Latma presents: The Audacity of Dopes Band brings you "Guns, Guns, Guns!"
12 juli 2011, Tammuz 8, 5771
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5CsGViY5JQ&feature=player_embedded
Six Expelled at Airport; 200 Stopped Abroad
10 juli 2011, Tammuz 6, 5771
by Maayana Miskin
The “fly-in flotilla” planned for Friday has fizzled as foreign authorities ban most anti-Israel activists from boarding flights. Police are still on alert at Ben Gurion International Airport, but so far have encountered only six protesters.
Far-left foreign activists had planned a mass event for Friday in support of the Arab world's demand that millions of descendents of Arabs who fled pre-state Israel be allowed to “return” as citizens. While some activists said they planned to enter Israel quietly and travel to Palestinian Authority-controlled regions to protest, others were planning to riot at the airport to draw attention to their cause.
Israel responded by issuing a list of 347 pro-PA activists believed to be planning disruptions, and asked airports to prohibit them from boarding flights to Israel. Airlines were given an explanation from Israel's security apparatus as to why the “fly-in” protest is seen as a threat, and were warned that passengers from the list who succeeded in reaching Israel would not be allowed to enter the country.
Fifty activists were kept off a Lufthansa flight to Israel at Charles de Gaulle Airport and in protest refused to leave the terminal, Israel Radio reported. “Charles de Gaulle Airport is under Israeli occupation,” one accused.
Another 30 were barred from a flight in Geneva.
While most on the list will not be arriving in Israel, security professionals believe that hundreds more whose names are not on the list are still planning to arrive. Officials have warned that anyone who disrupts the peace at the airport will be denied entrance to Israel and deported as quickly as possible.
Two American women were deported overnight on Thursday after arriving in the country and stating that they were participants in the “fly in” protest who had originally planned to arrive in Gaza by sea in defiance of Israel's naval blockade on Hamas. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/145537
Another four would-be protesters were turned back later in the morning.
Police warned that the main “fly-in” wave may not yet have hit. “Anything could happen,” said Police Chief Yochanan Danino.
Pro-PA 'Fly-In' Stymied in Europe
10 juli 2011, Tammuz 6, 5771
by Chana Ya'ar
European authorities are preventing some pro-Palestinian Authority Arab sympathizers from participating in the “fly-in” to Israel, at Jerusalem's request. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/145425
Eight activists were prevented from boarding a Malev flight from Paris to Budapest, where they intended to pick up a connecting flight to Israel. Three other activists were already arrested at Ben Gurion International Airport on Wednesday. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/145489
Earlier in the day two Dutch journalists were prevented from boarding an El Al flight from Amsterdam, although they claimed that they only wanted to cover the fly-in. They insisted that they did not intend to take part in demonstrations that have been planned to be held at the airport, and said they were not going to visit the Palestinian Authority.
France also issued warnings about Israel taking steps to protect its security.
In preparation for the international “fly-in” planned by European and American anarchists at BGIA Thursday night and Friday, Israel updated and dispatched a new “no fly” list to international carriers. The list carried 300 names of anarchists. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/144694
According to international aviation regulations, airlines are not allowed to board passengers who are not welcome to enter a country due to passport, visa or other issues.
Hundreds of security personnel have been deployed at BGA in anticipation of the arrival of the activists tonight (Thursday, July 7) and Friday.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Ministry has other plans.
According to a statement issued by the ministry Thursday, tourism officials at the airport will greet tourists with flowers and tourism information.
“We need to maintain a sense of normality at the airport, sending out a message to the international press that Israel is a safe country and an attractive tourism destination,” said Tourism Minister Stas Miseznikov.
“Security forces who deal with the pro-Palestinian activists will exhibit professionalism and respect, and this will not interfere with the airport activities.”
Chemische wapens aan boord van de Flotilla, volgens de Russische pers
1 juli 2011, Sivan 29, 5771
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcQFDhFbJPo&feature=player_embedded
Flotilla "peace activists"
19 juni 2011, Sivan 17, 5771
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esitLPiqmMs&feature=player_embedded
De Flotilla Gaza II ligt voor anker om te vertrekken.
Hierbij laat ik u liever de feiten lezen zoals die bij Brabosh te vinden zijn. Deze informatie is erg goed gefundeerd en voor iedereen te begrijpen. Brabosh is duidelijk over veel meer als dit onderwerp. Laat u alstublieft goed voorlichten over de ware feiten, zoals die er momenteel liggen.
16 juni 2011, Sivan 14, 5771
http://brabosh.com/category/freedom-flotilla-gaza-ii/
Flotilla Photos Vindicate Israel
9 juni 2011, Sivan 7, 5771
by Hillel Fendel
Only now, more than a year after the violent flotilla incident in which terrorists tried to run Israel's blockade of Gaza, has it been conclusively shown that some of the "humanitarian" flotilla participants were armed with guns.
