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Flotilla aid refused by Hamas

June 2, 2010

via Flotilla aid refused by Hamas.

Senior official: Israel’s decision to release cargo is “Deception.”

Hamas refused on Wednesday to allow the aid equipment that was captured by the IDF aboard the flotilla ships earlier this week to enter the Gaza Strip.
“We refuse to receive the humanitarian aid until all those who were detained aboard the ships are released,” said Ahmed Kurd, Minister for Social Welfare in the Hamas government said. “We also insist that the equipment be delivered in its entirety.”
Kurd said that Israel’s decision to allow a number of wheelchairs to be delivered to the Gaza Strip was a “deception,” claiming that the batteries that operate them had been removed, making them useless.
The Hamas minister said that Israel’s decision to send some of the aid that was seized aboard the ships to the Gaza Strip was designed to divert attention from the “massacre” that took place in the sea.
Calling for lifting the blockade on the Gaza Strip, Kurd welcomed Egypt’s decision to reopen the Rafah border crossing. He expressed hope that the terminal would remain opened on a permanent basis.
Taher a-Nunu, spokesman for the Hamas government, said that the issue of the humanitarian aid would be resolved only through consultations with the organizers of the convoy in Turkey.
He stressed that Hamas’s top priority now was to ensure the release of all those who were detained aboard the ships.
Egyptian authorities on Wednesday banned Hamas’s Minister of Health, Basem Naim, from travelling through the Rafah terminal.
Naim was on his way from the Gaza Strip to attend a conference of the Arab Physicians Union in Algeria when the Egyptians turned him away.
The Egyptians did not offer any explanation for their decision to ban Naim from crossing the Rafah terminal, which was reopened after the confrontation between the IDF and international activists aboard the flotilla aid ships

Hamas refused on Wednesday to allow the aid equipment that was captured by the IDF aboard the flotilla ships earlier this week to enter the Gaza Strip.
“We refuse to receive the humanitarian aid until all those who were detained aboard the ships are released,” said Ahmed Kurd, Minister for Social Welfare in the Hamas government said. “We also insist that the equipment be delivered in its entirety.”
Kurd said that Israel’s decision to allow a number of wheelchairs to be delivered to the Gaza Strip was a “deception,” claiming that the batteries that operate them had been removed, making them useless.
The Hamas minister said that Israel’s decision to send some of the aid that was seized aboard the ships to the Gaza Strip was designed to divert attention from the “massacre” that took place in the sea.
Calling for lifting the blockade on the Gaza Strip, Kurd welcomed Egypt’s decision to reopen the Rafah border crossing. He expressed hope that the terminal would remain opened on a permanent basis.
Taher a-Nunu, spokesman for the Hamas government, said that the issue of the humanitarian aid would be resolved only through consultations with the organizers of the convoy in Turkey.
He stressed that Hamas’s top priority now was to ensure the release of all those who were detained aboard the ships.
Egyptian authorities on Wednesday banned Hamas’s Minister of Health, Basem Naim, from travelling through the Rafah terminal.
Naim was on his way from the Gaza Strip to attend a conference of the Arab Physicians Union in Algeria when the Egyptians turned him away.
The Egyptians did not offer any explanation for their decision to ban Naim from crossing the Rafah terminal, which was reopened after the confrontation between the IDF and international activists aboard the flotilla aid ships

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Turkey mulls military escort for Irish blockade-buster vessel

June 2, 2010

DEBKAfile, Political Analysis, Espionage, Terrorism, Security.

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report June 3, 2010, 12:11 AM (GMT+02:00)

