From the US Boat to Gaza:
At 7:43 am (east coast time) ground support crew lost contact with two ships, the Saoirse of Ireland and the Tahrir of Canada, carrying 27 civilian passengers, medical supplies and letters of support for the people of Gaza. On board the Tahrir is one American, Kit Kittredge.
At 7:30 am the Tahrir was interrogated, via radio, by the Israeli Navy. The ships were approximately 48 nautical miles off the coastline, well into international waters. Asked by the Israeli Navy for their destination, Canadian activist Ehab Lotayef replied, “The conscience of humanity.” When they repeated the question, asking for final destination, Lotayef said, “The betterment of mankind.”
Israel has maintained a naval blockade of Gaza since June 2006. Numerous international organizations, including committees of the United Nations, have concluded the blockade is in violation of international law.
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To follow on Twitter go to: @palwaves or @usboattogaza
I hope there isn’t a bloodbath, but Israel’s track record of waging decksweeping boarding actions on civilian ships in international waters speaks for itself. Let’s hope this becomes the exception to the rule.
Let´s see what happens now!
Erdogan, PM of Turkey, made a statemet that the next flotilla will have turkish naval ships escort if needed, however, up to now there is no sign of them. They are needed now!!
So let´s play out the possibilities.
Now that Israel stopped those two boats Turkey must act, if it doesn´t want to lose face and not losing face is very important in Asia.
If they send armored vessels, we may have a shooting incident between those two nations. Turkey, being a long time member of the NATO, can call for help from the organisation and according to the statute, they must act accordingly.
Turkey, member of the NATO versus Israel, bully of the ME, but the best friend of the USA. What happens? Will NATO pound Israel or the USA Turkey?
I invite any serious comment, without any rhetoric.
Only a few days ago I wrote a comment denying any possibility of Israel attacking Iran just now and commiting a certain suicide.
Since then several important news circulate: should Israel decide to attack, most likely the USA will be drawn immediately into the conflict and in that case, if they are asked, the british will send troops to fight.
This should make a nice bonfire in the ME, noone can calculate the results as Iran is not Iraq. In that case, in my opinion, Iran will immediately bomb the saudi and other oilfields and say hallo to $8 a gallon gas. Don´t complain, the europeans are paying this amount for years and the lights did not go out yet.
It seems Niniyahoo and his criminal gang now running Israel learned a lot from Hitler´s nazi system. In case you have trouble at home just start another war and if it comes to it, go down in flames.
This time Tel Aviv and other israeli cities will be hit with thousands of missiles. Should Israel decide to use one of their non-existent nuclear weapons, it will give the signal for an all out war. Iran, the Hamas and Hisbolla may not have nuclear weapons, however a bomb filled with poison gas or biological agents will do just nicely.
Assad in Syria is in trouble, the attack on Iran may just unite a nation again and they are allies of Iran. Jordan will cave in in a few days, the key role is how the generals of Egypt will act. Will they support Israel against their arab brothers, or use this opportunity to get read of the only serious opponent to their hegemony.
The outcome, toss up a coin and pray, (although praying never helped anyone).
Adam, Phil, Annie..I am not a twitter or a Facebook person. How can we get folks on these two boats to directly facebook or twitter the Diane Rehm show in the next International round up hour at 11am est? I am going to send Medea Benjaman and email. Any ideas getting them on air or read during the next hour?
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Call in…contact. Get this new flotilla information on the next Diane Rehm international round up hour that starts in 10 minutes 11 est
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