli and how the USS LIberty came up in their conservations. I was thinking that it was strange to mention the 40 year ago Israel attack on the Liberty and thought maybe that it was some kind of veiled warning about Israel not having an “accident ” with our ships in the Gulf that could start anything with Iran.

But now I see that the mention of the USS Liberty may have been about these boats going to Gaza, particulary since one of them is named after the Liberty. I am sure that US officials are watching these boats so maybe the warning was about this and not US navy ships in the Gulf.

From what I see legally they have a right to enter Gaza by sea so I wonder what Israel will do. If they are smart they won’t try to stop them.

I was dating his daughter Astra at the time and, to tell the truth, I understood Kook’s role and beliefs (this was around 1979) to an extent, but I didn’t understand the truly historic role they played in the early State period. I wish I’d known then, what I know now about such things. He & I could’ve had some phenomenal conversations.

I too am skeptical of politicians, including Democrats. I’ve written critically of Obama here though we’d prob. disagree on the issues for which he needs to be criticized. Perhaps I have a little less skepticism than you about politicians (at least Democrats!).

To be honest, I am very skeptical about all politicians of all parties. When a politician tells someone something personally, he is usually not saying what he really thinks, he is trying to get the person to do something for him, either to vote for him, to give him money or to get his acquaintances to do the same. I guess the reason you have seen me dump on the Democrats more (actually it has primarily been the Clinton’s) is because they are more blatently hypocritical than the Republicans, who are more open about their policies, even the ones we may not like. For example, the feminists defended Bill even though we saw how he treated women, and especially his wife, like garbage. Another was Clinton’s supposed concern for the “little guy” (whom the Republicans don’t claim to care about with their “trickle down” ideology) when at the same thime he encouraged “deregulation” that led to the formation of many cartels and monopolies that are ripping the consumer off. My problem with Obama is his lack of experience but it is his supporters that bother me more, because they are attributing messianic attributes to him that he doesn’t have. I discussed this with a Liberal relative relative of mine and he is convinced that Obama is going to embark on another “tax and spend” Great Society/New Deal program. (I am repeating what I wrote in an earlier comment). People get all excited because he promises “change” but they can’t say exactly what changes he is going to make. The US needs a President who knows what he is doing, not one who makes people “feel better about themselves” (Republicans don’t usually do that…Reagan was an exception, though).

In none of the comments I can recall that you’ve written here (& there have been MANY) have you criticized George Bush or any Republican. In MANY of the comments you’ve published here you’ve excoriated Democrats. You clearly have more hostility toward Democrats than Republicans, hence my assumption.

I would agree that TRUE Jewish nationalists should not be neocons. I had a great deal of respect for Hillel Kook who I knew personally briefly. That was a true, iconoclastic Jewish nationalist. But is Bibi or was Sharon a true Jewish nationalist? I would say they’re more opportunists than nationalists.

You are wrong about one claim you make concerning the neocons. They DO NOT put Israel’s interests subordinate to those of the U.S. They believe both nations’ interests are one & the same & this is the assumption under which they operate. It is also one of the most pernicious aspects of their world view since 2 independent nations CANNOT by definition have the SAME interests.

“This is why I am in favor of ending the granting of American financial or military aid to Israel. ”

I’m all with you on that one. And while we’re at it, let’s halt all American vetos of UN Security Council Resolutions
deemed critical of Israel. It’s time for America to join the world, the real world.

PM

True “Jewish Nationalists” are NOT neocons! By this I meant the identification of Israel’s interests with those of the US, or the idea that Israel should be the US’s local sheriff. We are always told that since Israel gets aid from the US, it has to take into account American desires. This is why I am in favor of ending the granting of American financial or military aid to Israel. Israel doesn’t need it and it makes it beholden to them, which is not a healthy relationship between two sovereign states.
I do not like the neocons, I do not view them as helpful to Israel. They are AMERICANS who may have certain sentiments to Israel, but they put Israels interests as being subordinate to those of the US. As Americans, this is as it should be, but Israelis and American Jews should realize this is the case, and that the idea that they are forcing the US to carry out policies because they are in Israel’s interest is nonsense. They have supported policies detrimental to Israel’s interests.

the 100+ FATAH men who were being chased by the HAMAS militiamen so they ran to the Israeli enemy for protection.

Sometimes you actually write things that are half-way intelligent. But this is just plain dumb. You know that Fatah & Israel are allies. You know that Fatah is so discredited in Gaza (& elsewhere) that the members of the Hilles clan were being routed from Gaza and had nowhere to go but to their Israeli allies for refuge.

Why in heaven’s name would you claim that Israel is Fatah’s ‘enemy’ when anyone w. eyes in their head knows that Olmert & Abbas have tied the knot & their fortunes.

And if you think that Mary doesn’t need to be deeply concerned about being shot or sunk by the Israeli navy then you’re orbiting somewhere outside our solar system.

As I wrote previously, Obama is running for president of the United States, not for sainthood. I expect him to raise money from any legal source he can. Last I checked trial lawyers & hedge fund managers were still citizens & entitled to give to election campaigns. Obama has already sworn off PAC money. So what would you have him do? Swear off any gift over $10? That’ll be fine w. him & me if you can get McCain to go along. Until then, Obama doesn’t have anything he needs to say to you.

As for the alleged sins of progressive presidents and candidates, I’ll compare the damage done to our system by your good buddy George Bush to Bill Clinton or Barack Obama anytime. You want to talk politicians beholden to special interests? Great. You know Bush’s sins on that score far outweigh Clinton’s or Obama’s. The past 7 yrs our government has been bought lock stock & barrel by Repubilcan special interests. Policy on the environment, defense, health and energy have practically been dictated by big lobbyists.

If we compare which party is MORE BEHOLDEN to special interests mine comes out smelling like a rose compared to yours.

You’re so bitter I do believe it means you’re runnin’ scared.