Tags: Pro-Hamas flotilla Israel-Turkey Rachel Corrie

Rachel Corrie – next blockade challenger

Five planes flew out of Israel Wednesday night, June 2, carrying hundreds of foreign passengers and nine bodies from the Turkish-led flotilla Israeli commandos raided and prevented from breaking the Gazablockade two days ago. After surrendering to Turkey’s ultimatum to release all the passengers, including the seven members of Islamist terrorist groups who assaulted the Israeli boarding party, DEBKAfilereports the Netanyahu government faced a fresh ultimatum from Ankara: Lift the Gaza blockade at once.
In his televised message to the nation Wednesday night , Netanyahu pledged “to continue to uphold our right to self-defense against terror,” but gave no specific undertaking to preserve the blockade.
Our counter-terror sources confirm that for the first time ever, the government in Jerusalem flouted legal and judicial opinion and sent out of Israel’s jurisdiction a pack of terrorists who were filmed attacking Israeli soldiers without trial, together with the bodies of unidentified assailants without giving the investigating authorities a chance to carry out autopsies and find out if they were wanted for security offensives.
After Israel gave way on this, the Erdogan government upped the pressure with further ultimatums.
After declaring it was vital to prevent hundreds of Iranian ships reaching Gaza with thousands of heavy ballistic missiles for Hamas, Netanyahu faced a fresh Turkish demand to lift the blockade on Gaza without delay.
Furthermore, the Irish vessel Rachel Corrie, which was left out of the flotilla after it developed technical trouble, was discovered to have changed course from a direct route to Gaza and headed for a stopover at a Turkish port. DEBKAfile‘s counter-terror sources disclose suspicions in the Israeli government and naval command that the Irish ship would take aboard a new batch of trained Turkish IHH terrorists and head for the Gaza Strip. They might even be the same IHH activists who attacked Israeli commandos on the Marmara and were deported Wednesday.
Erdogan has resolved that this group which he personally sponsored will reach Gaza Port by hook or by crook. It is also feared in Jerusalem that he may attach an escort of Turkish warships and air force jets to accompany the Rachel Corrie and make sure the ship breaks through the blockade to its destination.

The Irish ship was first scheduled to anchor Saturday, June 5, but its detour to Turkey will delay its arrival by a couple of days.

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Turkey is turning its back on Europe

June 2, 2010

Turkey is turning its back on Europe | SNS | Sagitarius News.

Turkey has harshly criticised Israel for its military assault on a flotilla carrying international aid in the Mediterranean. The Turkish reaction is based on double standards, the press writes, and fears that the country is turning away from Europe and the West.

Turkey’s double standards

Turkey’s comments on Israel’s military attack against an aid flotilla in the Mediterranean betray its double standards, writes the daily Lietuvos Rytas: “Does Ankara have the right to call the Israelis pirates and bandits? Why don’t Turkey and the EU use such terms to describe Egypt, which also blockades the Gaza Strip with military means? And how should we describe Turkey’s war against its own Kurdish citizens who are striving for greater autonomy? Forty thousand people have died in the conflict which has lasted for decades. And how to describe Turkey’s categoric refusal to acknowledge its genocide of the Armenians? Yes, Israel’s leadership has behaved disgracefully, and that must be condemned. … But questioning Israel’s legitimacy and its right to defend itself as the Turkish foreign minister has done testifies to nothing other than hypocrisy and double standards.” (Lietuvos Rytas – Lithuania | 02/06/2010)
Farewell to the West

Turkey is moving further and further away from the West and causing a geopolitical shift within the Atlantic alliance, writes liberal daily La Stampa: “After just under 60 years of economic, political and even military alliance relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated dramatically. Yet this is not the beginning but rather the climax of a negative development that has been going on for some time in Ankara’s relations not only with its neighbour Israel but also with the West as a whole. The deadly incident in international waters has triggered a major shift, a geopolitical cataclysm: the breaking away from the Atlantic alliance zone of a country which with 80 million citizens … was a Nato bulwark for decades . … We are facing a profound crisis in the once solid and fruitful relations between Turkey and the West.” (La Stampa – Italy | 02/06/2010)

Ankara must decide

Turkey is acting against Europe’s interests and needs to be clear about its future development, writes the conservative daily ABC commenting on the support for the Gaza Strip aid flotilla and Turkey’s mediating role in the conflict with Iran: “It’s true that Turkey is a large country with an imperial past that can’t be ignored. As an independent nation it has every right to choose its priorities in foreign policy, but as an aspirer to join the European family it should not ignore that there are certain values and interests it cannot afford to neglect. If its objective is to become a regional power in line with its Ottoman past it will have to decide which of its two essences it prefers: being oriented towards Europe or towards the past.” (ABC – Spain | 02/06/2010)

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Anchor accuses own network of ‘embarrassing’ bias in Israel coverage

June 2, 2010

Anchor accuses own network of ‘embarrassing’ bias in Israel coverage | The Daily Caller – Breaking News, Opinion, Research, and Entertainment.

By Anchorman – The Daily Caller | Published: 06/02/10 at 1:10 PM
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Israeli students demonstrate in support of Israel, following a deadly raid by Israel’s navy on an aid flotilla bound for the blockaded Gaza Strip, outside Tel Aviv University, in Tel Aviv, Israel Wednesday, June 2, 2010. Israel on Wednesday was deporting the last of the nearly 700 foreign activists detained in a deadly raid on an aid flotilla bound for Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

What you’ re about to read is perfectly true.  I came within a butterfly fart of firing this memo off to my boss this morning in a fit of real rage. But my wife, yet again, intervened.