Photos of passengers on the Marmara ship sporting the guns were published on Tuesday in the Yediot Acharonot daily. It is not clear why the photos were not published until now.
The flotilla, ostensibly organized to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza, was organized by the Turkish organization IHH, of radical Islamic anti-Western orientation and with a history of ties with and fund-raising for Hamas.
When the ships neared Gaza some 13 months ago, Israel warned them not to attempt to breach its legal blockade of Gaza. However, the Mavi Marmara ship did not adhere to the orders, and IDF commandos were forced to board the ship and stop it by force. They did not expect to be attacked by the humanitarian aboard the ship, but when they were – including being set upon with metal pipes, chains and knives, having a soldier nearly thrown overboard, and others briefly taken prisoner – they were able to fight back, killing nine of their attackers, including five known terrorists.
The incident led to international headlines for weeks afterwards. The flotilla backers consistently claimed that they had only peaceful intentions – now belied by the new photos.
A United Nations committee is expected to publish its findings on the IHH flotilla incident within a month. Israel's well-documented position that it was within its rights in using force to stop the ships did not receive much play in the international debate, though the UN committee is expected to justify Israel in this regard.
Timeline of the Mavi Marmara Incident
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z31GesVrBjc
Israel's EU Ambassador: Flotilla 'Political Provocation'
9 juni 2011, Sivan 7, 5771
by Chana Ya'ar
Ran Curiel, Israel's ambassador to the European Union, charged Tuesday in a news conference in Strasbourg that a new attempt to breach Israel's maritime blockade of Gaza is a "clear political provocation." Activists organizing the new convoy said earlier in the day at a news conference in Strasbourg that aboard the vessels will be European Union parliamentarians.
The organizers claimed the status of the lawmakers would "protect" the other activists aboard the vessels from IDF troops who might try to redirect or otherwise stop the ships from reaching Gaza.
“In our view, the flotilla is clearly a political provocation... since there's no need for a flotilla to aid Gaza,” he said. “You can pass whatever you want to Gaza through normal channels.”
International aid organizations and Western governments have repeatedly told activists to bring their aid supplies to the region through approved land-based crossings.
Curiel also pointed out that Israeli troops intercepted a German-owned ship in March that headed for Gaza carrying a cargo of weapons for Hamas terrorists.
He warned activists that Israel would not allow the flotilla to threaten the Jewish State. "I cannot refer hypothetically to what the response of Isral will be," Curiel said. "What I can say is that Israel will do everything in order to protect its own citizens and it will do it within international law."
Free Gaza Movement Response to UN: Flotilla On As Planned
by Elad Benari
31 mei 2011, lyar 27 5771
The Free Gaza movement welcomed on Sunday a call from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging Israel to end its blockade on Gaza, but responded to his call on world nations to stop the Gaza aid flotillas by insisting the mission would go ahead as planned.
“We are not engaged in illegal activity in the in the Mediterranean; it is Israel’s blockade of 1.5 million Palestinians that is illegal,” the group said in a statement which was quoted by the Palestinian Authority-based Ma’an news agency.
On Friday, Ban called through his spokesperson “on all governments” in the region to use to their influence to push against the new flotilla of ships expected to try to break Israel’s continued blockade on Gaza, meant to prevent heavy arms from reaching terrorists who have rained missiles on southern Israel since the IDF left Gaza unilaterally in 2005.
Ban’s spokesman Martin Nesirky was quoted by Ma’an as having said the secretary general was “following with concern media reports of potential flotillas to Gaza.”
The lawyer for the Free Gaza Movement responded to Ban’s concerns by saying that “as head of the United Nations, [Ban] knows that the UN High Commission for Human Rights produced a report that identified the blockade of Gaza as collective punishment and a war crime. We would remind the Secretary-General that the flotilla violates no international laws or laws of the sea and so an outright ban on our sailing to Gaza is essentially a statement against the rights of the Palestinian people to control their own ports, and lives.” Israel has the legal right to intercept the ships.
Huwaida Arraf, chair of the Free Gaza Movement was quoted by Ma’an as saying, “We do not sail just to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Palestinians don’t want humanitarian aid, they want the right to trade and have open borders and come in and out of their territory without walls and gunboats and snipers shooting at them” He did not mention that the Gazans elected a terrorist group, Hamas, or the missiles raining on Israeli children, one of which killed a 16 year old boy on a schoolbus just weeks ago.
Free Gaza Movement was founded by four activists of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), which studies have shown is an organization which supports terrorism.
ISM:
http://www.stoptheism.com/
http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/ipc_e149.htm
The movement promotes flotillas to Gaza and has done so since 2008. It was a main participant in the 2010 IHH flotilla which attempted to break Israel’s naval blockade on Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. It now plans on participating in the Freedom Flotilla 2, set to sail in June.
