Israel says that flotilla is ‘violent’

We have long noted that Israel would prefer violent resistance to non-violent, as it knows how to respond to violence-- violently. Now look at this Israeli Gov't spokesman justifying the siege of Gaza and saying the people have all they need. Video includes the disgraceful claim that the flotilla is violent. "Ships forcing their way violently into Gaza." These people are on the defensive.

About Philip Weiss

Philip Weiss is Founder and Co-Editor of Mondoweiss.net.
Posted in Gaza

{ 74 comments... read them below or add one }

  1. Shingo says:

    Wow, it looks like Witty got a promotion to PR spokesman for Israel!

    • Chaos4700 says:

      Witty is ALREADY saying that any attacks by the Israeli navy on an international aid convoy traversing international waters is Turkey’s fault. And nothing has even happened just yet.

      I’m thinking this is Witty’s personal Gleiwitz incident.

      • Shingo says:

        Like I said earlier, not even a shot has been fired and even though it wil be Israel that fires the first shot, Witty has already is alrady preparing to blame it all on Turkey.

        • Chaos4700 says:

          Good for him. Witty’s undermining US interests on purpose just because he thinks Muslims are savages and non-Muslim Gentiles are dupes.

          If Israel attacks these ships, NATO is history, and it will be the fault of Zionists like Witty — rampant militants that torpedo anything that cross their paths.

        • eljay says:

          >> Like I said earlier, not even a shot has been fired and even though it wil be Israel that fires the first shot, Witty has already is alrady preparing to blame it all on Turkey.

          That’s because humanitarian aid is maximalist and destabilizing, while an armed attack against an unarmed flotilla is…hey, what’s that over there?!

        • Shingo says:

          You’ve got Witty nailed down to a T eljay. Always entertaining.

        • yonira says:

          LOL, this again Chaos, you never originally explained how this would be the end of NATO. Turkey is insignificant in today’s NATO, they may have the 2nd or 3rd largest standing army, but they are still a pawn. They were invited into NATO because of their proximity to the USSR, this proximity isn’t as important anymore with the advent of ICBMs and the breaking up of the SU. so please enlighten us Chaos.

        • lysias says:

          You ignore the importance of Incirlik Air Base outside Adana for the U.S.’s maintaining its position in the Middle East.

          If a non-NATO country attacks Turkey, a NATO country, and the rest of the alliance does not treat that attack as a casus belli, the alliance becomes worthless as a protection for its members.

        • Chaos4700 says:

          Second largest military in a mutual defense pact and you don’t consider Turkey anything other than a pawn?

          You’re just gushing with racism and nonsense today, aren’t you?

        • Colin Murray says:

          Turkey is still important to NATO. The Europeans might not want them in the EU, but they definitely want them to stay in a European-o-centric orbit.

          Formal military and political ties and interaction of senior leadership are a glue that helps bind national leaderships and their respective political cultures together. They help lessen the long-term chance of war. Everyone with powerful neighbors prefers maintenance of close ties.

          However, I agree that yonira’s prediction that this will be the end of NATO is ridiculous. The US, still under Israel Lobby dominance, might choose Turkey over Israel irregardless of how peaceful Turkey is and how warmongering Israel is, but the Europeans won’t. Israel isn’t a member of NATO, and they aren’t ever going to be.

        • eljay says:

          >> If a non-NATO country attacks Turkey, a NATO country, and the rest of the alliance does not treat that attack as a casus belli, the alliance becomes worthless as a protection for its members.

          It won’t be a casus belli because Israel and the U.S. will demonstrate that the ship – and by extension, Turkey – presented an “existential threat” to Israel. The proof: Turkey’s rapprochement with Iran, and evidence of Iranian nookyoolar weapons on board the ship. (“They’re just aluminum tubes.” “Shhhhh!!!!”*) Can’t wait for the smoking gun to turn into a mushroom cloud, y’know…

          (* With apologies to Monty Python.)

