"WE HAVE THREE DEAD!" - Gaza Flotilla Stormed by Israel

Harper and Natanyahu are supposed to have a joint press conference at 11 am EDT.

I wonder what Harper's going to say.

Natanyahu couldn't ask to be with a stronger supporter then Harper.

Quote:

CALL FROM GAZA FOR GLOBAL RESPONSE TO KILLINGS ON THE FREEDOM FLOTILLA

By Gaza Civil Society | May 31, 2010
PRESS RELEASE
GAZA, PALESTINE
31.MAY.2010

CALL FROM GAZA FOR GLOBAL RESPONSE TO KILLINGS ON THE FREEDOM FLOTILLA

We, Gaza based Palestinian Civil Society Organizations and International activists, call on the international community and civil society to pressure their governments and Israel to cease the abductions and killings in Israel's attacks against the Gaza Freedom Flotilla sailing for Gaza, and begin a global response to hold Israel accountable for the murder of foreign civilians at sea and illegal piracy of civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza.

We salute the courage of all those who have organized this aid intervention and demand a safe passage through to Gaza for the 750 people of conscience from 40 different countries including 35 international politicians intent on breaking the Israeli-Egyptian blockade. We offer our sincerest condolences to family and friends who have lost loved ones in the attack.

By sailing directly to Gaza, outside of Israeli waters, with cargo banned illegally by Israel, such as the 10,000 tonnes of badly needed concrete, toys, workbooks, chocolate, pasta and substantial medical supplies, the flotilla is exercising international law and upholding article 33 of the Geneva Convention which clearly states that collective punishment is a crime against humanity.

The hardships of Israel's closure of Gaza have been well documented by all human rights groups operating, most recently by Amnesty International in their Annual Human Rights Report concluding that the siege has "deepened the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Mass unemployment, extreme poverty, food insecurity and food price rises caused by shortages left four out of five Gazans dependent on humanitarian aid. The scope of the blockade and statements made by Israeli officials about its purpose showed that it was being imposed as a form of collective punishment of Gazans, a flagrant violation of international law." The United Nations continuously states that only a fraction of the required aid is entering the Strip due to what it calls ‘the medieval siege', with John Ging the Director of UNRWA in Gaza specifically expressing the need for the Flotilla to enter Gaza. The European Union's new foreign affairs minister Catherine Ashton has just reiterated its call for, "an immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza."

The people of Gaza are not dependent people, but self sufficient people doing what they can to retain some dignity in life in the wake of this colossal man-made devastation that deprives so many of a basic start in life or minimal aspirations for the future.

We, from Gaza, call on you to demonstrate and support the courageous men and women on the Flotilla and join the, many now murdered on a humanitarian aid mission. We insist on severance of diplomatic ties with Israel, trials for war crimes and the International protection of the civilians of Gaza. We call on you to join the growing international boycott, divestment and sanction campaign of a country proving again to be so violent and yet so unchallenged. Join the growing critical mass around the world with a commitment to the day when Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as any other people, when the siege is lifted, the occupation is over and the 6 million Palestinian refugees are finally granted justice.

If we had a strong, moralistic, PM with a conscience, he or she would cancel all meetings with the PM of Israel and would send him home rather than hold him on charges of crimes against humanity. Unfortunately we have no such leader. We have Harper.

I hope this crime proves one and for all that Israel is a pariah state capable only of violence and murder in the name of racial supremacy.

I think I might drive to Ottawa from Toronto to get to the protest for 5pm.  Space availible.  We should leave no later than 11am.

[url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/white-house-deeply-regrets...

White House 'deeply regrets' loss of life on Gaza flotilla;
UN calls for full inquiry after Israel Navy commandos storm international aid boat; European Union condemns incident.[/url]

[b][i]Where the fuck are the Canadian political parties?[/i][/b]

Not one of them speaks for us.

Gino wrote:

What an absolutely loathsome act of mass murder.  If there was any lingering doubt, this proves that Israel has no right to exist.  Arrest their psychotic Prime Minister and put him on trial for piracy, ordering extra-judicial killings, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.  Where are all the soft zionists who patrol this web site now?   Try to explain this one away. 

Right here "GINO".  Explanation??  A bunch of suicidal lefty activists cruising the high seas.  Pretty obvious if you ask anyone.  The only war sriminals to be arrested are those on that ship of idiots.

Gino wrote:

 Where are all the soft zionists who patrol this web site now? 

They're tied up right now at the CBC message boards.  We'll just have to wait our turn.

Hey Obviously,

While you cheerlead this war crime do you look at your collection of dolls heads and jack off? Why don't you go f$#k yourself!

Does anyone think this kind of ridiculous, obtuse, transparent trolling actually works and is anything other than a minor annoyance?

Obviously someone does...

Gino wrote:

Where are all the soft zionists who patrol this web site now?   Try to explain this one away. 