2010 IHH flotilla: http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e105.htm
Gaza: http://english.irib.ir/radioislam/videos/item/78421-freedom-flotilla-2-to-sail-for-gaza-by-end-of-june
The comments by the heads of the Free Gaza Movement are in line with comments made on Sunday by IHH head Bülent Y?ld?r?m, who clarified that despite the fact that Egypt had opened its border crossing with Gaza, an act which constitutes the end of the so-called siege on Gaza, as well as the beginning of the opportunity to transfer arms to the Gaza strip, his group would go ahead as planned with the new flotilla.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/144557
Several weeks ago, the IDF intercepted a Malaysian ship allegedly also carrying “aid for Palestine” as it attempted to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza. The aid is unnecessary, Israel claims, and the flotilla goals are for publicity, not humanitarian aid. Photos of overflowing stalls in markets and opulent malls in Gaza seem to bear this out.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139134
IDF soldiers attempted to persuade the activists on the vessel, sent by the Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF), to return to Egypt where the boat had been docked, but when the vessel disregarded their efforts, IDF soldiers fired warning shots to underscore the message. At that point, the vessel changed course, returning to Egypt. There were no injuries.
Zomaar even een paar gedachten van mijn kant. Een monument als getoond in het filmpje van Gaza. Wat kost dat? Als de leugen van tekorten op alle voedingsmiddelen waar is, waar komt dan het geld vandaan om een dergelijk monument te bekostigen?
Gerelateerde onderwerpen:
- No weapons?
- Reacties actie Israel
- Cyber Jihad tribute
- Witness to Flotilla Murder
- Humanitaire actie?
- Radical Islam behind Flotilla
- Nieuwe informatie Flotilla Gaza
- Moslim Brotherhood
- Turkey
Met alle respect voor alle mensen die anders willen als dat politieke besluiten momenteel genomen zijn, door leiders, die uit zijn op politieke macht.
Kent u het protestlied nog van Boudewijn de Groot uit de jaren '60? "Slaap zacht, minister president?" http://youmix.co.uk/track/887768 Wie de schoen past, trekke hem aan!
Ashkenazi: a 'Naval Shield' will Meet Next Flotillas
by Gil Ronen
12 augustus 2010, Elul 2, 5770
After taking responsibility for the problematic nature of the May 31 IDF naval raid on the “Free Gaza” flotilla, IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said Wednesday that the next enemy flotillas will be met differently.
“We know that the next flotillas that will try to break through our borders and the weapons ships that will try to arm the terror organizations will be blocked by the naval defensive shield of the State of Israel, of the Navy,” Ashkenazi said at a graduation ceremony of the Navy's Ship Captain Course, at a naval base in Haifa.
"In these times, when the sea and shores of the Middle East are even more stormy than in times of routine, we all look at the de-legitimization campaign that our enemies are conducting against the State of Israel, including the next flotillas,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Ashkenazi testified before the Turkel Committee appointed to probe the raid, and acknowledged there were problems with the IDF's intelligence on the nature of the flotilla, and in the way the raid was carried out.
Brigadier-General (res.) Tzvika Fogel, former Head of Southern Command, said Wednesday that the Chief of Staff's testimony before the Turkel Committee marked a return to sanity. “It is very fortunate that the Chief of Staff took responsibility for the IDF's actions, or they would have summoned the Naval Commando soldiers to testify as well,” Fogel said. “The Chief of Staff put an end to the dishonorable saga that was taking place here, with each person rolling responsibility on the other.”
Video Shows Zouabi Knew of Plans for Attack Aboard Marmari
by Hillel Fendel
11 augustus 2010, Elul 1, 5770
A video clip indicates that MK Hanin Zouabi, a mild-mannered but extremist first-term Arab Knesset Member, lied outright when she said she did not know that the Turkish terrorists aboard the flotilla ship were preparing to attack IDF soldiers.
The clip, released on Army Radio’s website Wednesday morning – although currently not viewable, apparently because of the heavy demand – shows Zouabi standing next to a group of Turks who are armed with clubs and metal bars.
It is likely that they were among the mob that attacked the sparsely-armed IDF soldiers who rappelled down onto the ship after it refused to adhere to IDF orders to change course. Though the mob proceeded to beat and injure several soldiers, including one very seriously, the small IDF force was able to recover and kill nine attackers.
MK Zouabi said repeatedly after the incident, and again today, that though she was on the ship, she had no knowledge of any preparations for a violent attack on IDF soldiers. Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin said he plans to submit the tapes to the Attorney General and to the Knesset Ethics Committee.
Filmed in the stairwell of one of the ship's below-board floors, the clip first shows Zouabi with an orange life-jacket, standing and talking with mob members. One Israel Navy soldier testified that it was at this point that three of his comrades were being dragged below in an attempt to kidnap them; according to his testimony, it is unlikely that Zouabi did not see this.
Zouabi has had, and continues to have, close ties with Azmi Bishara, former leader of her Balad party who, as a Knesset Member, fled the country after being suspected of aiding Hizbullah during the Second Lebanon War.