        • yonira says:

          calling me a racist is your only debate?

        • Shingo says:

          “LOL, this again Chaos, you never originally explained how this would be the end of NATO.”

          It’s very simple Yonira,

          The NATO pact stipulates that an attack on a NATO country is an attack on NATO and that the other members are obligated to fight on the side of the attacked NATO country.

          So in the event that Israel attacks Turkey or a Turkish vessel (an act fo war) then NATO would be seen as finished unless the otehr states came to Turkey’s defense.

  2. eljay says:

    “Waaahhh!!! I’m the ambiguous ‘occupier’!! I have ‘temporary administration over a region until sovereignty is established’!! It’s mine, I tell, you! Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine!!!!” :-(

    It’s no fun being the un-necessary middle-man.

  3. eGuard says:

    … a million tons … entered Gaza- that is almost a ton of aid for each man, woman and child in the Strip. Huh? a million tons for 1.5 million people: that would be 670 kilo per head. Not 1000. Or are is this a leak that in the next attack 0.5 million people will be discarded?

  4. Sumud says:

    ” These people are on the defensive.”

    Actually, they’re on the offensive Philip: I’ve been following the Free Gaza twitter feed…

    link to twitter.com

    …and learned Israel’s MFA twitter activity is through the roof recently, almost entirely concentrating on the flotilla:

    link to twitter.com

    They are literally tweet-spamming people who comment on the flotilla with MFA propaganda, including the video you link to. It’s not MFA replying to enquiries, the vast majority are unsolicited tweets: there’s a link under each MFA tweet saying “in reply to…” and you can read the original tweet. Of the last 20 MFA tweets only 3 are replies, the rest spam.

    It’s hilarious. By the time someone gets around to tweeting about the flotilla I seriously doubt an MFA video is suddenly going to turn them into zionists..

    • Shingo says:

      Yes there’s bozo’s are seriously desperate Sumud.

      They are scared shitless because it will rquire a houdini act to sucessfully protray the flotilla as a threat or group of terrorists, expecially with a fomer US General and a former USS Liberty crew member on board.

      And after blocking everything from entering Gaza for 3 years, the Israeli MFA suddenyl expects us to believe that it is prepared to deliver all the aid on those ship to Gaza via land?

      The trouble with Zionists is they can’t shake the habbit of taking the pupblic for fools.

      • Sumud says:

        Actually there were some earlier deliveries of aid by sea, but the last three have been blocked by Israel:

        link to gulfnews.com

        Gulf News (Dubai) are doing special coverage of the flotilla:

        link to gulfnews.com

        Kuwait has one of it’s MPs on the flotilla (plus another 20 or so Kuwaitis) and activists from Bahrain are also participating. It’s great to see the Gulf countries get involved.

        The MFA tweets and videos are absurd. They’re practically trying to say “there is no blockade” by quoting figures in tons about how much “aid” Israel has let through the blockade. What a load of rubbish.

        • Shingo says:

          “They’re practically trying to say “there is no blockade” by quoting figures in tons about how much “aid” Israel has let through the blockade. What a load of rubbish.”

          Of course, if that were true, then Israel woudl have no objection to ships delivering aid to Gaza.

    • demize says:

      Its absurd, all you have to do is look at their feed, its one canned response after another. They’re essentially spamming. Then there’s a spinoff with a, get this, peace sign avatar, who has like 2 followers asking why I don’t support “legal” means of land entrance.

  5. Sumud says:

    Also the Free Gaza site is down:

    link to freegaza.org

    I haven’t found any explanation yet (looking for an explanation is what make me seek out their twitter feed) but a DOS attack isn’t outside the realm of possibility. The google cache of same website from ~12 hours ago also draws a blank.

  6. braciole says:

    Why do I have this feeling that Zionists project their own violent and racist wet dreams and fears on other people. When the Zionists were sending ships into Palestine during the British Mandate, I am sure they would have accompanied them with warships if they had had them and would have used them when they came up against the Royal Navy. Now that an avowedly peaceful convoy of merchant and passenger ships is approaching Gaza, they seem think that it is going to shoot its way ashore.

