Turkey to Israel: If you have nothing to hide, accept international probe.
The pressure is mounting on Israel to allow an international investigation of the flotilla raid. This is the other shoe dropping. The first was Goldstone.
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impossible. They’ll never accept it because they are guilty. What sane Navy boards a ship in the dark of night by announcing itself with sound grenades. Their intent was for a skirmish. It’s bunk, so they’ll use their victim card, but the only takers are the US media and it’s congress.
And they have certainly already destroyed as much of the incriminating evidence as they could get their hands on.
Unfortunately, it’s not just the US, but some European countries too. I can only speak about what I know, so I’ll just say that France is once again being very “shy” on the subject, politicians and medias.
Last time I saw, Sarkoszy was urging BYahoo to accept the commission.
I may sound radical, but I can’t believe that France, known as the country of the revolution and the human rights etc…, and our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bernard Kouchner, who founded Doctors Without Borders and Doctors Of The World, have less courage than say Unite, the largest British Union, or the Docker’s Union of Sweden, who both said they are boycotting Israel’s good as they did with South African during the Apartheid.
Declarations in front of a microphone are not enough.
melka,
You lucky bastard! You have Sarko and French TV. Try living with Berlusconi and Italian TV! Wanna trade? ;-)
Italian state TV, in case you were wondering, referred to the passengers on the Mavi Marmara as “friends of Hamas”.
Shmuel, Italy makes Ducati and possibly even better, Aprilla motorcycles. Why would anyone watch TV?
Point taken, Mooser. In fact, I haven’t got a TV (or a motorcycle, but that’s another story).
Ahh, Motto Guzzi!
Pretty damning and direct, considering the same thing has been demanded of Iran vis-a-vis its nuclear program, and Iran did allow the international inspectors in.
I think this is the turning point where Israel must either surrender its atavism and become an actual modern nation… or declare war on the the rest of the modern world.
Frankly, I don’t understand why Israel needs to be involved at all, unless they want to volunteer. Turkey can simply take the eyewitness accounts of the 600 passengers and compile a Goldstone-type report.
And does an imvestigation of this sort even matter? As Potsherd noted, the evidence is already either destroyed, compromised or altered. The ship will be returned to Turkey scrubbed of any blood. All the photographic evidence was seized.
Seems the proper course of action is for Turkey to lead an investigation into the timetable of what happened, based on the eyewitness accounts of the surviving passengers.
Destruction of evidence is itself a crime worth prosecuting.
It seems that some Turkish prosecutors are already taking action.
link to todayszaman.com
Israel has two options – both of which are disastrous for her. That an international investigation is going forward with or without her is not one her options
1- Refuse participation in an international investigation – as she did with Goldstone. Many in Israel (even rightwing) have called this a great strategic blunder ever since
2- Participate in an international investigation and accept the consquences. If it it shown that she has commited an act of terror then the Israeli occupation of Palestine will start to fall like the house of cards it is
just finished listening to (and taking complete notes on) a discussion of the flotilla conducted at Carnegie Endowment.
gotta digest the notes, but this stuck out:
NO mainstream press representative asked a question (from the audience).
The ONLY question from the audience that mentioned Israel came from the VOA reporter, who asked, “How is Israel’s security to be guaranteed?” and “What can legitimate Israel’s investigation of this incident?”
my take: Voice Of America = Voice of Israel
phooey
The Israeli ambassador was on Fox New this morning, refusing to OK any outside investigation. Would the US allow such? he asked. Fox news host agreed No, nodding in agreement.
It seems very simple and straightforward to me. If there were any footage on any of the confiscated videos of the incident taken by passenger, crew or journalists that was favorable to Israel’s case they would have made it public by now. The fact that they haven’t leads me to believe there in nothing in them that strenthens their position or discredits the accounts by the activists. Most likely any unedited videos would show that Israel used excessive force. I think you can take that to the bank.
Why has the world-wide MSM, which has a vested interest in the issue, failed to harshly criticize Israel’s confiscation of video and other media material and now, its failure to make it public?
Things are heating up well beyond the matter of an investigation.
Ergodan is saying he will sail to Gaza on an armed ship. Israel says they will consider this an act of war and fire on it.
And the Iranian Red Crescent is now saying it will send two ships to Gaza.
If there are any sane persons around in Israel, they had better take charge NOW.
Adding: this is why we are supposed to have a UN.
And the reason we don’t is largely owing to the Israel situation.
This should have invoked the NATO common defense charter. From what I hear the non US. Contingent in Brussels is absolutly outraged.
Erdogan risks overplaying his hand.
Ha’aretz seems to think what Erdogan has been doing is extremely popular with the Turks: Assad: Syria prepared to act against Israel’s siege of Gaza:
As the actions of Barack/Yahoo are extremely popular with the Jewish Israelis.
