Media Analysis

Unlawful and brutal attack on Turkish boat improves with age in the New York Times

In a writeup of Israeli responses to the deal with Turkey this week, New York Times reporter Isabel Kershner basically justifies the killings of ten activists on the Turkish boat the Mavi Marmara in 2010. That’s a pattern with the NYT– wait long enough and something controversial that happened in the past will be written up entirely in Israel’s favor.

Israel agreed to pay about $20 million in compensation to the families of 10 pro-Palestinian activists who were killed during a 2010 raid by Israeli naval commandos after they met violent resistance aboard a Turkish passenger vessel as it tried to breach Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.

There is no sense here that the Israelis boarded a ship bringing aid to Gaza in international waters, at night, with masked commandos dropped from helicopters. The UN said that the flotilla was traveling to Gaza because it was (and is) experiencing a humanitarian crisis, that the attack was “clearly unlawful,” and that six of the ten victims were summarily executed. And if there was violent resistance, it was of an improvised variety. “People picked up what they could to defend themselves against armed, masked commandos who were shooting,” the Guardian quoted a passenger saying. The UN Human Rights Council also said (in a report unassisted by the Israelis):

The conduct of the Israeli military and other personnel towards the flotilla passengers was not only disproportionate to the occasion but demonstrated levels of totally unnecessary and incredible violence. It betrayed an unacceptable level of brutality.

Kershner gives the views of Israelis who think this was a surrender to Hamas. Israeli Jewish views from right to far right are given. Nothing from the Israeli human rights groups. Later there is a brief mention of the blockade, in a quote from Ahmed Yousef, an adviser to Hamas leader Ismail Haniya. And one sentence saying, “In Gaza, there was a sense that the deal offered some hope but fell short of what Hamas wanted.”

In short, the suffering caused by the blockade to Gazans doesn’t matter enough to treat in its own right–instead, Kershner sees it as something that hurts Hamas and something that Hamas wants lifted. Palestinians and their demands to be treated as though their basic rights mattered are seen by Kershner only in terms of what Hamas wants. That’s how you justify the blockade.

While there are repeated references by name to the Israelis whose bodies are being held in Gaza since the 2014 conflict, there is no mention of the ten Turkish victims of the commando attack by name.

So six years later the NY Times will totally adopt the Israeli version of events if they think they can get away with it. Is this a conscious decision or just how they think? It hardly matters in the end.

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Nine Turkish victims and one American citizen, Furkan Dogan.

@pw

The U(useless) N(nothing) has absolutely zero credibility when it comes to israel and next to zero credibility when it comes to determine international law. just because the un “said” he attack was unlawful doesn’t mean it was unlawful. in fact the body that determines international law on the high seas determined the attack was not in breach of maritime law and it’s doubtful wether it would stand up to actual evidence,,( it gossip and hearsay, in most other international courts.

But then we know it’s part of the pro-Palestinian hasbara project to claim everything that Israel does is against so-called ‘international law’ wether true or false simply to cause maximum zionist /israel narrative reversal.

On the legality of the naval blockade see here, p.38-45:

http://www.un.org/News/dh/infocus/middle_east/Gaza_Flotilla_Panel_Report.pdf

Note the section below that passengers were shot several times and from close range as well as in the back.Note also the statements that no satisfactory explanation has been received from the rogue entity regarding these excessive actions.

From your link.

“Israel’s decision to board the vessels w
ith such substantial force at a great
distance from the blockade zone and w
ith no final warning immediately prior
to the boarding was excessive and unreasonable:
a.
Non-violent options should have b
een used in the first instance. In
particular, clear prior warning that th
e vessels were to be boarded and a
demonstration of dissuading force s
hould have been given to avoid the
type of confrontation that occurred;
b.
The operation should have reassessed
its options when the resistance to
the initial boarding attempt became apparent.
vii.
Israeli Defense Forces personnel face
d significant, organized and violent
resistance from a group of passengers when they boarded the
Mavi Marmara
requiring them to use force for their
own protection. Three soldiers were
captured, mistreated, and placed at risk
by those passengers. Several others
were wounded.
viii.
The loss of life and injuries resulting
from the use of force by Israeli forces
during the take-over of the
Mavi Marmara
was unacceptable
Nine
passengers were killed and many others
seriously wounded by Israeli forces.
No satisfactory explanation has been pr
ovided to the Panel by Israel for any
5
of the nine deaths. Forensic evidence
showing that most of the deceased were
shot multiple times, including in the back, or at close range has not been
adequately accounted for in the material presented by Israel”

Another innocent life taken because of Israel’s occupation and war crimes:

Netanyahu: ‘Enlightened Nations’ Should Condemn Palestinian’s Murder of Israeli Teen
After 13-year-old is stabbed to death inside her Kiryat Arba home, prime minister says Israel will revoke work permits for relatives of the Palestinian assailant.
read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.728081

Did Nutty call for the condemnation from “enlightened nations” when:

1. Civilians were killed in the Gaza Flotilla?

2. Mohamed Abu Kdheir was brutally tortured and killed?
His cousin Tariq Kdheir was viciously beaten by an IDF thug?

3. 2 innocent kids were killed by IDF snipers during the commemoration of Nakba day?

4. Palestinian kids are shot and left to bleed to death on the streets by the IDF

5. When a wounded Palestinians (supposed to be an attacker with knife) lay helpless
on the ground and was brutally assassinated by a cowardly Israeli soldier?

6. When kids are thrown in jail, and abused and ill treated?

Nutty (drama king) sure can whine and show outrage when it is one of theirs, while disregarding the senseless killings carried out by his people.

End the occupation and stop these deaths.