    BTW, the url of a biography of Avigdor Liberman just appeared on that Twitter feed. How fucking desperate is that?

  7. Chu says:

    Perhaps peace groups can pool resources together and offer
    a 1 million dollar contribution to the news studio and the
    anchor person who will cover this story on CBS, NBC,
    or ABC nightly news programs. ~ it’s seems like a way to
    break through the log-jam. Needless to say, I don’t think
    this story will be covered by the nightly news.
    If Walter Cronkite was an anchor today, would he need
    to avoid this story?

  8. Colin Murray says:

    Israeli activity on Twitter is only part of the game. The following PDF sheds a little light on the subject. Some of Thomas’ analysis is weak and biased and a few bits are just plain kooky, but it’s worth reading. Please don’t judge the US Army Foreign Military Studies Office by this piece alone. Their WW2 studies are first rate.

    Hezballah, Israel, and Cyber PSYOP, By Timothy L. Thomas, FMSO-JRIC Analyst. This article was previously published in IOsphere, Winter 2007.

    The age of CYOP (Cyber Psychological Operations) is upon us. Now silent loudspeakers disguised as cell phones, PDAs, and mp3 players reside in our pockets. A recorded call on Lebanese telephones these days is “Hasan, have you realized yet that the Israeli army is not as delicate as a spider’s web? It’s a web of steel that will strangle you!” The intended recipient is not just the Lebanese people but the leader of Hezballah, Sheik Hasan Nasrallah. CYOP has also shown up on Lebanese TVs where purportedly Israeli hackers are putting out warnings reading “Hezballah members beware!”

  9. RE: “Ships forcing their way violently into Gaza.”
    MY COMMENT: Massive incitement!

  10. MarkF says:

    Man, Yigal Palmor makes Gaza sound like a great place to live. Food and materials aplenty. No wonder the Gaza settlers didn’t want to leave this paradise.

    To me, it just comes across as a propoganda piece, embarrassingly along the lines of what was said about slaves and concentration camp prisoners. You know, they’re happy, well fed, great activities, etc.

  11. “We have long noted that Israel would prefer violent resistance to non-violent, as it knows how to respond to violence– violently.”

    Who is we?

    Again,
    What is success in this? What is the goal? The status of Gaza as not sovereign to anyone is the ultimate problem to its civilians’ isolation. How does that change?

    • Donald says:

      Success is in delivering supplies to Gazans, breaking the blockade, telling Israel that their inhumanity will no longer be honored and that Gazans have a right to move in and out Gaza and to trade with the outside world.
      If Israel is humiliated in the process, that’s a good thing–they are bad guys here.

      The next step would be to move towards a unified Palestinian government, something that was happening in 2007 until the US decided to sabotage it. So US and Israeli policy of divide and conquer needs to end. But in the meantime, break the blockade.

    • Frances says:

      “Who is we?”

      Those of us with functioning intellects.

      “What is the goal? ”

      To provide aid to civilians, including food and reconstruction materials. Also, to draw international attention to the endless, cruel siege of Gaza.

      “The status of Gaza as not sovereign to anyone is the ultimate problem to its civilians’ isolation.”

      Actually no, the problem with Gaza is that your violent, racist apartheid terrorist state is illegally oppressing and brutalizing them. It’s been doing that for quite a while now.

      “How does that change?”

      Israel could get the hell out of the West Bank and Gaza and make some meaningful efforts toward establishing a viable Palestinian state. Yeah, I know, I’m not holding my breath either.

      • “Success is in delivering supplies to Gazans, breaking the blockade, telling Israel that their inhumanity will no longer be honored and that Gazans have a right to move in and out Gaza and to trade with the outside world.
        If Israel is humiliated in the process, that’s a good thing–they are bad guys here.”