HI Gino, I'm not a Zionist, but I am someone who, in any situation, tries to do their best to see both sides, tries to understand the motivations behind attrocious actions. I also end up playing devil's advocate. In the case of Israel, I do see quite often that somewhere, deep deep down beneath the vile actions of the state and wildly out of control racism there is a seed of truth to the notions of fear and self defence. Deep down.

But this latest action is absolutely indefensible. There is no possible way to defend this action on any grounds. Unless one of those boats was secretly transporting Godzilla to Hamas to use as a WMD there is no possible way that Israel can defend this action and any nation that does not do its utmost to hold Israel accountable is complicit in these acts of murder and heinous human rights abuse.

From the Globe and Mail:

"An Israeli commando said he descended with ropes and was immediately attacked by a group of people waiting for them. "They beat us up with metal sticks and knives," he said, adding, "There was live fire at some point against us."

He said a group of people pounced on the soldiers and beat them. One soldier had his guns snatched. "They were shooting at us from below deck."

He said some of the soldiers were tossed from the top deck to the lower deck by the activists and then jumped in the water to save themselves. Activists grabbed soldiers and tried to hold them hostage, stripping them of their helmets and equipment. He said about 30 activists, all speaking Arabic, had carried out the attack."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/up-to-19-killed-in-israeli-att...

500 apples:

"If you really think other human beings are sub-human, you really need to pause, think, and consider the remote possibility that you've been fed a lot of propaganda. Maybe, just maybe, you have not been given the whole picture."

500, anyone using the language of Obviously is obviously incapable of thought on the truly human level. They "create" the picture of hate, they ARE the source of propaganda. They are another variety of Homo sapiens - not descended.

Star Spangled Canadian wrote:

"A high-ranking naval official displayed a box confiscated from the boat containing switchblades, slingshots, metal balls and metal bats. “We prepared (the soldiers) to deal with peace activists, not to fight,” he said."

I'm sure the soldiery put up a brave defense in the face of such WMD.

The numbers of dead on each side?

Shooting people while they're asleep is, perhaps, a new low. Even for Israel.

"All Arab speaking"

Yes, thank you SSC for our daily dose of racist fiction from the supremacist state.

Unfucking believable.

Only racists, zionist, and Canada's government would belive that excuse for the mass murder of peace activists.

Star Spangled Canadian wrote:

"An Israeli commando said he descended with ropes and was immediately attacked by a group of people waiting for them. "They beat us up with metal sticks and knives," he said, adding, "There was live fire at some point against us."

He said a group of people pounced on the soldiers and beat them. One soldier had his guns snatched. "They were shooting at us from below deck."

He said some of the soldiers were tossed from the top deck to the lower deck by the activists and then jumped in the water to save themselves. Activists grabbed soldiers and tried to hold them hostage, stripping them of their helmets and equipment. He said about 30 activists, all speaking Arabic, had carried out the attack."

Not that I believe the IDF's version of events for a second; but if it were true, this sounds like an entirely reasonable response to being attacked by pirates.

pogge wrote:

Have any high-ranking Israeli naval officers explained yet how passengers on ships in international waters managed to force armed Israeli commandos to come aboard so they could be attacked?

To add to the flotilla's ingenious trickery, they compelled the IDF to do so in the middle of the night. What an absolute and criminal disgrace.

Cytizen H wrote:

Frustrated Mess wrote:

Only racists, zionist, and Canada's government would belive that excuse for the mass murder of peace activists.

For what it's worth. I've already spoken to some of my friends and family who identify as Zionists and they have all, absolutely, condemned the attack. I have heard no apologies for this horrendous crime.

Now that your zionist friends are willing to condemn the attacks with their words within a private conversation we can expect a Palestinian state any day now. 

Quote:

Now that your zionist friends are willing to condemn the attacks with their words within a private conversation we can expect a Palestinian state any day now.

Over the top. These are not always easy conversations and every chat helps in its small way. 

Polunatic2 wrote:

Quote:

Now that your zionist friends are willing to condemn the attacks with their words within a private conversation we can expect a Palestinian state any day now.

Over the top. These are not always easy conversations and every chat helps in its small way. 

Perhaps, perhaps not. righteous indignation in private conversation goes... how far?

The context here is of diaspora zionists. Hypocrisy is already present. People want a land they can escape too for vacation, retirement or burial, particularly if they don't need to work for it or they don't need to hear of the details.

So what do you suggest if you're ambivalent about people discussing the issues with the people they know? 

Interesting that since we don't see the ship from the sides, we can't tell what ship it is, or even, when this footage was shot.

Star Spangled, I'm not sure what you're trying to do, other than offer state sanctioned opinions. Last time I looked that was not a progressive stance, to say the least.

Mass murder has just taken place. International journalists and news agencies are reporting on this atrocity. You're going to stick to this position? Really? Well, do so if you must, but it won't be here if you keep going along those lines.