“You’ve been whining like this for ten years. Just go get a new job,” she said.

“Don’t send that memo!”

She’s right.

I agreed not to push the send button, but only if she let me send the memo to The Daily Caller, minus the names.  I hate writing anonymously. Readers who’ve criticized me for it are totally justified. One of these days I’ll reveal myself to readers of The Daily Caller, but until that new job comes, or I’m fired, which is increasingly likely,  I don’t want to have to pull my kids out of college because of their father’s selfishness. Here’s the memo that I want to send but – under great duress – can’t.

Dear XXXX,

I’m writing for some clarification about how we are supposed to cover the Gaza flotilla story. If we, as a news organization, are supposed to be acting as a public relations arm of Hamas, or Hezbollah, both internationally recognized terrorist organizations,  or if we are supposed to be  jumping on the bandwagon of 1930’s style anti-Semitism that’s presently sweeping much of the world, then we are doing a fine job. If we are supposed to be acting as a news organization that covers the story objectively, then our coverage is a travesty and an embarrassment.

I just finished watching XXXX’s  piece on yesterday’s 5pm newscast, so I could better understand the grotesquely distorted and biased voice-over that ran on this morning’s show.  XXXX interviewed former diplomat Edward Peck, who was onboard the “Gaza Flotilla,” without describing his views on the Middle East. Some perspective would have helped. Among other things, Peck spoke these words, later famously used by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright:”We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye…and now we are indignant, because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought back into our own front yards.”

Peck is deeply controversial in other ways. But no mention was made  in XXXX’s story of anything that might cast the slightest doubt on Pecks political motivations.

In addition, remarkably, her piece made no mention  – absolutely none — of the Israeli perspective in this story. For example:

The widely aired (though not here) video that clearly shows an IDF soldier being tossed over a railing, and others being beaten with sticks, was omitted.

The fact that  bullet proof vests and night vision goggles were found among the “humanitarian aid” on the ship was omitted.

IDF video of confiscated knives and metal bars that were apparently used as weapons was omitted.

Information that Israeli soldiers were also wounded and injured was omitted.

Moreover, her piece included no background whatsoever on why Israel’s interception (“attack” as we called it ) of the flotilla would likely have passed muster in any court outside the thug-ridden United Nations.

Nor did viewers get any background about the three-year-old blockade of Gaza, facts such as:

It’s purpose, which is to prevent the shipment of longer-range, more powerful missiles that only ships can carry. Thousands of Hamas rockets are presently pointed at various Israeli cities, towns and schoolyards; the Israeli government estimates that Hamas continues to smuggle tons of explosives per month into Gaza, mostly through tunnels. In the last few years, more than 2,700 rockets have rained down from Gaza on the civilian population of southern Israel.

In 2005, Israel ordered about 8,500 Jewish settlers to evacuate 21 settlements in Gaza, land occupied since the Six-Day War of 1967. Reluctant and emotionally-torn IDF soldiers had to literally pry people from their family homes.  That same land in the year 2010, is now occupied by Hamas training camps.

Gaza is a strategically located port, control of which would complete the encirclement of Israel by it’s sworn enemies, including Hamas and Hezbollah – the latter, of course, being a client of Iran, which is close to acquiring nuclear capability and has threatened repeatedly to wipe Israel off the map.

These are among the perspectives  that were left out of our story.

With all due respect XXXX,  I find our coverage of this an abomination. I feel like I want to wash the slime off me when I get off work.  I’m embarrassed by our coverage.  I take this job and my reputation seriously. But that’s nearly impossible with coverage like this. I hope you’ll respond.

Anchorman

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/06/02/anchor-accuses-own-network-of-embarrassing-bias-in-israel-coverage/#ixzz0plleh14s

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Netanyahu Speaks about Israeli Flotilla Raid (6.2.10)

June 2, 2010

YouTube – 2/3 *UPDATE* Netanyahu Speaks about Israeli Flotilla Raid (6.2.10).

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Metro – Trying to limit damage, Israel drops plans to prosecute activists detained in high-seas raid

June 2, 2010

Metro – Trying to limit damage, Israel drops plans to prosecute activists detained in high-seas raid.