        1. Success is in delivering supplies to Gazans – Yes, agreement
        2. Success is in breaking the blockade, Gazans have a right to move in and out of Gaza and to trade with the outside world – Yes, when they form a sovereign state. Prior to that, they are refugees to be served by international agencies.

        Israel is a bad guy for severely limiting the ground routes, but not for requiring actual sovereignty on the part of Gaza to have the rights of sovereignty.

        Without establishing the beach/port and airport as permanent entry/exit points (requiring sovereignty and commitment on the part of Hamas to observe international law in their trade), Gazans will remain dependant on aid, rather than becoming economically independant.

        As such, the path to their restoration is responsible sovereignty. That is either a decision to declare Gaza and independant state, or to unify with the PA, in whatever terms are possible.

        There is no magic in this. If you want to complete a task that takes work and/or sacrifice, then that is what you should recommend and help.

        The dissent side is only a single leg of a chair, not suitable to sit in.

        • “The dissent side is only a single leg of a chair, not suitable to sit in.”
          More folksy wisdom for me to note down for future use!
          Take us up to the Mount of Olives, O teacher!

        • Donald says:

          “requiring sovereignty and commitment on the part of Hamas to observe international law in their trade”

          WTF does that mean?

          “As such, the path to their restoration is responsible sovereignty. That is either a decision to declare Gaza and independant state, or to unify with the PA, in whatever terms are possible.”

          Divide and conquer is your first recommendation. The second is what I said, minus details.

          “There is no magic in this. If you want to complete a task that takes work and/or sacrifice, then that is what you should recommend and help.”

          Deep Thoughts, by Richard Witty. The biggest obstacle to Palestinian unity has been the determination of the US and Israel to split them apart and pick the PA as the “good Palestinians”. The best way for an American to help would be to say this is not acceptable behavior on the part of our government.

        • Yes, Witty’s more slippery than a kung-fu master.
          He’s got us all shadow boxing, too.

        • Shingo says:

          “Success is in breaking the blockade, Gazans have a right to move in and out of Gaza and to trade with the outside world – Yes, when they form a sovereign state.”

          And in the mean time, Israel and the US continue to resist any moves towards sovereignty, which is terribly convenient isn’t it Witty?

          A nice Orwellian bit of logic that.

          Tell me Witty, as a self professed expet in international law, what law states that Gazans have no right to move in and out of Gaza and to trade with the outside world until they become a sovereign state? And if that is so, then why were Gazans able to to move in and out of Gaza and to trade with the outside world before Israel imposed the blockade? And why did Israel agree to allow Gazans able to to move in and out of Gaza and to trade with the outside world as part fo the 2008 ceasfire agreement?

          Isn’t it true that you have no clue what you are talking about and simply making up your own rules and trying to pass them off as internatinal law, becasue in the end, your simply a racist biggot who sees Arabs a s sub human?

    • eljay says:

      >> The status of Gaza as not sovereign to anyone is the ultimate problem to its civilians’ isolation. How does that change?

      Well, how about this:
      - Let the Palestinians have an election and accept the winning party or coalition as the legitimate government of the Palestinians.
      - Call upon Israel to recognize Palestine as a sovereign, democratic nation (in exchange for Palestine recognizing Israel as a sovereign, democratic nation) and to recognize the ’67 borders as the borders between the two sovereign, democratic nations.
      - Call upon Israel to withdraw all troops (except those necessary to protect the settlements until their status as legitimate towns in Palestine are confirmed) and dismantle all blockades.
      - Engage in sincere, equitable negotiations.

      Just a few thoughts. Failing that, perhaps the Palestinians can sprinkle some green yarn around and hope that it grows into sovereignty.

      • Good suggestions.

        You don’t need to harp on the “yarn”. The point of that symbolic suggestion was to make a statement, a non-provocative description of boundary.

        If you were a sincere dissenter, you would encourage such demonstrations, rather than demean them. Maybe you’re a plant too.

      • eljay says:

        >> The dissent side is only a single leg of a chair, not suitable to sit in.

