An Assault, Cloaked in Peace

[Fozzledick]

Peace activists are people who demonstrate nonviolently for peaceful co-existence and human rights. The mob that assaulted Israeli special forces on the deck of the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara on Monday was not motivated by peace. On the contrary, the religious extremists embedded among those on board were paid and equipped to attack Israelis — both by their own hands as well as by aiding Hamas — and to destroy any hope of peace.

Millions have already seen the Al Jazeera broadcast showing these “activists” chanting “Khaibar! Khaibar!”— a reference to a Muslim massacre of Jews in the Arabian peninsula in the seventh century. YouTube viewers saw Israeli troops, armed with crowd-dispersing paintball guns and side arms for emergency protection, being beaten and hurled over the railings of the ship by attackers wielding iron bars.

What the videos don’t show, however, are several curious aspects Israeli authorities are now investigating. First, about 100 of those detained from the boats were carrying immense sums in their pockets — nearly a million euros in total. Second, Israel discovered spent bullet cartridges on the Mavi Marmara that are of a caliber not used by the Israeli commandos, some of whom suffered gunshot wounds. Also found on the boat were propaganda clips showing passengers “injured” by Israeli forces; these videos, however, were filmed during daylight, hours before the nighttime operation occurred.

The investigations of all this evidence will be transparent, in accordance with Israel’s security needs.

There is little doubt as to the real purpose of the Mavi Marmara’s voyage — not to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, but to create a provocation that would put international pressure on Israel to drop the Gaza embargo, and thus allow the flow of seaborne military supplies to Hamas. Just as Hamas gunmen hide behind civilians in Gaza, so, too, do their sponsors cower behind shipments of seemingly innocent aid.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/opinion/03oren.html

[EFerrari]

1. It's so sad to see how far Israel has fallen.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. But for most people to believe it you will need someone with an

ounce of credibility to investigate. At this point in time, Israel has less than zero crediblity.

Very few people are going to take the word of the Israeli government for anything.

[Ian David]

3. Propoganda! Lies! Likudnick! Cite a legitimate source! Oh, wait... New York Times? Nevermind.

Thanks for posting this.

[subsuelo]

4. Lies cloaked as news "opinion" n/t

[Mugweed]

5. I saw people protecting their boat from pirates.

I couldn't care less if the pirates were sponsored by the Israeli government. When you forcibly board a boat in international waters, you should expect resistance...including a good beating and possibly death. If Israel had waited until the boat was in Israeli waters, my opinion might be different.

[Ignis]

6. ...written by the Israel's Ambassador to the US!

Yeah, he's quite likely to have a balanced perspective on the incident.

:eyes:

What's next--an opinion piece on the Iraq War from Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf?

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. Countdown Guest Ambassador Edward Peck, Witness Of Flotilla Assault: "They Were Defending The Ship"

link to video:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x471444


.

[Vinnie From Indy]

8. The Israelis should use the WMD thingy like the giggling murderer GW Bush

Simply claim they thought there were WMD's on board, cough up some fake documents about yellowcake and use that as the reason for all the killin'.

If that doesn't work they should try a "one-armed" man being seen firing the fatal shots. The grassy knoll? The sun was in their eyes? Their shoes were too tight? Earthquakes! Floods! It WAAAAAAAAAASN'T THEIR FAULT!