After seeing the film of Zouabi, a senior Navy source commented, “It is hard to conceive that Zouabi, standing there in the ship’s stairwell, did not see the attempts to abduct IDF soldiers and hide them below-board.”
Her presence on the Marmari evoked a strong public outcry, http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137892 and the Knesset ultimately voted to strip her of certain privileges, such as the rights to a diplomatic passport and public funding of her legal expenses.
“The Israeli public, and the Knesset Members, are tired of Arab MKs taking advantage of our democracy to harm the country,” MK Danny Danon (Likud) said at the time. “Zouabi must decide if she supports Hamas and Al-Qaeda, or if she is a member of the Knesset of Israel.”
Zouabi herself has stated that she wishes to be both. “I serve my own principles,” she has said, “as well as my people that is oppressed by the State [of Israel], and I have no problem doing so in the framework of the Knesset. My voters did not vote for me so that I would strengthen Zionism… There is a people that voted for Hamas, and I fight for their right to choose.”
Hamas leader Ismail Haniye personally called Zouabi while the Knesset was debating the stripping of her privileges, and encouraged her to “remain strong.”
IDF Chief: We Didn't Know Enough About Turkish IHH
by Hillel Fendel
11 augustus 2010, Elul 1, 5770
The third day of the Turkel Commission hearings regarding Israel’s handling of the flotilla incident features the testimony of IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi.
Ashkenazi’s testimony followed Monday’s appearance by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, which he had to qualify afterwards by reassuring the public that he takes overall responsibility for what occurred, and Tuesday’s testimony of Defense Minister Ehud Barak, in which he blamed the army for mis-carrying out the government’s correct decision to stop the ship.
Ashkenazi, on the other hand, took full responsibility for the army’s performance aboard the ship, and even praised the soldiers and the Navy Commander. He said the main error was in the lack of sufficient preparation for the extent of violent resistance being prepared against the forces. "If we would have known, we would have prepared a sterile area," he said, meaning that snipers would have been deployed to fire at any one who tried to approach the soldiers as they boarded the ship.
The Chief of Staff presented a detailed account of what occurred and the preparations that preceded it, including documents, photographs and even a video clip.
“The soldiers aboard the Marmari displayed courage and purity of arms,” Ashkenazi said, “and responded correctly to the dangers they faced.” He described dramatically how one soldier was shot in the stomach as he rappelled down onto the ship, and was forced to respond with pistol fire.
He emphasized the importance of stopping such ships from arriving in Hamas, recalling that the IDF stopped a ship two years ago containing an amount of rockets equivalent to 70% of those fired at Israel during the Second Lebanon War.
Gen. Ashkenazi praised the Navy Commander for his handling of an unforeseen situation.
Minister Barak said on Tuesday that there had been “not a few intelligence failures” in the preparations for the raid on the ship. When the soldiers boarded the ship, they were greeted by clubs and iron bars, and even gunshots – an onslaught for which the forces were not prepared.
Ashkenazi acknowledged that the IDF did not have many sources of information on the Turkish IHH terrorist organization, which largely organized the flotilla. “We know much more about Hamas,” he said. “Turkey is not an enemy nation, and I hope it will not become one.”He is scheduled to conclude the first part of his testimony shortly after noon, and then continue behind closed doors.
All-Women Ship Heads for Gaza and Waits for Clash with IDF
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
8 augustus 2010, Av 28, 5770
A “women-only” ship, complete with a nun and a heavily pregnant mother, has cleared political and technical obstacles and is set to sail for Gaza, presenting Israel with a new challenge. The ship is supposed to leave Tripoli by Sunday night, its co-coordinator, Hizbullah-backer Samar al-Hajj, told the London Guardian.
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev told Israel National News, “There are no limits on goods going to Gaza, and any ships trying to bring so-called aid to Gaza will be regarded as provocations.”
The sight of women—supposedly unarmed—facing Israeli naval commandos trying to stop it from breaking the sea embargo on Hamas-controlled Gaza faces Israel with a new public relations challenge. The women have dramatized possible violence by preparing to travel equipped with blood test equipment “in case we come under attack from Israel and you need a blood transfusion," al-Hajj said.
She added, "We will not even bring cooking knives” in order to prevent accusations that they are armed.
Pro-Arab activists have been preparing the Mariam ship for more than a month, http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/138154 but Lebanese and Cypriot authorities had refused to clear the boat and a sister ship for sailing. It must dock in Cyprus to prevent a claim by Israel that it will intercept the ship because it is sailing towards Israel from the declared enemy state of Lebanon.
Israel has succeeded in turning away several attempts to challenge the embargo without violent confrontations—until Turkish terror activists clashed with its navy commandos on May 31. Israel suffered public relations damage following the deaths of nine Turkish members of the IHH organization. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/137798
Subsequent documented evidence that IHH is a charity front for terrorists, along with videos of the terror-trained activists assaulting the commandos, has reversed much of the damage. Israel has agreed to participate in a United Nations probe of the violence besides conducting its own investigation under the Turkel Commission. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/138299
The sailing of the Mariam has been carefully geared for public consumption. Besides the nun and a pregnant woman, the crew includes Christians and Muslims, and the ship has been named after the Virgin Mary.