        Jeezus, just when I thought things couldn’t get any stranger! What if the Palestinians take that one-legged chair and suspend it from a tree (preferably not a burning olive tree) using their green yarn? Not only will they have something they can sit in, but they can swing merrily in it, too!

        I wonder what are the legs of Israel’s chair of, uhhh, whatever the chair is supposed to be. Where is Israel’s “better argument”? Where is its humanity, its green yarn, its poetry?

        Peaceful Gandhi: Dead or locked up.
        Peaceful protests: Offensive! Maximalist!
        Democratic elections: Unacceptable! Destabilizing!
        Humanitarian relief efforts: Not nurturing! Hurts people’s feelings.

        What a joke.

        • You don’t want to elaborate on my comment “good suggestions”?

          Just more ridicule. That is wierd.

        • eljay says:

          >> You don’t want to elaborate on my comment “good suggestions”?
          >> Just more ridicule. That is wierd.

          I was still working on my 12:59 post when you submitted your 12:56 post, and I didn’t see yours until after I submitted mine. So here’s my elaboration:

          >> Good suggestions.

          Thank you.

          >> You don’t need to harp on the “yarn”. The point of that symbolic suggestion was to make a statement, a non-provocative description of boundary.

          Fair enough. I’ll drop the “green yarn” references from this point forward.

          >> If you were a sincere dissenter, you would encourage such demonstrations, rather than demean them.

          I encourage peaceful demontrations – that is, demonstrations that do not consist of violence. Palestinians and their supporters engage in these kinds of demonstrations. They get shot at. You condemn the Palestinians and their supporters for their “maximalism” and “destabilization”. I find that utterly incomprehensible.

          >> Maybe you’re a plant too.

          Too? I’ve never accused you of being a plant. Anyway, I’m not a plant…unless I’m some sort of Manchurian candidate waiting to be activated. :-) I simply cannot understand how you – or anyone else – can suggest that justice – including punishment for crimes committed – should be overlooked.

          All the nice gestures the Palestinians and their supports should make does not relieve Israel of the responsibility for the crimes it has committed. It’s easy to say “let’s look to the future” when you’re the one responsible for the destruction and devastation. It’s as meaningless as Bush and others who “take full responsibility” for all sorts of crimes and then face absolutely no consequences.

          (I was just as disgusted when Obama decided not to “look back” at the crimes committed by America and the Bush administration against Middle Eastern nations and detained & tortured individuals. How is anyone supposed to believe in “justice” when “justice” is so clearly one-sided?)

          There, I’m done elaborating. And I’ve tried to be as direct as possible. You should try that some time, too. ;-)

        • “You’re a plant too” refers to my suspicion that a few anti-Israel posters are plants to convince prospective dissenters that the norm of dissent is extreme, rather than civil.

        • Donald says:

          “They get shot at. You condemn the Palestinians and their supporters for their “maximalism” and “destabilization”. I find that utterly incomprehensible.”

          That’s because you’re expecting moral and logical consistency–you won’t get it. At best you will get what you just got–an acknowledgment that your suggestions were good. Richard has moments like that, but just when you think there’s been a breakthrough he’ll go back to the old double standards or he’ll start speaking his own private language. Cease your maximalizationism and stop your destabilificationizing, you dissenting Weiss posse-following maximalizing destablificationizer you.

          One thing I tried that I find satisfying for a few days was replying to an imaginary Richard who was morally consistent. Just take whatever he says and substitute sensible things for the crazy parts and respond to that.

        • There’s been no inconsistency in my thinking and writing here.

          It rests entirely on mutual acknowledgement.

          That Israel and Israelis have a right to live in peace, and that Palestinians have a right to live in peace.

          Those features of dissent that conflict with “live and let live”, I object to.

        • Donald says:

          “Those features of dissent that conflict with “live and let live”, I object to.”

