Mary Hughes-Thompson, who is aboard the Canadian ship of the Gaza flotilla, the Tahrir, which is anchored in Crete and blocked by the Greek Coast Guard is about to attempt to set sail to join its comrade boats who’ve already departed and plan to join up in the Mediterranean before they proceed to Gaza. The Audacity of Hope has been forced to dock at a Greek military facility and there seems little likelihood it can break this new Greek siege. To further sabotage the U.S. ship, its captain has been arrested on a trumped-up charge of “endangering the safety” of the passengers because he put to see without gaining permission from the authorities to do so.
But the Tahrir will make a valiant effort to sail. As Mary says:
…We expect to be boarded and arrested, hopefully without the tactics expected from the IDF. My impression is that since Israel has outsourced the blockade to Greece, we will challenge Israel on Greece’s shores.
In the comment threads here we’ve had a hearty debate about the likelihood of involvement of the IDF or Mossad in sabotaging the Irish ship, Saorise, in Turkish waters and the Audacity of Hope, each of which sustained sabotage damage. Here Ethan “Eytan” Bronner, no friend of the Flotilla, effectively concedes that he credits the reports of Israeli attack on the ships:
Israel, for its part, has been campaigning against the flotilla and perhaps doing more — some of the boats have suffered sabotage.
In this portion of Bronner’s report on the Flotilla he as usual publishes an attack on the Flotilla without having a shred of evidence to justify his conviction:
The Turkish group I.H.H., which helps sponsor the flotillas, has ties to Hamas, and Israeli and Western concern that violence could occur if the flotilla sets sail does not seem far-fetched, despite the organizers’ vows to the contrary.
I have heard many Hasbara sources claim IHH has ties to Hamas but never seen any proof of this. More importantly, Bronner himself never has presented such proof. It seems journalisitcally rash to advance such a controversial claim without at least supporting it with some proof. Further, since IHH is not at all involved in the current Flotilla, it is not only ‘far-fetched,’ but downright fraudulent to base a claim that violence might occur if the Flotilla sets sail on the fact that violence occurred last year on a boat sponsored by IHH. Bronner has once again provided no evidence whatsoever to support the notion that THESE Flotilla organizers will resort to violence.
Within the article he mentions the outrageous, unfounded Israeli claim that passengers plan to pour sulfur on boarding soldiers and light it on fire. The only refutation he offers is a statement by the organizers that the claim isn’t true. But in this case that isn’t good enough. When a government flat-out lies, it’s the job of a journalist to either say so explicitly or at least say the government has provided no proof for its charges. The fact that he does not do so indicates not just his shoddy journalism, but bias and bad faith.
In the meantime, 700 Palestinian peace activists plan to fly into Ben Gurion airport this coming Friday, as part of the Flight of Return. They will promote the notion that Palestinians should be free to “return” to Israel and travel and move freely within a country they or their parents were driven from in 1948:
“We are flying to Ben-Gurion on July 8 to visit friends in Palestine, and we insist that our own governments support us in doing so. Supporting our visit to Palestine will be one small step towards bringing about the freedom of movement for all the peoples of Israel/Palestine that is essential for peace and justice in the Middle East,” the group added.
…“We are not trying to do anything threatening. Everyone should have the right to free movement and travel in the Palestinian territories. That is what this action is about,” [Laura Durkay] said. “We are here in the spirit of peaceful solidarity.”
972 Magazine noted another important aspect of the protest:
Palestinians wishing to travel abroad must apply for special permission from the Israel authorities. Those wishing to travel to the United States must first obtain a permit to visit the American Consulate in East Jerusalem and obtain their visa.
Human rights organizations have often cited the complete authority over entries and exits from the occupied territories as further proof of Israel’s effective control over Palestinians’ lives, in stark contradiction to the claim that since the Oslo agreement, “Palestinians run their own business.”
The Israeli media,undoubtedly under the influence of the government and police authorities have described the protest as yet another provocation or as an attempt to start a riot at the airport. The Israeli spin machine manufactures the same paranoid responses to legitimate sources regardless of content or intent.