Israel has warned that allowing ships, even those with aid, to reach the Gaza coast would set a precedent that would allow Hamas to freely import advanced weapons.
Hamas recently has complained that much of the aid on the six-ship flotilla May 31 included useless medical equipment and outdated medicines. The Mavi Marmara ship, whose activists clashed with Navy commandos, was later found to be sailing without any humanitarian aid. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/137816
5 juli 2010
Iraanse en Libaneze bevrijdingsvloten voor Gaza voorlopig aan de ketting
http://brabosh.com/2010/07/05/iraanse-en-libanese-bevrijdingsvloten-voor-gaza-voorlopig-aan-de-ketting/
6 juni 2010
Censored Footage from the Gaza Flotilla - How Violence Breaks Out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaiMjAULWn0
Opgeslagen materiaal IDF
http://www.youtube.com/user/idfnadesk
What really happened on the Flotilla Gaza?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb-G1PlFGIs&feature=related
Three Soldiers were Kidnapped in Ship Takeover
by Maayana Miskin
4 juni 2010, Sivan 22, 5770
An internal IDF review of the takeover of the Gaza-bound ship Mavi Marmara revealed that three soldiers were briefly kidnapped while aboard the vessel. The three were beaten when they boarded the ship and then, when they were wounded and groggy, were dragged to a room within the ship and held there.
A short time later, dozens of their fellow soldiers began searching the ship. When the passengers saw that soldiers had successfully seized control of the Marmara, they released the three captives, the report stated.
The captive soldiers had recovered from their initial disorientation during their time below deck, and once released hurried to join their unit.
IDF commanders reacted to the report with concern. As similar ships continue to make their way to Gaza, there could be a situation in which a soldier is held captive in order to give passengers a bargaining chip, they said.
Reuters has published an eyewitness account that backs the IDF report. Andre Abu Khalil, a Lebanese cameraman for the pan-Arab Al-Jazeera network, was aboard the Mavi Marmara as IDF soldiers boarded. He told Reuters that four soldiers who were among the first aboard were injured and were taken below deck.
A second wave of troops then attempted to board, he said. “Twenty Turkish men formed a human shield to prevent the Israeli soldiers from scaling the ship. They had slingshots, water pipes and sticks,” he recalled. After a brief standoff, the Israelis opened fire, he claimed.
IDF troops say they opened fire only after being attacked when the boarded the ship.
A second passenger who spoke to Reuters admitted that passengers on the ship had seized soldiers' weapons before shooting broke out. He denied that the passengers had then tried to turn the guns on the soldiers.
Israël in actie tegen “Free Gaza Movement”
31 mei 2010
Door F.t.H.
Strijdkrachten van de Israëlische marine hebben rond 2.00 uur in de nacht van zondag op maandag plaatselijke tijd de “Free Gaza Movement” met in totaal zes schepen met anti-Israel en pro-Hamas activisten onderschept. Het enteren van het vlaggenschip de Mavi Marmara volgde op een serie waarschuwingen van Israelische kant aan de organisatie, al voordat ze de haven in Turkije verlieten. Het IDF stelde de bemanning van de leidende activisten voor de schepen naar de haven van Ashdod te begeleiden maar dat werd door de organisatoren afgewezen. Israël had een paar dagen geleden al aangekondigd het konvooi te zullen stoppen indien men weigerde mee te werken. De activisten beloofden geen geweld te zullen gebruiken wanneer de schepen onderschept zouden worden, maar toen de militairen met een helikopter op het dek van de Mavi Marmara werden neergelaten, werden ze door de ‘vredelievende’ activisten aangevallen met messen, knuppels en metalen pijpen. Ook zouden ze onder vuur genomen zijn.
Een aantal van de activisten bleken alles behalve vreedzame bedoelingen te hebben want ze schreeuwden onder meer: "Khaybar Khaybar ya yahud, Jaish Muhammad saya'ud," wat betekend "Joden herinner je, Khyabar, het leger van Mohammed is terug". Deze kreet gaat terug tot een gebeurtenis in de 7e eeuw toen de Joodse bewoners van de plaats Khaybar door moslims werden afgeslacht. Een oproep dus tot genocide op het Joodse volk. De Israelische krant Yediot Aharonot meldde dat sommige activisten van plan waren geweest een paar militairen te lynchen en dat het leger dat nog net op tijd heeft weten te voorkomen. Volgens de Arabische media zouden de Israelische troepen met schieten zijn begonnen maar dat wordt door de legerleiding met klem ontkend. Er zou sprake zijn van ca. 10 doden onder de pro-Palestijnse activisten en verschillende gewonden. De gewonde Israelische militairen en activisten zijn met helikopters naar ziekenhuizen in Israel gebracht.