Israel’s doing what no one before could have accomplished — uniting the Arabs, Turks and other NATIVE people of the Middle East behind a common threat to their safety and security.
I agree, psycho. The worst fallout from this flotilla thing, from Yahoo’s point of view, has been the total diversion of attention from his “kill Iran” project. But if the blockade-breaking efforts bring in Iran, he will certainly take the opportunity to start his long-desired war.
We really need those sane people.
“The worst fallout from this flotilla thing, from Yahoo’s point of view, has been the total diversion of attention from his “kill Iran” project.”
That’s why he right now most likely sits with eihter a extremist unit of the Mossad or some mercaneries and plans a false-flag terror bombing against western targets to be blamed on Iran, to geht the as you call it “kill Iran”-project back on track.
Someone’s trying:
link to gilad.co.uk
In fact, it’s worth looking at all gilad’s post 31/5 writings:
link to gilad.co.uk
Sometimes it takes balls, something Obama was born lacking as he is a neuter.
Erdogan’s Foreign Minister stated over the weekend that Erdogan does not plan to sail himself, he even chuckled at the suggestion that the Turkish Prime Minister would do so.
I don’t know if anyone has noticed this, but there are a bunch of new Israeli apologist bloggers on the threads dealing with Israel on the Huffington Post. They’re crawling up and down those threads and multiplying like cockroaches. I mean I recognize the usual suspects, but there are perhaps triple the usual number or more spreading the hasbara real thick.
Did you hear about Megaphone ?
It’s a software from GIYUS.org (Give Israel Your United Support) that you install and warns you when somebody finds some anti-Israel blog post, forum, etc… Hasbara 2.0 in a way. It’s frightening.
link to giyus.org
on the orange blog, to use the word ‘hasbara’ or to mention GIYUS is to invite banning.
where are all those pro-Israel blog responses coming from: here’s one: link to schusterman.org
And yet the orange blog”s membership has now turned radically against Israeli actions, despite the obvious disapproval of its Zionist proctors, who cling to the old prohibitions.
A friend (an Israeli living abroad) received an e-mail from the Israeli Ministry of “Public Diplomacy” (aka Hasbara), asking all Israelis “to take part in the hasbara … In light of calls for the destruction of Israel, its isolation and the laying of blame entirely on the IDF, a clear and straightforward response must be given regarding the flotilla affair, the reasons for stopping it, and the importance of continuing to deny arms to Hamas.” The letter lists 3 main talking points, and online resources.
Wonder if that might have something to do with the surge at Huffpo.
Which 3 talking points are they pressing now?
Which 3 talking points are they pressing now?
From “Letter to Israeli citizens”, signed Ronen Plot, Director General, Ministry of Hasbara and Diaspora:
Ah, the old classics!
Nothing new and flotilla-specific.
The twist here (beyond the usual “we rock”, “they suck”) is that bleeding hearts are not evil; they’re just incredibly stupid (which I guess is a kind of variation on “they suck”).
>> It is not the Palestinian people (sic!) that is under blockade…
The “sic!” qualifier is about all you need to know, eh?
Pretty similar to RW’s main talking points. I am still puzzled how he could know Israel’s main line of defense a couple of days before it became the official Israeli line of argument.
how he could know Israel’s main line of defense a couple of days before it became the official Israeli line of argument.
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.”
Shmuel, that was not nice.
A reminder of the 25 rules of Disinformation:
The Eight Traits of The Disinformationalist:
It happened during the Gaza invasion too. And it’s not just people on the front end — for this sort of wave to work on a FULLY MODERATED site like HuffPo, there are moderators behind the scenes who are anything but moderate.
Israel worried by new Turkey intelligence chief’s defense of Iran
Syria has also said it will stand by Turkey in its efforts with Gaza. So with Iran cozying up to Turkey and planning to send a couple of aid ships, protected by the revolutionary guard frigates, the next few months should be quite hot. Oh and let’s not forget Hezbollah to Israel’s north and Hamas to its south who are also part of the deal.
If there is war between Turkey and Israel, Turkey’s greatest military asset is its land forces, and Syria would be the route through which Turkish troops would have to go to get to Israel.
Right and the Iranian military is no pushover either and they would be sure to join in.
But one thing is that the Turkish military is traditionally very secular and there is currently some division between it and Erdogan’s ruling moderate Islamist party. Erdogan is hoping to gain more control over the military – which has traditionally been a strong ally of the Israelis – by riding the anti-Israel sentiment building up in Turkey over the deadly flotilla raid.
The attack by the PKK Kurdish rebels on the Turkish naval base in Iskenderun near the Syrian border two hours before the Israeli attack on the flotilla cannot have made the Turkish military feel any more friendly towards Israel. A lot of people in Turkey, including people in the government, are strongly inclined to believe the two attacks were coordinated.
Israel does have a history of arming and supporting the Kurds.