Mr. Silverstein,
You sit in your home in seattle, far far away from where events are folding, and you claim to “know” everything, while most of the times you base your claims and so called “analysis” on baseless rumors,not to mention you don’t bother checking the information you report on. Such was your claim that Haaretz was the paper that reported on the UN report based on an anonymous government source, while in fact it was the Turkish news paper who reported that based on Turkish sources few weeks prior, Such was your claim that Salah Shada was seriously wounded during the october 2000 riots (and you failed to provide a source), such was your claim that the Turkish police lies while stating that there was no sabotage to the Irish ship on Turkish waters, and the list is long, Not to mention your false translation of Israeli officials statements.
No come this funny claim of yours:
“I have heard many Hasbara sources claim IHH has ties to Hamas but never seen any proof of this”
i’m sure you will dismiss this Spiegel article as being a source for Hasbara, (and the Turks are an Israeli Servant’s) but n July 2010 both the Netherlands and Germany banned the IHH, reason provided – ties to Hamas.
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,705956,00.html
Oh, my God ! After a link to an article in French that Itai L surely does not know here we have a link to a Spiegel-article in German, that he FOR SURE doesn’t know either. Those Hasbaristas really make our day.
I will translate the last sentence of this article, starting with “Bei der “Internationale ….”
“By the “International Humanitarian Helporganization (IHH), we’re not talking about [handelt es sich nicht um= it’s NOT the matter of] the same organization, that in the spring had organized the Flotilla with help to the Gaza Strip. This organization too is named IHH, but is situated in Turkey”.
I’m sure other German-speaking people here will testify my translation.
The wiki-link to the Turkish IHH:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IHH_(Turkish_NGO)
Point no. 5 explains the confusion with the German and Dutch IHH.
I’m really amazed by these Hasbaristas: do they really think the rest of the world as as f… stupid as them ? This story has been debunked since 2010.
Itai L has shown once again that he’s a manipulator/liar.
How can you post a link to an article that you haven’t read – probably because you don’t know any German – refuting what you state ? Is that the Hasbara-Central feeding you ?
I can’t imagine how these people can convince any outsiders: they lie as soon as they open their mouths ! Fortunately, the truth, only the truth and nothing but the truth is enough to defend the JUST cause of the Palestinian people !
Deir Yassin,
Excellent job at obliterating Itai L’s LIES. Imagine the prejudice and damage these hasabara goons do to the cause of Palestinians.
I’ll bet they’re posting this lie everywhere and fooling unsuspecting readers. It’s so disgraceful. Anyway thank God for people like you who are wide awake and can catch them spreading deception.
I’m really not the one to thank. This story was widely published and debunked last year, and when I saw Itai L’s link in German to an old article, a bell started ringing in my back head. As you say: the Hasbara has to recycle old lies. Poor them. Hopefully, they are well paid 🙂
Deir Yassin,
like always you were able to demonstrate that you are engaged in civilized debate as much as a jackass is engages in making chicken soup.
To begin with according the the statements made by the German Interior Ministry , the German IHH was a split of the Turkish one. “According to the Interior Ministry, the German-based IHH, which ostensibly split from the Turkish IHH, funneled money to Hamas.” (http://www.jpost.com/SpecialSection/Article.aspx?ID=181187)
Let’s move on, both the Turkish and the German organizations were / are part of the “Union of Good” which other then raising funds for charity, is raising funds to support Hamas military wing.
(More about the UOG can be found if you’ll Google nefaunionofgood0109.pdf)
Union of Good was declared a terrorist entity by Israel in 2002 and by the US in late 2008 early 2009 (i may have gotten the dates wrong)
A research conducted in 2006/2007 by the DANISH INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES looked into the The Role of Islamic Charities in International Terrorist Recruitment and Financing (Such PDF is available here http://www.diis.dk/graphics/Publications/WP2006/DIIS%20WP%202006-7.web.pdf)
This is what they had to say about IHH: ” According to a French intelligence report, the terrorist infiltration of IHH extended to its most senior ranks.”