Het konvooi zou 10.000 ton aan goederen aan boord hebben gehad voor de ‘hongerende’ bevolking in Gaza. Het verhaal dat er 'gebrek is, aan alles in Gaza' correspondeert echter totaal niet met de werkelijkheid. De Joodse staat stuurt wekelijks ruim 500 vrachtwagens met humanitaire goederen naar Gaza. De organisatoren presenteren zich als verdedigers van mensenrechten wiens enige doel is om de bevolking van Gaza te helpen. Maar uit een verslag van de 'Inlichtingen- en Terrorism Information Center', blijkt dat zij samenwerken met radicale groepen die juist bekend staan als schenders van mensenrechten. Het ging de activisten dus bepaald niet alleen om het leveren van humanitaire hulp, maar ook om Israel te provoceren in de hoop op een veroordeling van de internationale gemeenschap. Succes verzekert! Mark Regev, de Israelische woordvoeder sprak van “een goedkope politieke stunt”. “Indien de activisten echt geïnteresseerd waren in het welzijn van de bevolking van Gaza, dan zouden ze de hulpgoederen hebben overgedragen via land, samen met de andere 15 duizend ton die elke week door Israel wordt verzonden”.
Onderzoek van Israel zal uitwijzen wat de anarchisten precies Gaza binnen wilden brengen. Israel’s enige doel is te voorkomen dat er nog meer wapens Gaza worden binnengesmokkeld 'bestemd voor de terreurbeweging Hamas'. De schepen zijn naar de haven van Ashdod gebracht waar de lading zal worden geïnspecteerd, en van daaruit doorgezonden naar Gaza.
De actie van Israel leverde al snel een golf van commentaar op. Diverse Europese landen riepen de Israelische ambassadeurs op het matje om opheldering. De Verenigde Staten eisen van Israel een snel en duidelijk antwoord op wat er precies is gebeurt. Secretaris-generaal Ban Ki-moon van de VN veroordeelde de actie, zoals hij alles van Israel veroordeelt. De VN wil, net als de Europese Unie, dat er snel een onderzoek komt. In de Arabische en Islamitische wereld nam de haat weer extreme vormen aan. Turkije (Togarma) heeft zijn ambassadeur uit Israel teruggeroepen. De Veiligheidsraad van de VN komt vandaag nog in spoedzitting bijeen, om zoals gebruikelijk Israel weer aan de schandpaal te nagelen.
A brutal ambush at sea
Ron Ben Yishai recounts bloody clash aboard Gaza-bound vessel: The lacking crowd-dispersal means, the brutal violence of ‘peace activists,’ and the attempt to bring down an IDF helicopter.
Our Navy commandoes fell right into the hands of the 'Gaza mission members'. A few minutes before the takeover attempt aboard the Marmara got underway, the operation commander was told that 20 people were waiting on the deck where a helicopter was to deploy the first team of the elite Flotilla 13 unit. The original plan was to disembark on the top deck, and from there rush to the vessel’s bridge and order the Marmara’s captain to stop.
Officials estimated that passengers will show slight resistance, and possibly minor violence; for that reason, the operation’s commander decided to bring the helicopter directly above the top deck. The first rope that soldiers used in order to descend down to the ship was wrested away by activists, most of them Turks, and tied to an antenna with the hopes of bringing the chopper down. However, Flotilla 13 fighters decided to carry on.
Navy commandoes slid down to the vessel one by one, yet then the unexpected occurred: The passengers that awaited them on the deck pulled out bats, clubs, and slingshots with glass marbles, assaulting each soldier as he disembarked. The fighters were nabbed one by one and were beaten up badly, yet they attempted to fight back.
However, to their misfortune, they were only equipped with paintball rifles used to disperse minor protests, such as the ones held in Bilin. The paintballs obviously made no impression on the activists, who kept on beating the troops up and even attempted to wrest away their weapons.
One soldier who came to the aid of a comrade was captured by the rioters and sustained severe blows. The commandoes were equipped with handguns but were told they should only use them in the face of life-threatening situations. When they came down from the chopper, they kept on shouting to each other “don’t shoot, don’t shoot,” even though they sustained numerous blows.
Beeldmateriaal die aantoont wat er echt gebeurt is, kijkt u hier alstublieft naar, het laat de waarheid zien.
http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/c.hsJPK0PIJpH/b.4916567/k.937E/Video_player.htm
http://nos.nl/artikel/161198-vraad-veroordeelt-israelische-actie.html
‘I saw the tip of a rifle’
The Navy commandoes were prepared to mostly encounter political activists seeking to hold a protest, rather than trained street fighters. The soldiers were told they were to verbally convince activists who offer resistance to give up, and only then use paintballs. They were permitted to use their handguns only under extreme circumstances.
The planned rush towards the vessel’s bridge became impossible, even when a second chopper was brought in with another crew of soldiers. “Throw stun grenades,” shouted Flotilla 13’s commander who monitored the operation. The Navy chief was not too far, on board a speedboat belonging to Flotilla 13, along with forces who attempted to climb into the back of the ship.