Trying to limit damage, Israel drops plans to prosecute activists detained in high-seas raid

Israeli PM defends Gaza blockade, says it prevents missile attacks amid calls to lift it

MARK LAVIE, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
June 02, 2010 2:05 p.m.
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JERUSALEM – In an attempt to limit the diplomatic damage from its deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, Israel dropped plans Wednesday to prosecute dozens of pro-Palestinian activists, opting instead to deport them all immediately.

The stunning reversal came as Israel faced increasingly sharp international condemnation for Monday’s high-seas raid that ended when Israeli commandos killed nine activists. The outcry included accusations of war crimes and a decision by Nicaragua to break diplomatic relations with Israel over the raid.

But Israeli officials said the decision not to prosecute any of the activists — despite suspicions that they were sent to attack Israeli forces on the ship — was primarily an attempt to control the damage to Israel’s relations with Turkey, an unofficial sponsor of the flotilla. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing sensitive diplomatic issues.

Israel is anxious to patch up ties with Ankara because it is the Jewish state’s most important Muslim ally. At least four of the nine killed were Turkish and the ship Israel attacked was Turkish. Israel ordered families of its diplomats out of that country a day after Ankara branded the raid a “massacre.”

Turkish lawmakers continued to express their outrage Wednesday, calling on their government to review its political, military and economic ties with Israel. The lawmakers also said Israel must formally apologize for the raid, compensate the victims and bring those responsible to justice.

In a step aimed at calming the furious response, Israel said Wednesday it planned to deport all the activists by the end of the day.

That would include about 50 of the nearly 700 activists on the ships who Israel said were apparently linked to the world jihad movement and possibly al-Qaida. Israel accused the suspects of attacking Israeli troops rappelling onto one of the ships and beating them with iron rods, clubs and knives. Originally, Israel planned on detaining them in Israel while police looked into possible charges.

But Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein said in a statement Wednesday that all the activists would be deported, including the 50 suspects. The statement said that “keeping them here would do more damage to the country’s vital interests than good.”

Israeli Cabinet Minister Isaac Herzog said the expulsions were an attempt to dampen criticism of Israel.

“We are trying to take full control of this crisis management and move forward,” Herzog told The Associated Press, while indicating that Israel would reject calls from the U.N. and others for an independent inquiry. “We are the last nation (that) you can say doesn’t check itself,” he said.

Herzog defended Israel’s blockade of Gaza, saying weapons Hamas could receive by sea could be used “against Israel and the region.”

International envoy Tony Blair told The Associated Press that Israel should ease the blockade and let more supplies in. He said the blockade was “counterproductive,” but said it would be hard to lift it because of Israel’s objections.

Israel instructed the families of its diplomats stationed in Turkey to return to Israel immediately because of noisy demonstrations at the Israeli embassy and consulate and the high level of Turkish outrage over the raid.

In another bizarre twist, Israel unloaded supplies from the six boats commandeered during the raid and sent some of the goods toward Gaza, only to see the blockaded territory’s Hamas rulers refuse to accept them.

Israeli security officials said they had loaded 20 trucks with equipment that was on the ships, including wheelchairs, toys, clothes and medicine. They said contrary to earlier claims, there was no cement on board.

The Hamas minister of social affairs, Ahmad al-Kurd, accused Israel of keeping batteries for the wheelchairs and withholding tons of cement carried by the flotilla. He said the government would not accept the aid until Israel frees everything confiscated from the ships, but later said the aid would be picked up when all detainees were released.

Hanin Zoabi, an Arab lawmaker who sailed with the activists, was heckled when she took the podium in the Israeli parliament Wednesday.

“Go to Gaza, you traitor,” Miri Regev, a lawmaker in the ruling Likud Party and former Israeli military spokeswoman, screamed in Arabic.

Despite the outcry over the raid, the Palestinians were resuming indirect peace talks with Israel Wednesday through U.S. envoy George Mitchell.

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French judge says Turkish charity behind Gaza flotilla had terror ties

June 2, 2010

Metro – AP INTERVIEW: French judge says Turkish charity behind Gaza flotilla had terror ties.

PARIS – France’s former top counterterrorism judge says in an interview that the Turkish Islamic charity that organized the ill-fated relief flotilla for Gaza had “clear, long-standing ties to terrorism and jihad.”

Jean-Louis Bruguiere has told The Associated Press that the Istanbul-based Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief, known by its Turkish acronym IHH, had a role in the thwarted plot to bomb Los Angeles International Airport in 1999.

