28 thoughts on “Free Gaza Flotilla: Turkish Ship Attacked, Ten Killed by Israeli Navy – Tikun Olam תיקון עולם إصلاح العالم
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  1. Can anyone explain how Israel gets away with this sort of violence and total disregard for International law? I understand the American political scene but why does Europe fund Israel and tighten relations with the EU and Israel. It cannot be guilt over the Holocaust, except perhaps in Germany, and I see no signs that Europe feels any guilt for its centuries of slaughtering in the various empires. I see no shame over a million Iraqi dead. It would seem financial concerns would allie Europe with the oil producers and the big populations of the Muslim world rather that this rogue paranoid and racist state. Common decency would suggest the same. What gives?

  2. again richard, so far all we have is unconfirmed reports

    i know that this post wont make it on the blog, so let me ask you a question

    when you say “pro israel types”, do you consider yourself anti israel?

    so you arent just against the current israeli government, you are against the entire concept of israel

    is that a correct understanding of what you just wrote?

    1. you are against the entire concept of israel

      is that a correct understanding of what you just wrote?

      Don’t be an ass, you know it’s not a correct understanding of what I wrote. If you lack the nuance to understand what I meant & to place it in proper context, go take a composition course in community college. Don’t waste my time.

  3. RE: “Can anyone explain how Israel gets away with this sort of violence and total disregard for International law?” – Paul
    MY COMMENT: Where is Professor Alan Dershowitz when we need him? Oh that’s right, I recall reading recently that he’s in Israel. I wonder what he has been doing over there.

  4. KGO radio, an ABC station in San Francisco, has been reporting that “at least 15” have been killed in an “exchange of gunfire”. What I want to know is how you can have an exchange of gunfire when one of the parties is unarmed.

    1. Exactly. There was no exchange of gunfire. Nobody on any of our boats would choose to or be allowed to carry weapons on board. On the Turkish boat there was an 18 month old baby, and it is ludicrous even for Israel, which is known to lie through its teeth whenever it is caught committing misdeeds, to claim that civilians sworn to non-violence, on a mission to bring humanitarian aid to people living under siege, would risk provoking violence by themselves using any kind of weapon.

      And yes, Richard, we were shocked and saddened to learn that two innocent, unarmed civilians had been murdered. The possibility that the number is far higher is beyond comprehension.

      1. What kind of idiot brings a 18 month old baby on a boat that will likely be involved in a hostile situation with armed military? It seems pretty obvious this was a (successful) attempt to provoke a confrontation and foster further anger towards Israel. Too bad it comes at the cost of some absolutely stupid people’s lives.

        1. Someone who believes strongly that Gaza should be free and wants their child to have those values as well. I guess you wouldn’t understand such emotions since you’re not Palestinians or Arab or even someone who has any sympathy w. the plight of 18 month old babies in Gaza who suffer fr. insufficient food and medicines.

          If the protestors attacked the IDF they certainly weren’t being smart. But I’d argue that your intelligence isn’t much higher.

          1. I understand stupid people needlessly putting young children’s live at risk or worse, exploiting their presence simply hoping to garner sympathetic press for a cause right or wrong. Which apparantly makes me a helluva lot smarter then you.

          2. No, it just proves that you’ve never suffered as these people have, never lost hope as they have, never been deprived of a homeland, never suffered a trampling on your national rights as they have. When you experience any of that you won’t talk like an idiot as you are now.

          3. I’ve never experienced a woman exploited and brainwashed to the point her life’s worth only blowing herself up in a crowded mall to kill as many civilians as possible. Of course, I don’t live in a small country surrounded by other nations full of people who are unwitting tools of their religious and political leaders who’d what to wipe said country off the Earth.

            Historical note: This sorta thing worlked REAL well for the IRA, didn’t it.

          4. In other words, you haven’t a clue what it means to be either Palestinian or an Arab or Muslim who supports their plight. Instead, you’re only interested in scoring propaganda pts mouthing stupid platitudes about Muslim terrorists & other jihadis. That’s very sad, but not surprising. And definitely not very impressive given how twisted yr view is.

  5. The hasbara explanation is that the unarmed protesters stormed the israeli commandos with sticks, forcing them to kill 19 and wound 60. Seems more likely that this was an exchange of friendly fire, that something got out of hand.