The forces hurled stun grenades, yet the rioters on the top deck, whose number swelled up to 30 by that time, kept on beating up about 30 commandoes who kept gliding their way one by one from the helicopter. At one point, the attackers nabbed one commando, wrested away his handgun, and threw him down from the top deck to the lower deck, 30 feet below. The soldier sustained a serious head wound and lost his consciousness.
Only after this injury did Flotilla 13 troops ask for permission to use live fire. The commander approved it: You can go ahead and fire. The soldiers pulled out their handguns and started shooting at the rioters’ legs, a move that ultimately neutralized them. Meanwhile, the rioters started to fire back at the commandoes.
“I saw the tip of a rifle sticking out of the stairwell,” one commando said. “He fired at us and we fired back. We didn’t see if we hit him. We looked for him later but couldn’t find him.” Two soldiers sustained gunshot wounds to their knee and stomach after rioters apparently fired at them using guns wrested away from troops.
Two errors
During the commotion, another commando was stabbed with a knife. In a later search aboard the Marmara, soldiers found caches of bats, clubs, knives, and slingshots used by the rioters ahead of the IDF takeover. It appeared the activists were well prepared for a fight.
Some passengers on the ship stood at the back and pounded the soldiers’ hands as they attempted to climb on board. Only after a 30-minute shootout and brutal assaults using clubs and knifes did commandoes manage to reach the bridge and take over the Marmara.
It appears that the error in planning the operation was the estimate that passengers were indeed political activists and members of humanitarian groups who seek a political provocation, but would not resort to brutal violence. The soldiers thought they will encounter Bilin-style violence; instead, they got Bangkok. The forces that disembarked from the helicopters were few; just dozens of troops – not enough to contend with the large group awaiting them.
The second error was that commanders did not address seriously enough the fact that a group of men were expecting the soldiers on the top deck. Had they addressed this more seriously, they may have hurled tear-gas grenades and smoke grenades from the helicopter to create a screen that would have enabled them to carry out their mission, without the fighters falling right into the hands of the rioters, who severely assaulted them.
En wat was de rol van Iran in deze situatie?
http://vladtepesblog.com/?p=22764
Barak: Sail's organizers responsible for deadly raid
Attila Somfalvi
31 mei 2010
Defense minister, IDF chief of staff and Navy commander explain Israeli considerations following takeover of aid ships sailing to Gaza, which left at least 10 pro-Palestinian activists dead. 'We regret the casualties, but soldiers were in danger'.
VIDEO - Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Monday that the organizers of the flotilla to Gaza were responsible for the deadly Israel Defense Forces raid of the ships, which left at least 10 pro-Palestinian activists dead and dozens injured.
Speaking at a joint press briefing with IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and Navy Commander Eliezer Marom, Barak said, "We express our regret over the injuries, but the sail's organizers and its participants are fully responsible."
He added that a violent incident took place on only one of the six ships involved in the sail.
"The State of Israel appealed to the organizers before the ships set sail and during the sail and invited them to arrive at the Ashdod Port and transfer the aid to Gaza after security checks," he said. "All of our appeals were turned down. The soldiers were attacked after arriving at one of the ships. Some were injured by serious physical violence on the part of the protestors.
"I am familiar with these types of operations and their possible developments, and I am familiar with the units which operated and with their commanders. They are the best of our people," the defense minister explained.
In the light of the life-threatening situation, the soldiers were forced to use crowd dispersal means and firearms," he said, adding that some of the casualties were killed by firearms. According to Barak, 10 soldiers were injured in the incident, some from firearms and some from cold arms.
"The IHH organization, which was behind these unruly ship, is a violent and radical organization acting under the cover of humanitarian activity," Barak argued.
"This is the time for responsibility and I call on everyone to act with restraint and common sense and not let an anarchistic organization and radical elements seeking to undermine the public order to take advantage of this unfortunate incident for violence."
'Crowd dispersal equipment wasn't enough'
IDF Chief of Staff Ashkenazi said that during the clash with the passengers of the Marmara ship, the activists used iron bars and knives.
"They even fired shots from a weapon snatched from one of the soldiers," he said. "It's clear beyond any doubt that the soldiers acted as required."
Ashkenazi (L), Barak and Marom (Photo: Dalit Shacham)
Ashkenazi added that the soldiers were prepared for the mission, but that "the crowd dispersal equipment was not enough."
As for the organizers' intentions, the army chief insisted that "it had nothing to do with humanitarian aid. The activity was radical from the very first moment."
According to Ashkenazi, the Navy operation was aimed at preventing an unsupervised infiltration of people and cargo to Gaza.
Navy chief: Troops demonstrated courage
Navy Commander Marom said that "through the incident, the fighters demonstrated courage and determination, while using a great amount of restraint."