          Like, for instance, when people say that Israeli war crimes are as bad as those of Hamas (qualitatively speaking–quantitatively Israel’s are worse). Equating Israeli crimes to Arab crimes isn’t “live and let live”, by Witty standards.

        • eljay says:

          >> There’s been no inconsistency in my thinking and writing here.

          That’s true. You appear to consistently accept as appropriate the violence actions of Israel/the IDF against Palestinians/Hamas, but not the actions of the Palestinians/Hamas against Israel/the IDF. Worse, you appear to consistently denounce attempts at peaceful protests by Palestinians and their supporters as provocative/destabilizing/maximalist.

          This kind of consistency – while wonderfully consistent – is incomprehensible with most peoples’ concepts of justice and equality.

        • eljay says:

          >> This kind of consistency – while wonderfully consistent – is incomprehensible with most peoples’ concepts of justice and equality.

          “Incompatible with”, not “incomprehensible with”. (Although it is also incomprehensible.)

        • Shingo says:

          “It rests entirely on mutual acknowledgement.”

          Actaulyl that’s a lie Witty. For example, you acknowledge only Israel’s right to self defense.
          You you acknowledge only Israel as haveng the legitimate right to self govern.
          You you acknowledge only the fears and concerns of the Israeli public.

        • You are again misrepresenting.

          Israel doesn’t have a parallel with Gaza as Gaza is not a state. When it becomes a state, then there will be parallel rights and responsibilities.

          Gaza has the right to self-govern, but the international convention, the international law, is in the form of a state. So, Gaza either needs to complete its reconciliation with the West Bank, or form its own state.

          I certainly regard the fears and concerns of others as important.

          That is the meaning of MUTUAL consideration, that one includes the needs and experience of both (all) parties in one’s consideration, not just the chosen victims.

          Reconciliation.

          There are points that dissent can and does make that apply regardless of context. To the extent that dissent adopts agendas that exceed the specific basis and target of dissent, then it becomes undisciplined, a mob rather than organized.

          Only disciplined dissent is feasible for a mass movement. No individual that values non-violence (liberals), will sign on to a movement that is likely to devolve to violence.

          It is why I advocate for disciplined non-violent dissent (ie supporting the objectives and even method of Free Gaza type efforts), but not their opportunist extensions (military escort, extensions of agenda).

        • Shingo says:

          Rights of a state are based on universal rigths of human beings Witty. By denyong that Gaza has the same rights as any other sovereignt state, what you really mean is that Palestinians are sub human.

          Again, you’re inability to cite an y statute or international law that argues that only when Gaza becomes a state, will it have parallel rights and responsibilities.

          Yuo’re simply making this up as you go along.

          “Gaza has the right to self-govern, but the international convention, the international law, is in the form of a state. ”

          Which means that Israel is not a state right Witty?

          “I certainly regard the fears and concerns of others as important.”

          Just a lot less important than those of Israelis.

          “It is why I advocate for disciplined non-violent dissent…”

          You advocate no dissent Witty. The only dissent you advocate doesn’t exist.

        • eljay says:

          >> Israel doesn’t have a parallel with Gaza as Gaza is not a state. When it becomes a state, then there will be parallel rights and responsibilities.

          A specific question, to which I hope to get a specific answer: What concrete measures – what sincere, equitable, thoughtful, productive, respectful measures – should Israel undertake to ensure that a Palestinian state, one with parallel rights and responsibilities, comes into existence?

        • Sumud says:

          “You advocate no dissent Witty. The only dissent you advocate doesn’t exist.”

          Don’t forget knitting w/ green yarn Shingo – that’s officially an RW-approved form of dissent..

    • Sumud says:

      Once again you confirm my view you are a moral midget Richard.

      The effect of the siege on Gaza has been immense and destructive. It’s an irrational response to a democratic decision by the Palestinian people – an assertion of their sovereignty within the limits of occupation, and one denied by Israel and the US.