Bruguiere who now heads a EU program to track terror financing said Wednesday that IHH leaders “were basically helping al-Qaida when (Osama) bin Laden started to want to target U.S. soil.”

The group denies any links to terror groups.

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A Setup On The High Seas?

June 2, 2010

A Setup On The High Seas?.

A Setup On The High Seas?
by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator
No journalist worth his or her salt should be surprised at the foaming-at-the-mouth
rage by Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the clash between Israel and
the flotilla of 6 ships, led by the Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara. The “pirates” had
vigorously proclaimed that they would run the sea blockade by Israel into Hamas-controlled
Gaza.
In order for the ships to be loaded and to weigh anchors, they needed Erdogan’s
participation through his prior knowledge and approval.
Two more ships are currently sailing from Turkey and may very well be carrying Muslim
Terrorists and offensive weapons. Regardless, they must be intercepted and guided
peacefully to the Israeli port of Ashdod, (IF they don’t attack the official boarding parties).
Their cargoes can be properly inspected, unloaded and transshipped to Gaza.
However, IF these two ships are carrying weapons and fire on the intercepting Israeli
ships or boarding parties, they should NOT be sunk or allowed to deliberately sink
themselves. WHY? Because they may have been sent on a deliberate suicide mission,
as “Shaheeds” (martyrs) to gain world approval for their nefarious cause and crushing
disapproval for Israel acting in her own self-defense.
Here again PM Erdogan would have had prior knowledge of the intent of their mission.
The Muslim Arabs have long used civilians as “Human Shields” hoping to restrain
attackers. Or they have used dead civilians, intermixed with Terrorists as propaganda.
If you remember, they did so in the 2006 Lebanon War.
Many components to this saga are well-documented in the research machines (called “The Morgue” or GOOGLE) in all major news organizations and easily available (IF) journalists, news anchors and their editors – if they wanted – could call up the information in order to verify their contents.
Since the actual planning and story begins with the organizers, the IHH (Insani Yardim
Vakfi – short for the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief –
an Islamic charity) originally assembled to provide support to Bosnian Muslims and later
believed to be cross-linked with al Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood and a number of “global
jihad networks”.
The IHH was known by Interpol and all credible Intel Agencies in the Free West as
a ‘front’ which provided funding for the mix of Muslim Terrorists called the “Mujahadeen”
fighters for Islam), who came from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Iran, Syria…as well as
those operating in Judea and Samaria.
The Turkish government launched a raid on the IHH-
Istanbul offices, where they found weapons, explosives and instructions for bomb-making.
The IHH denies any affiliation with Terror organizations. As to be expected, they
claim the IHH is “humanitarian” and “only raises charity”.
The World Media has loosely thrown around the words that Turkey was some sort of
Muslim friend and ally to Israel. However, the facts are well-known that, since Erdogan, a
dedicated Muslim, was elected PM in Turkey, that country’s drift was to change to an
Islamic-driven nation with growing alliance to Iran and Syria, to become active “Jihadists”
warriors for Islam) with their goal to rule the Middle East and beyond.
The New York Times (June 2nd) points out that much of the funds to support IHH