  6. The insanity is not only in this murderous attack itself but also in their ludicrous expectation that they can get away with their lies when there were so many journalists on board. Incidentally, the Sydney Morning Herald journalist Paul McGeough, who came unscathed through his Iraq assignment, is missing. So is the Aussie press photographer Kate Geraghty.

  7. My understanding is that they were on a different boat than the one upon which the slaughter took place and that others have not been able to communicate back either. Nevertheless if we don’t here by late tonight Melbourne time, I would start worrying.

  8. The crowd that gathered in front of the Embassy started to march towards Taksim (it’s like the Times Square of Istanbul). The article states that there have been protests in 13 other cities. The streets leading to two synagogues in Bursa have been blocked by the police. I really hope no one tries to hurt any Turkish-Sephardi for retaliation.

    http://www.radikal.com.tr/Radikal.aspx?aType=RadikalDetay&ArticleID=999816&Date=31.05.2010&CategoryID=77

    The Chief Rabbinate has also expressed their grief over the situation and it was stated that “we agree with the reaction in our country to the manner that the attempt (by the activists) was stopped in such a manner and share our grief with the public. (It’s not a great translation but translating an Altaic language into English is really hard. I hope it was enough to reflect the general idea though.)

    http://www.salom.com.tr/news/detail/15779-Gemiye-mudahele-kamuoyunun-uzuntusunu-paylasiyoruz.aspx

  9. *we agree with the reaction in our country as the attempt (by the activists) was stopped in such a manner and share our grief with the public.

    I really botched that one, sorry.

    1. Nice editing of the video there guys. I guess it doesn’t serve your cause to have opposing opinions or even facts exposing the truth here. Just cover your eyes and ears and chant “LALALALALA” and everything will be fine.

      1. READ THE COMMENT RULES. If your goal here is to be snarky, score debating pts, grandstand, fight the hasbara wars, yr efforts will be better rewarded elsewhere. If you have a serious articulate point or argument to make, do so. If you don’t go where people’s IQs are lower than here. You’ll certainly be welcome there.

  10. Don’t get sucked into the 68-mile argument. It is perfectly legal to attack a ship that threatens you, even in international waters. The real two issues are:

    1. How do unarmed civilians on unarmed ships threaten anybody?

    2. Even if one assumes that a “blockade” of Gaza is justified, the blockading power has to come up with an alternative means to get stuff to civilians who are blockaded — not just subsistence but also the means to make a living, construction, etc.

    Say for sake of argument that Israel does not want Gazans to have access to some construction materials that can be turned into munitions. Then Israel would have to allow alternative construction materials. Silly anyway (there’s plenty of scrap for munitions lying around in the wreckage of Gaza). But it suggests that if Israelis do not want young turks (I like the sound of that) getting involved they should be honest and forthcoming about the supplies themselves.

    There will be plenty of video of onboard fighting, killing, etc. Some was shown on network TV Monday evening. Should be easy to prosecute IDF personnel who used unnecessary force (deadly or otherwise). The question is whether they will fall on their swords or implicate the planners of the foolhardy mission.

  11. I usually agree with your post Richard but I think this time you got carried by media manipulation.
    I believe the total siege of Gaza is wrong, I think that there were other ways to deal with this and I sure agree that Israel has no right to act like this in international water if indeed this is the case.
    I’m also ready to believe that out of the 600 on the ship 580 were peace loving activist, but there are videos of about 20 men attacking the soldiers with irons, clubing and smacking them and throwing them to the lower decks, those men wern’t peace activist, they had improvised weapon ahead of time, and I can’t blame the soldiers for firing in this case.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LulDJh4fWI

  12. WELL JOSE YOU WILL NEVER KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHY THAT WOMAN WHO YOU HAVE DESCRIBED AS EXPLOITED AND BRAINWASHED FEELS AND HER REASONS FOR DOING SUCH A THING. BECAUSE YOU DONT HAVE A PARENT,CHILD,OR ANY OTHER RELATIVE WHO HAS BEEN KILLED BY A TROOP , YOUR HOUSE HAS NEVER BEEN DESTROYED OVER YOUR HEAD , YOU HAVE NEVER STARVED TILL DEATH AND OF COURSE BECAUSE OF A COUNTLESS NUMBER OF REASONS I CANT TELL.

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