Thanks For Reading.
@ Itai L
Your superior have purchased some more material now that your claims concerning the Spiegel-article has been debunked ?? Just by pure curiosity: why did you post that article when it evidently refutes your claim ?? Oh, you didn’t read it, you say.
Bad luck, you didn’t find that Danish report in Danish ! And as you do know French – at least as much as German – why don’t you link to some more serious than ‘according to a French intelligence report, the terrorist infiltrators of IHH blahblahbmah” ?
Well, I live in France, and do thus know this French intelligence report and particularly its instigator, Jean-Louis Bruguière, a very controversial well-known right-wing, now former judge, with political aspirations. He’s facing a legal investigation, not linked with his report on IHH:
http://liberation.fr/societe/01012343817-jean-louis-bruguiere-vise-par-une-enquete-judiciaire
There is a lot on the net, in French at least, on this very controversial socalled expert in counter-terrorism.
Mondoweiss also had an article on him last year after the Mavi Marmara Massacre.
PS. Once again: there is NO Salah Shada. His name is Salah Shehadeh or Shehada if you like. Ilan P and someone else made that same mistake all the time … it’s maybe the Israeli school system.
Deir Yassin
Once again i will ignore your Propaganda about the fact that i am getting Paid (which i tend to think is a comment rule violations isn’t it?)
Nice try with the France Judge, if you would have clicked on the link i provided ( took me some time to find it) you would have seen that 2 judges signed the France report, the other one being Jean-François Ricard (hope i spelled his name right) but i guess that he’s a right-wing extremist as well.
Just FYI the investigation of Jean-Louis Bruguière has nothing to do with the report mentioned, so why did you even mentioned it ?
I appreciate that fact that you who never heard about a Sheikh Al-Aksa (in English / France / Arbic) are lecturing me about the correct spelling of one’s name, Thank you.
You got his nick name, i got the correct spelling of his name in English, Fair trade.
I’m amazed how you found that Jean-François Ricard is the co-author of the report the Turkish IHH among other.
I find no signs of that neither on J-F R’s wikipedia page, neither elsewhere. They worked together on other cases such as the GICM (Moroccan Islamic Group).
In your linked report (posted often before too), it states “The report written by famed counterterrorism magistrate Jean-Louis Bruguière …”. No mentioning of Ricard. Strange, isn’t it ? The footnotes mentioning Ricard’s name says that he was in the Appeal Court as a magistrate on these affairs.
And I’ve never heard of an co-author on this report known as ‘le rapport Bruguière’ that is pretty famous and has been very critizised for years long before the Mavi Marmara, and for many other reasons that has nothing to do with the IHH, but for the lack of credibility, lack of sources, contradictory analyses based on what the critique calls Bruguire’s pro-Israeli and Islamophobic stance etc. Jean-Louis Bruguière is always at the local AIPAC’s (CRIF) dinner parties …
And I think that fact that Bruguière is accused of ‘false testimonies’ in the famous Karachi-affair where 11 French citizens died in a suicide-bombing (cf. the link, it’s only two weeks old) is important for his credibility.
Why don’t you just say that you don’t know what you’re talking about ? That you found something suitable on the net to plead your cause, and that’s it.
Here’a an article on ‘your’ report. It seems to be a copy of Bruguière’s report:
http://mondoweiss.net/2010/06/terror-smear-against-ihh-springs-from-a-familiar-source.html
And I still wait for an explanation: why did you link to an article in German contradicting your own claims on what it says ?
As far as you getting paid, that’s of course a joke. Who would pay for such a miserable job ? 🙂
Deir Yassin,
Let us continue shall we ?
Footnote 48 “The IHH is an NGO, but it was kind of a type of cover-up… in order to obtain forged documents and also to obtain different forms of infiltration for Mujahideen
in combat. And also to go and gather[recruit] these Mujahideens. And finally, one of the last responsibilities that they had was also to be implicated or involved in weapons trafficking. “Reporter’s Transcript of Proceedings.”