comes from the Turkish religious merchant class which brought Erdogan to power. This is
reminiscent of the Saudi princes who have been funding Terror groups all over the world for
many years. Remember that the 9/11 Terrorists were 15 Saudi and 4 Egyptian Muslims – and
that Osama Bin Laden was a member of a rich Saudi family from Yemeni extraction.
As for the relationship Turkey has/had with Israel, it ranged from the benign – when
Israeli tourists provided a steady source of funds to Turkey’s economy – to the business of
military goods Turkey could buy from Israel. For Turkey’s (former) secular military, Israel
proved to be an excellent source of military hardware and high tech. Israel upgraded
Turkey’s older tanks, provided the best UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) – including ‘smart
bombs’ and missiles. This did not make Turkey under PM Erdogan a friend or an ally. As
Turkey drew closer to Iran, Israel became reluctant to provide the technology which could
likely be transferred to Iran and/or Syria.
As part of the charade of May 31st, PM Erdogan screamed with performance level rage,
claiming that Israel had breached the International Laws of the sea. But, Erdogan forgot
a few key things. International jurists and experts on such matters are already pointing
out that proclaimed hostiles going to join and supply other hostiles such as Hamas and
Hezb’Allah, are in no way protected by International Laws.
You will see more of these opinions by such experts start to emerge, especially if
there is, indeed, an inquiry as demanded by the U.N. Security Council.
Let us recall for the record that Gaza is in the brutal hands of Hamas, an organization
recognized as a “Terrorist Organization” by America, most of the rest of the Free World
as well as Israel. Hamas is the proclaimed enemy of Israel to the point of actively working
to eliminate the Jewish Nation/State of Israel and Jews in totality.
I would remind you that Turkey frequently breached Iraq’s land border to attack the
Kurds whom they considered enemies of Turkey. Most of these cross-border attacks were
carried out without permission of Iraq. In fact, the U.S. turned a blind eye as did the U.N.,
because Turkey was considered a military asset to the West against an expanding and soon-
to-be Nuclear Iran. No doubt, Turkey will remain untouchable until they totally cross the
line as a committed Muslim country in partner with Iran.
As Erdogan was fully informed of the IHH’s intent to create an international incident,
one can easily conclude that the U.N.’s Security Council was complicit. They were clearly
knowledgeable well before the clash and prepared to go into emergency session to condemn
Israel (again).
Keep in mind that most of the members of the U.N. Security Council are virtually
‘owned’ by the Arab Muslim Bloc and, individually, have been some of the worst tyrants,
dictators and suppressors of Human Rights (especially of women) in the world.
All the nations, especially the Arab/Muslims and Europeans are demanding an
‘investigation’, assuming they will control the evidence and have judges such as Richard
Goldstone ruling the inquisition.
By all means, let us have an investigation, naming nations and groups who have
supported Terrorists and provided funds and weapons which mandated an embargo by Israel
on land and sea.
If the IHH has placed “useful idiot” civilians aboard these next ships, then it would
be best to cripple the ships’ propellers and tow them into Ashdod with no attempt to board
them at sea. Israel should NOT risk her own men – especially since the Terrorists aboard
the Mavi Marmara showed their murderous goals and were loaded with dangerous weapons.
The Israeli commandos were attacked as they boarded, beaten with iron bars, stabbed
with knives.
They said it felt like a “lynch”