According to Marom, the results of the deadly incident could have been much worse had the soldiers acted differently. "On all five ships there was no need for live ammunition to stop the sail, and with appropriate treatment we managed to stop the ships and take control of them."
Moving on to the Israeli injuries, the Navy chief said one fighter was suffering from a serous head injury, two others were injured by gunshots and one more was stabbed."
Marom added that before the violence began, the Marmara passengers rejected the army's calls with "obscene language and inappropriate behavior." He said the fighters who got on the ship were attacked by the 600 passengers with "unusual violence, which put their lives in danger."
According to the Navy commander, the soldiers responded with crowd dispersal means, but were forced to open fire due to the life-threatening situation.
Marom said his people "were physically, operationally and mentally prepared" for the operation, and noted that the sail's organizers were warned in the weeks before the incident not to approach the Gaza coast.
IDF Soldier Shot, Critically Wounded on Flotilla Boat
by Rachel Sylvetsky and Eli Stutz
31 mei 2010, Sivan 18, 5770
The IDF reports that the passengers on the Gaza-bound flotilla lay in wait for the IDF to board their vessel and then attacked IDF soldiers, opening fire on them. One IDF soldier was critically wounded. A crew member reportedly snatched a gun from an IDF soldier and then opened fire on the troops. Another soldier was stabbed in the stomach with a sharp object. The soldier is in moderate condition and was transferred for medical treatment by helicopter to Rambam Hospital in Haifa. Doctors there determined he would require surgery. At least fourteen soldiers were wounded and were transferred to hospitals. Raad Salah, anti-Semitic head of northern branch of Israeli Islamic Movement, is reported to be severely injured.
The IDF spokesperson said that the crew of the flotilla were not peaceful humanitarians, but rather militants who were preparing for provocation and violence, and were planning to stage a "lynch" of the Israeli soldiers.
Other people wounded in the operation were transferred to various hospitals in Israel via helicopter. Foreign news agencies including Turkey's news agency are claiming that Israeli forces wounded dozens of the crew and that several were killed. Footage from the operation has already reached some news sites. In the footage, Israeli soldiers wearing gas masks can be seen. In one video, an IDF doctor can be seen treating one of the wounded.
Soldiers are still checking the boats for explosives and hiding militants.
More On This Story:
Late Sunday night, the Israeli Navy surprised the six-boat flotilla bound for Hamas-controlled Gaza in international waters and hundreds of IDF soldiers who came by air and sea boarded the ships and announced to all passengers that they are under arrest.
One of the crew said that one “Navy warship” had contacted the six boats in the flotilla and asked them to identify themselves. They were told the Navy would board the boats if the ships's crew and passengers do not agree to head for the Ashdod port instead of the Gaza Coast, where Israel maintains sovereignty under the Oslo Accords and does not allow ships to approach without searching them for arms.
International law allows for countries to ask suspicious boats to identify themselves. The vessels' passengers did not cooperate and called the move "scare tactics" on their streamed broadcasts.
The IDF searched the boats for arms immediately after the takeover. The soldiers were forced to use tear gas after they were attacked with knives, daggers and cudgels, putting their lives in danger. Unofficial reports that ten persons have been killed and another ten wounded were admitted to Rambam Hospital in Haifa were changed by the Arab television station Al Jazeera, to two killed and four wounded. An Al Jazeera reporter on one of the boats reported hearing gunshots.
The IDF has not issued a complete report on casualties or wounded in the operation. However, hospitals were put on alert to accept possible wounded.
The IDF released a terse statement shortly after midnight Sunday, stating, "Israeli Navy soldiers left this evening in order to stop the flotilla's provocative trip to Gaza. During the last few days, the soldiers have been conducting drills to ensure the mission's success."
Turkey's government called an emergency meeting to discuss the IDF action. Defense Minister Barak is holding ongoing meetings with his advisors.
The flotilla activists, some of whom are identified with terrorist Muslim groups, did not expect a confrontation with the Navy until Monday morning, when the flotilla expected to near the Gaza coast.
The flotilla sailed on Sunday, more than two days later than planned and without two of the ships that did not join because of malfunctions but which were expected to set sail after repairs.
“We fully intend to go to Gaza regardless of any intimidation of threats of violence against us,” said activist Huwaida Araf from the ships. “They are going to have to forcefully stop us.”
Israel was determined not to allow the boats to reach Gaza and set a precedent that would break Israeli sovereignty over the waters in order to prevent terrorists and arms from being smuggled from the Mediterranean Sea as they are from Egypt.
The flotilla included three ships of passengers and three cargo ships with aid. The Israeli military and Foreign Ministry accused the activists of being more interested in trying to stage an anti-Israel stunt and strengthen Hamas rather than trying to help Gaza Arabs. Government spokesmen pointed out repeatedly that aid always can be shipped to Gaza through the Ashdod port, and that the alleged “humanitarian crisis” is a ruse because Israel oversees daily shipments of hundreds of tons of food, merchandise and supplies.