United States of America v. Ahmed Ressam, aka Benni Noris. United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. Case #: CR 99-666-JCC. Dated April 2, 2001. Pages 11-12.”
To answer your question about the German document, i didn’t read the document all the way to the end. When i did, i found the other statement by the German Interior Minister.
As for your french corrupt Judge, Amazing but if you read what you wrote most of your accusations had to do with his association with Jews, Oh no he goes to the local AIPAC dinner. The accusations against him will be reviewed in court.
Omigod, IlanP & Itai are very possibly one & the same person. What a strange coincidence that first IlanP should be banned & then Itai & that they might be one & the same.
Someone surely provided Itai the link & he mistakenly used it assuming it said whatever his “colleague” told him it did. Tant pis for pauvre Itai.
Sorry. I forgot to mention that the ‘IHH’ in the Turkish NGO’s name has nothing to do with the other IHH which is an English abbreviation.
It comes from “Insan Hak ve Hürriyetleri”.
You are only about the 100th Israel apologist who has begun a comment in almost the same words. I find the theme tiresome & about as old as those hasbara hills.
Can you find a single statement of mine in which I claim to “know everything.” Nothing could be farther fr. the truth. But one thing I DO know is that I know more than YOU.
Only the 20th time someone’s advanced that particular gem of hasbara. And I’m getting tired of it. If you want to debate here you debate substance. You don’t go on & on w. vague claims that are off-topic because they lack any substance whatsoever.
And that is a lie. For this you will now be moderated. Next violation & you’re gone. And since I’ve once before released you from banning, if there is a next banning it will be yr last.
This too is a lie. Haaretz NEVER said it based its report on a Turkish newspaper. If memory serves it claimed the information was based on an Israeli gov’t source. If my memory is wrong then it offered NO source whatsoever. But my memory is very clear that Haaretz NEVER said it based its story on any other media source & certainly not a Turkish source. Prove it is otherwise. I dare you.
This too is a lie as he was shot in the head, which is a serious wound no matter how you slice it. You have never provided any evidence fr. any credible source it was anything less than a serious wound, while I offered TWO sources saying it was serious.
You don’t even remember the very article YOU cited which said nothing about Turkish police but rather attributed the information to a Turkish diplomat who offered no substantiation for the credibility of his knowledge or information.
As for banning IHH, the fact that a gov’t bans a group has no meaning unless there is evidence supporting the charge. Can you offer specific evidence that IHH has ties to Hamas? Or even offer the evidence on which German & Holland allegedly banned IHH? If not, I’m afraid it’s you who have as usual fallen short.
I find the general tone of this comment offensive & you are now moderated.
“And that is a lie. For this you will now be moderated. Next violation & you’re gone. And since I’ve once before released you from banning, if there is a next banning it will be yr last.”
Excuse me, the liar here is you! You still cant produce any evidence that you read anywhere on the Internet that Sheikh Al-Aqsa was seriously wounded, I provided you with a link to the Or Committee statements, if you would have bothered reading you would have learned that they quoted a letter sent from Arafat to the Sheikh referring to the fact that he was lightly wounded – Which serves my second point you don’t check the things you report on.
if you wish to know more about Trauma designation, i suggest you’ll use Wikipedia. (http://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%98%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%94_%D7%92%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%AA)
I find your methods equal to the Russian methods during their glory days, Banning people who’s statements you don’t like, deleting the comments of people who stand against you (oui remember ?) moderating those who’s statements you can’t debate. etc. etc etc.
Mr. Silverstein, you are pathetic. As Lenin said just another useful idiot from the west.
NO, I actually provided TWO internet sources that stated precisely that. TWO. And for calling me a liar without any basis, you’re gone. It’s been nice to know ya. And since I banned you once already, you’re now permanently banned.
So trite, so hackneyed, so overused. Is that the best you could come up with?? You’re gone, guy. Real gone.
@ Richard.
And contrary to what Itai L claims the person wounded in the 2000 riots wasn’t Salah Shehadeh but Raed Salah. I wonder if he knows anything about these two persons or if he’s just a ‘messenger’.