A Setup On The High Seas?
by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator
No journalist worth his or her salt should be surprised at the foaming-at-the-mouth
rage by Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the clash between Israel and
the flotilla of 6 ships, led by the Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara. The “pirates” had
vigorously proclaimed that they would run the sea blockade by Israel into Hamas-controlled
Gaza.
In order for the ships to be loaded and to weigh anchors, they needed Erdogan’s
participation through his prior knowledge and approval.
Two more ships are currently sailing from Turkey and may very well be carrying Muslim
Terrorists and offensive weapons. Regardless, they must be intercepted and guided
peacefully to the Israeli port of Ashdod, (IF they don’t attack the official boarding parties).
Their cargoes can be properly inspected, unloaded and transshipped to Gaza.
However, IF these two ships are carrying weapons and fire on the intercepting Israeli
ships or boarding parties, they should NOT be sunk or allowed to deliberately sink
themselves. WHY? Because they may have been sent on a deliberate suicide mission,
as “Shaheeds” (martyrs) to gain world approval for their nefarious cause and crushing
disapproval for Israel acting in her own self-defense.
Here again PM Erdogan would have had prior knowledge of the intent of their mission.
The Muslim Arabs have long used civilians as “Human Shields” hoping to restrain
attackers. Or they have used dead civilians, intermixed with Terrorists as propaganda.
If you remember, they did so in the 2006 Lebanon War.
Many components to this saga are well-documented in the research machines (called “The Morgue” or GOOGLE) in all major news organizations and easily available (IF) journalists, news anchors and their editors – if they wanted – could call up the information in order to verify their contents.
Since the actual planning and story begins with the organizers, the IHH (Insani Yardim
Vakfi – short for the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief –
an Islamic charity) originally assembled to provide support to Bosnian Muslims and later
believed to be cross-linked with al Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood and a number of “global
jihad networks”.
The IHH was known by Interpol and all credible Intel Agencies in the Free West as
a ‘front’ which provided funding for the mix of Muslim Terrorists called the “Mujahadeen”
fighters for Islam), who came from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Iran, Syria…as well as
those operating in Judea and Samaria.
The Turkish government launched a raid on the IHH-
Istanbul offices, where they found weapons, explosives and instructions for bomb-making.
The IHH denies any affiliation with Terror organizations. As to be expected, they
claim the IHH is “humanitarian” and “only raises charity”.
The World Media has loosely thrown around the words that Turkey was some sort of
Muslim friend and ally to Israel. However, the facts are well-known that, since Erdogan, a
dedicated Muslim, was elected PM in Turkey, that country’s drift was to change to an
Islamic-driven nation with growing alliance to Iran and Syria, to become active “Jihadists”
warriors for Islam) with their goal to rule the Middle East and beyond.
The New York Times (June 2nd) points out that much of the funds to support IHH
comes from the Turkish religious merchant class which brought Erdogan to power. This is
reminiscent of the Saudi princes who have been funding Terror groups all over the world for
many years. Remember that the 9/11 Terrorists were 15 Saudi and 4 Egyptian Muslims – and
that Osama Bin Laden was a member of a rich Saudi family from Yemeni extraction.
As for the relationship Turkey has/had with Israel, it ranged from the benign – when
Israeli tourists provided a steady source of funds to Turkey’s economy – to the business of
military goods Turkey could buy from Israel. For Turkey’s (former) secular military, Israel
proved to be an excellent source of military hardware and high tech. Israel upgraded
Turkey’s older tanks, provided the best UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) – including ‘smart
bombs’ and missiles. This did not make Turkey under PM Erdogan a friend or an ally. As
Turkey drew closer to Iran, Israel became reluctant to provide the technology which could
likely be transferred to Iran and/or Syria.
As part of the charade of May 31st, PM Erdogan screamed with performance level rage,
claiming that Israel had breached the International Laws of the sea. But, Erdogan forgot
a few key things. International jurists and experts on such matters are already pointing
out that proclaimed hostiles going to join and supply other hostiles such as Hamas and
Hezb’Allah, are in no way protected by International Laws.
You will see more of these opinions by such experts start to emerge, especially if
there is, indeed, an inquiry as demanded by the U.N. Security Council.
Let us recall for the record that Gaza is in the brutal hands of Hamas, an organization
recognized as a “Terrorist Organization” by America, most of the rest of the Free World
as well as Israel. Hamas is the proclaimed enemy of Israel to the point of actively working
to eliminate the Jewish Nation/State of Israel and Jews in totality.
I would remind you that Turkey frequently breached Iraq’s land border to attack the
Kurds whom they considered enemies of Turkey. Most of these cross-border attacks were
carried out without permission of Iraq. In fact, the U.S. turned a blind eye as did the U.N.,
because Turkey was considered a military asset to the West against an expanding and soon-
to-be Nuclear Iran. No doubt, Turkey will remain untouchable until they totally cross the
line as a committed Muslim country in partner with Iran.
As Erdogan was fully informed of the IHH’s intent to create an international incident,
one can easily conclude that the U.N.’s Security Council was complicit. They were clearly
knowledgeable well before the clash and prepared to go into emergency session to condemn
Israel (again).
Keep in mind that most of the members of the U.N. Security Council are virtually
‘owned’ by the Arab Muslim Bloc and, individually, have been some of the worst tyrants,
dictators and suppressors of Human Rights (especially of women) in the world.
All the nations, especially the Arab/Muslims and Europeans are demanding an
‘investigation’, assuming they will control the evidence and have judges such as Richard
Goldstone ruling the inquisition.
By all means, let us have an investigation, naming nations and groups who have
supported Terrorists and provided funds and weapons which mandated an embargo by Israel
on land and sea.
If the IHH has placed “useful idiot” civilians aboard these next ships, then it would
be best to cripple the ships’ propellers and tow them into Ashdod with no attempt to board
them at sea. Israel should NOT risk her own men – especially since the Terrorists aboard
the Mavi Marmara showed their murderous goals and were loaded with dangerous weapons.
The Israeli commandos were attacked as they boarded, beaten with iron bars, stabbed
with knives.
They said it felt like a “lynch”