Juan Cole links to an article on the subject of the Iskenderun attack: Suspicion growing about possible link between PKK and Israel:
The irony in this is so thick I can’t breathe!
There’s also the question (as in any war) of Oil. Two major oil fields are on the border of Gaza’s territorial water and Lebanon’s water. Turkey’s is also a major route for every pipeline coming from Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea.
link to globalresearch.ca
link to rense.com
link to worldpress.org
Passengers grabbed Israeli weapons to stop the killing. Eyewitness account.
link to youtube.com
Something’s bothering me…and it’s somewhat off topic I know, but I feel compelled to bring it up. Helen Thomas who is one of the most honest voices in the Washington press corps, who’s been speaking truth to power for decades and who is one of the only people with the guts to call out Presidents on their unblinking support of Israel is being trashed by the Right, the Lobby and the Hasbara army and her illustrious career is going down in flames and there is not one mention of her on this site.
What’s the matter? Has she suddenly become radio-active material? Not only was she trapped by the Rabbi, but her words were directed specifically at “Israeli” Jews, and had she spoken those words about South African whites and how they should be deported to their country of origin if that’s what it would take to stop Apartheid, there would not be a peep from the Jewish community. Instead Liberal Jews are crucifying her all over!
It’s time to define the sides now! It’s time to be really honest about Zionism, the Lobby’s influence and Israel and its crimes if the intent is to really tackle the injustice and not merely to whine and complain to appease our conscience.
Now everyone knows she meant ZIONISM SHOULD PACK ITS BAGS AND GO BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM…is this radioactive, or is this what it will take to bring LASTING PEACE and JUSTICE???
Let’s have some honesty please!
There was an entire post on M/W dedicated to the Helen Thomas issue. Just go back to previous posts.
Looks like the old gal has packed it in and called it a day. Bastards!
Israel’s only Muslim ally was Turkey; they had military maneuvers together, etc. But Israel didn’t like Turkey’s independence regarding Iran (neither did the USA) and now, of course, Israel deems Turkey another arch foe–I imagine that’s how Uncle Sam would be treated if it ever gave Israel a tad of tough love. Anyway, the USA’s special relationship with Israel has lost a tad of glue? Next thing you know, somebody on primeTV News might actually spell out for all Americans a bit of truth regarding our bestest ally in the world, the only one sharing our highest values.
More breaking news: Egypt says the Rafah crossing will be open indefinitely.
link to haaretz.com
Do you know who and what they are letting in and following what procedure? I find it hard to believe that Egypt has simply ended the siege.
who and what they are letting in – and out, of course.
I couldn’t agree more. Mubarak has been happy to supply guards for the west wall of the Gaza concentration camp even during Operation Cast Lead.
Maybe, but I dare say internal pressure in Egypt over Mubarak’s collaboration with Israel and the US has reached a boiling point. It’s not like he wants to end up like Pinochet, or the Shah of Iran.
He and his ilk should end up like Mussolini and Ceausescu.
just like all others in which they hide behind the convienant laws put into place to hide their actions, they are chosen ones, whom do not have to follow the laws of common man, they make them up as they go along. They answer to no one ever!
The apartheid must end, with every country in the world demanding it, are you listening hilary? oh I forgot she is in bed with the aparthied ,sorry. Words are not going to sufice anymore!! the actions must be taken to stop this 60+ years of massacre and deception by the zionist state aparthied.
Helen thomas said it right on the money, poland and germany and the countries which are your home are still awaiting the return of their citizens, russia is having a population crissis. End the occupation, right of return & damages compensation must be sought. There are a lot of guilty people, we will need many more jails. The discraceful actions of the media must be halted immediately, there must be a law on the books internationally for the countries which allow the media to spread lies and deceive their citizens, and to falsely accuse a people that they just hate our way of life, is completely unfounded. They just hate the terrorism in which is being done to them, just as anyone would, if the rolls were reversed.
Real fun and games about to start: Iran sending 2 ships next week.
Not warships, Red Crescent ships
Which, of course, Israel will bomb anyway, on the grounds that everything from Iran is diabolical and meant to kill all the Jews.
link to independent.co.uk
By contrast, a group of 10 apparently senior Israeli naval reserve officers last night wrote to Mr Netanyahu demanding an external enquiry and rejecting “widespread claims” of a failure of intelligence or public relations. Instead, the officers said, “We think that the plan was doomed to failure from the beginning.”
The letter added: “We protest the fact that responsibility for the tragic results was immediately thrust onto the organisers of the flotilla. This demonstrates contempt for the responsibility that belongs principally to the hierarchy of commanders and those who approved the mission. This shows contempt for the values of professionalism, the purity of weapons and for human lives.”
“purity of weapons.”
quaint.
pure pepperspray in the paintball guns?
I actually heard there were splinters of glass in the paintballs. I suppose we’ll have to see what Turkey’s autopsy and medical reports will show.