Israelis have finally lost their marbles completely. They’ve gone off the deep end into paranoialand. The IDF, correction IOF have posted a PHOTO of the author of “The Color Purple” (a Pulitzer Prize winning author and Civil Rights Movement activist) on their website with a caption that includes “THREAT TO ISRAEL”!
ARE THEY KOO-KOO LOCO-LOCO OR WHAT??
http://electronicintifada.net/blog/ali-abunimah/israel-army-releases-photographic-proof-flotilla-threat-israel
Public Enemy Number One? I don’t know whether I should laugh or cry; it’s so unbelievably insane, disgusting and pathetic. All adjectives fail.
Israelis do “crazy” like nobody else. Shameless, deranged mad hatters.
It really is incredible, and almost but not quite, humorous, to see the smiling face of that frightening terrorist, Alice Walker. I do suspect that this is an engagement the IDF has already lost, whatever finally transpires with the flotilla. Desperation can express itself in many ways, and I suppose that Israel’s continued occupation of stolen territory, contrary to international law and simple morality, requires a kind of insane desperation to justify such a state of affairs
The Canadian ship attempted to sail but was stopped by the Greek coast guard – all those aboard were arrested.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/greek-coast-guard-seizes-canadian-ship-bound-for-gaza-1.371428
@chet380 and all others:
The article in the link
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/greek-coast-guard-seizes-canadian-ship-bound-for-gaza-1.371428 ends with this paragraph:
“On Monday, as a compromise, the Greek government offered to send the flotilla’s humanitarian aid to Gaza with Greek diplomats, under United Nations supervision. Israel has agreed to the offer.”
The flotilla’s stated purpose was wrong from the start. It mentioned “humanitarian help” to Gaza. Now this is being used against them by Israel and Greece. How can they refuse the new offer to alleviate the suffering in Gaza? Instead, the purpose of the flotilla should have been declared to be “To Demonstrate The Sovereignty of Gaza and Challenge Israel’s grip on Gaza.” This too might not have worked but at least it reflect more of what Israel is afraid of today. From now on, the objective of any action in support of Gaza and the Palestinians should be publicly stated and contain the words “Challenge he Sovereignty of Israel over ….” Good luck and I hope nobody gets seriously hurt at BenGourion Airport next week.
Of course they can & did reject the “generous offer.” The Flotilla’s “purpose” goes beyond humanitarian aid. Aren’t there enough hasbarists attacking the Flotilla without the left ganging up on them too? Or do you always do this to progressive causes that doen’t pass sufficient ideological muster?
The purpose of the flotilla is clear. It is primarily 1) to draw public attention to the plight of the Gazans, who have been under blockade for years and who have shortages of basic necessities such as food and building materials, and 2) to move Israel and the International community to do something about the situation, 3) break the blockade if possible and to deliver (at least symbolic) support from all over the world to the suffering Gazans.
The first purpose has been achieved. It remains to be seen if the second and third can be realized.
The flotilla movement is basically good. In the absence of public protests in Israel and elsewhere, in the absence international outcry, amidst the coward silence of Western ruling elites, they are the only ones who openly and non-violently fight for the rights and dignity of the people of Gaza.
According to latest news: 600 people are flying to Ben Gourion on Friday on the 8th of July Mission, 350 from France, and today there was a meeting in the French Senate where the organizers explained that they had contacted the French Authorities in order for their wish to visit Palestine to be respected.
The Israeli Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonowitch call them “hooligans”. He must know as a member of Yisrael Beiteinu.
He states: ‘your way will not succeed, so you would be better off avoiding coming to this country”.
Those people would like to avoid Israel, but it’s the only way to go to Palestine, and their only ‘provocation’ is refusing to lie about their final destination.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4091351,00.html
Bibi stated that their goal is “an effort to undermine Israel’s right to exist”.
http://972mag.com/tlv2047-572011/
Paranoid people, both of them. I wonder if they actually believe what they say.
For these people anything that affirms the right of the Palestinian people to exist perforce undermines Israel’s right to exist. Utterly perverse & pathological, but there you have it.