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Attackers of the IDF soldiers are Al Qaeda mercenaries

June 2, 2010
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via Attackers of the IDF soldiers are Al Qaeda mercenaries.

On board the Mavi Marmara ship that arrived as part of the flotilla to Gaza was a group of approximately 40 people with no identification papers, who are mercenaries belonging to the Al Qaeda terror organization. This was disclosed by the Israeli Security Cabinet, which gathered on Tuesday evening (June 1) for a special meeting.

According to intelligence disclosed during that meeting, the terrorists wore bullet-proof vests, and carried with them night-vision goggles, weapons, and large sums of cash.  Each person in this group had the exact same amount of cash in his pockets.  While the civilian protestors were sent to the lower deck during the Shayetet Naval Special Force’s interception of the ship, the group divided into cells and remained on the upper deck in order to attack the soldiers.

An announcement delivered at the completion of this special meeting stated that blocking the entrance of these ships into Gaza is an act of self defense. The Cabinet places full responsibility for the incident on those who started the violence which clearly endangered the lives of the IDF soldiers, and commends the IDF for the way it responded. The meeting on this subject will continue on Wednesday (June 2).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during the meeting that he regrets all loss of life, but gives full support to the IDF. “This was not a flotilla for peace, but instead was a violent and organized force. We have films and photographs which show what our soldiers faced, but the last thing that can be said about this ship is that it was a flotilla of peace,” he said.

“We know from the experience of Operation Cast Lead, and beforehand, that weapons entering the Gaza Strip are used against our civilians. Within Gaza there is a terror state aided by Iran, and therefore we attempt to prevent the entering of weapons to Gaza by land, air and sea. On the Francop ship alone we caught approximately 200 tons of weapons which were smuggled by Iran to Hezbollah,“ he added.

The Prime Minister emphasized that “Opening a martime channel to Gaza will present a grave danger to the security of our civilians. Therefore we are upholding the policies of the maritime blockade, and check the ships. There is no possibility to establish these policies without checking the contents of the ships. It is true that there is international pressure on and criticism of this policy, but we must understand that it is necessary in order to ensure the security of Israel and her right to self defense.”

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Israel’s underwater wild card

June 2, 2010

The current Israeli inventory consists of five German-built Dolphin class diesel-electric submarines – the latest two are equipped with a very quiet air propulsion system. Some of the submarines were purchased using American military assistance funds – which required special dispensation – and some were donated by the German government.

For years, the top students in Israeli high schools were selected to be fighter pilots, while the second tier were selected to serve in Israeli military intelligence. Over the last few years, however, the second tier have been named to serve in the submarine force, earning those selected the nickname “fighter pilots with glasses” since pilots are required to have perfect vision, and submariners are not. This change underscores the value Israeli military leaders place on a viable underwater capability.

The German-made submarines are excellent vessels – the Israeli fleet easily outclasses the anti-submarine warfare capabilities of its Arab neighbors, but the real threat to Israel comes not from the likes of Syria, but from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Anyone who has read anything about the Middle East for the past five years understands that Iran is feverishly developing a nuclear weapons capability, and has continually made bellicose threats against the Jewish state.

On my last two visits to Israel, virtually every government and military official with whom I had contact stressed the “existential threat” posed by Iran. Whether or not the United States seriously considers the consequences of a nuclear-armed Iran, the Israelis do. In response, the Israelis have planned and exercised for an air strike on Iran.

Launching an air strike on Iran will be pushing Israeli aircraft capabilities to the absolute limits – there is no room for error. (See my earlier articles, Iran – Israel’s Air Strike Options, updated by Iran – Israel’s Air Strike Options Update.) An attack on Iran has a high likelihood of failure, but if the Israelis believe the Iranians are on the verge of building a nuclear weapon, they will strike regardless.

There are very few options for the Israelis, but one weapon that has been overlooked is the submarine fleet. There is a reason for that – Israeli submarines can easily operate in the Persian Gulf, well within weapons range of Iranian nuclear facilities. The submarines can carry a variety of cruise missiles, however, they are limited in the number and size of warheads. The submarines will certainly be complementary to any air operations, but by themselves cannot achieve the level of destruction necessary to stop the Iranian nuclear program.

There is a wild card, however. I will preface my next statements with the assumption that most people believe that the Israelis have nuclear weapons. It would be illogical to assume that the Israelis have not produced nuclear warheads for their submarine-launched cruise missiles. Of course, use of nuclear weapons is a major step and would only be taken under the gravest of conditions.

Certainly if Iran launched a nuclear attack on Israel, there would be instant nuclear retaliation, although that threat does not seem to have deterred Iranian rhetoric. In fact, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seems to welcome the end of the world and what the Shi’a believe will be the return of the Mahdi. More than a few Israeli military officers have expressed the opinion that Iran cannot be deterred – the threat must be neutralized.

On the other hand, many senior Israelis have made the calculation that Israel cannot wait for an Iranian nuclear attack to take action. They have assessed that Israel may not be able to survive the massive damage to not only the country, but to a sizable portion of the Jewish people. Should they determine that the Iranians are about to act, they will act first.

The question is – will the Israelis use nuclear weapons (either air or submarine delivered) first? If the very existence of Israel is at stake, the question is more than just academic.

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