      Approx 50,000 Gazan men women and children have just endured a winter living in tents because Israel refuses to let in building materials for re-construction after the blitzkrieg. Ten percent of children are suffering from malnutrition causing stunted growth and you’re blabbering incoherent excuses and as usual advocating a whole lot of nothing. Would you be opposed if their cargo was green yarn?

      Where’s your goddamn humanity Richard?

      Did you watch the Chomsky interview on Israeli TV?

      link to youtube.com

      You’re fiddling while Rome burns. Rome – Israel *and* Rome – Palestine. To quote Cher:

      link to youtube.com

      • I saw the Chomsky interview and praised it, because it was framed in “I care about Israel. I want Israel to be the best that it can be.”

        • Shingo says:

          “I saw the Chomsky interview and praised it, because it was framed in “I care about Israel. I want Israel to be the best that it can be.””

          Yes we know Witty. Unless every post and criticism of Israel is framed with “I care about Israel’, you reject it.

          You’re like one fo those abnoxious dog owners with a Paris Hilton rat who demands that everyone love her annoying little excuse for a dog. Very few peope love Israel Witty and nothing’s going to change that. Most people only have the capacity love their own countries.

      • Sumud,
        You’d have to actually dialog with me to conclude whether I am a moral midget or a moral giant.

        Did you get that in the Chomsky interview, the interviewer wanted to characterize him as an Israel hater, but he refused.

        He insisted, “I hold these views because I care about Israel.”

        Similarly, you repeat and repeat “you hate Arabs”, when it just ain’t so.

        • Mooser says:

          “Similarly, you repeat and repeat “you hate Arabs”, when it just ain’t so.”

          Richard, are you aware that the words in between quote marks are supposed to be something the person actually said? I realise that doesn’t apply to Zionists, but you could try.

        • Sumud says:

          I’ve been reading MW long enough to form an opinion. I reject the midget/giant binary, but I’m sad to report you’re definitely on the short side of the scale.

          If you’re going to paraphrase me don’t use quotation marks – and next time try to improve your accuracy.

          Perhaps you don’t hate arabs (I never said you did) but you regularly assert jewish superiority and privilege in the form of unequal/discriminatory laws.

          Eljay listed above 4 suggestions to get the ball rolling and you responded “good suggestions”. However, Israel has demonstrated it is unwilling to budge on each of those four points. How do you propose (beyond the yarn) to bring Israel to heel?

    • Shingo says:

      “The status of Gaza as not sovereign to anyone is the ultimate problem to its civilians’ isolation. ”

      False Witty. There would be no isolation withotu the blockade. There was ewas isolatino before the blockade.

      last but not least, the issue of Gaza’s sovereignty comes down to the fact that Israel has blocked it.

  12. potsherd says:

    Story still getting no press in the US media, although the latest Israeli bombing runs are covered.

    • Colin Murray says:

      There are individuals in the major news organizations who are making the call not to run the story. It’s not an object called ‘The New York Times’ who decided not to run the story. Who in the New York Times made the call? What about the Washington Post, CNN, NBC? Are we talking about a one or two dozen editors and executives in the major news outlets effectively censoring coverage over the entire country?

  13. demize says:

    I’ve had this argument with various Israeli Govt. shills on Twiitter. Intercepting vessels in international waters is piracy, period. Foreign navys sometimes do interdiction missions and board vessels on the high seas, but this is rare, and only if there is a Military threat. I don’t know the international law in regards to high seas interdiction as it was above my pay grade. The Coast Guard has a law enforcement responsibility and searches vessels but this is only in territorial waters. I don’t see any rational for assuming a control zone in those waters except the law of the jungle.

  14. Sumud says:

    The Free Gaza site is back up. Their front page advertises:

    link to witnessgaza.com

    ..which carries live updates of their twitter, photos, videos and a google map of the flotilla’s progress.

  15. demize says:

    “The dissent side is only a single leg of a chair, not suitable to sit” you could always turn it upside down.

  16. Chaos4700 says:

    Richard Witty hates Palestinian self-determination. That much is clear, now, isn’t it?

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