Israel blocks aid fleet from landing in Gaza killing at least 10 people

[twocows]

Israel blocks aid fleet from landing in Gaza killing nine people

Update: It has been confirmed that nine people were killed in the attack, including one US citizen.

Update: Another ship, the Rachel Corrie, is trying to get aid into Gaza. The ship is named after an American killed by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza in 2003 (story).

Story
I'm not sure exactly how I feel about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but I find this to be detestable.

The flotilla was [...] carrying roughly 10,000 tonnes of aid, including cement, water purification systems and wheelchairs. [...] Israel said the boats were embarking on "an act of provocation" with the Israeli military rather than providing aid, and that it had issued warrants to prohibit their entrance to Gaza.

This is sickening. I've heard that the Israeli military has done some pretty rotten stuff, but I always shrugged it off as being in defense of their land. However, turning away "cement, water purification systems, and wheelchairs?" Those aren't war supplies! Why does the Israeli military need to block basic living supplies? That's not hurting militants, it's hurting ordinary people!

Update: Now they're physically hurting ordinary people. Today, the Israeli military attacked the humanitarian fleet, killing up to nineteen people and wounding dozens of others in international waters (read: not even in their country). The Israeli military claims that they were attacked first, though the news correspondent on site claims otherwise. Reportedly, the ships had raised a white flag during the attack and there was no fire coming from the passengers. Israel claims that the fleet was tied to al-Qaeda. Passengers on board included Israeli citizens, authorities, and parliamentarians, several European legislators, a Swedish author, a Nobel peace laureate, an elderly Holocaust survivor, and an 18 month old child, all of whom were obviously al-Qaeda members.

 

[Eldrei]

To think, it's just minor problem. Look at North Korea.

 

[Ivysaur]

The best part is when they killed 10 people in International Waters (aka Israel has no jurisdiction over the place where their army commited 10 murders) because sending wheelchairs to Gaza is a crime Israel cannot stand.

 

[Esper]

Israel has said the flotilla was trying to provoke an armed conflict. The people on the boat had knives and pipes and possibly two guns. If I were going to provoke a fight with the Israeli military - which I wouldn't do if I were part of a humanitarian aid convoy - I wouldn't do it with pipes.

The U.S. is, like always, sitting on the fence, refusing to condemn this. And Americans wonder why we're not well liked across the Muslim world.

 

[Jack]

Israel has said the flotilla was trying to provoke an armed conflict. The people on the boat had knives and pipes and possibly two guns. If I were going to provoke a fight with the Israeli military - which I wouldn't do if I were part of a humanitarian aid convoy - I wouldn't do it with pipes.

The U.S. is, like always, sitting on the fence, refusing to condemn this. And Americans wonder why we're not well liked across the Muslim world.

Why do Americans have to help ? They have conflict in iraq and iran, i dont get why everything that has to do with war in the muslim world has to involve Americans. I dont see Russians going in there, nor any other powerful country.

 

[Jolene]

I think that what they are doing is wrong but I prefer Israel to Palestine because the Jews have had a lot of really bad things happening to them over the years and now all they want is to live in peace but Palestine keeps giving them a hard time.

 

[Jack]

I think that what they are doing is wrong but I prefer Israel to Palestine because the Jews have had a lot of really bad things happening to them over the years and now all they want is to live in peace but Palestine keeps giving them a hard time.

Second-ed. Its true !

People need to stop hating them.

 

[Yusshin]

I think that what they are doing is wrong but I prefer Israel to Palestine because the Jews have had a lot of really bad things happening to them over the years and now all they want is to live in peace but Palestine keeps giving them a hard time.

They stole Palestinian land and are planning to evict all non-Jews. Why should the Palestinians leave them alone?

And don't pull that "It was Israel land before the Palestinian's" because I'll just tell you to give California back to the Mexicans, and pretty much North America back to the Indians.

 

[Tinhead Bruce]

I think that what they are doing is wrong but I prefer Israel to Palestine because the Jews have had a lot of really bad things happening to them over the years and now all they want is to live in peace but Palestine keeps giving them a hard time.

I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation. I second what Yusshin said.

You think Palestinians haven't had bad things happen to them? The Holocaust was a terrible event, but using "they've had bad things happen to them" as a justification for brutal violence against Palestinians is ludicrous.

Israel clearly does not want peace. They are the dominant ones, and their unprovoked atrocities are inexcusable. Do a little more research before making bold blanket statements.

 

[Fox♠]

Why do Americans have to help ? They have conflict in iraq and iran, i dont get why everything that has to do with war in the muslim world has to involve Americans. I dont see Russians going in there, nor any other powerful country.

Because the current Israel is the U.N's mess. After us Brits withdrew from Palestine, the UN tried to quell the conflict and thus giving birth to this mess.

It's time the west stops feeling guilty over the holocaust and tells Israel they can't keep doing things like this with no consequence, had it being Iran doing this to an aid ship we'd almost certainly be considering war right now.

 

[twocows]

Israel has said the flotilla was trying to provoke an armed conflict. The people on the boat had knives and pipes and possibly two guns. If I were going to provoke a fight with the Israeli military - which I wouldn't do if I were part of a humanitarian aid convoy - I wouldn't do it with pipes.

The U.S. is, like always, sitting on the fence, refusing to condemn this. And Americans wonder why we're not well liked across the Muslim world.

Of course Israel said that. No government in their right mind would openly admit to killing innocents for no good reason. Blame the victim is the oldest tactic in the book.

 

[I Laugh at your Misfortune!]

Because the current Israel is the U.N's mess. After us Brits withdrew from Palestine, the UN tried to quell the conflict and thus giving birth to this mess.

It's time the west stops feeling guilty over the holocaust and tells Israel they can't keep doing things like this with no consequence, had it being Iran doing this to an aid ship we'd almost certainly be considering war right now.

This man speaks the truth.

I won't pretend to have a full understanding of the conflict, having studied it at only a basic level, but I can't help but wonder why the rest of the world is putting up with Israel and its violent, confrontational, irrational behaviour.

 

[Miz en Scène]

I won't pretend to have a full understanding of the conflict, having studied it at only a basic level, but I can't help but wonder why the rest of the world is putting up with Israel and its violent, confrontational, irrational behaviour.

It's a conspiracy, I kid you not.

There have been a lot of NSFW theories --from a socio-political standpoint--flying around. Further research is needed.

 

[Esper]

Why do Americans have to help ? They have conflict in iraq and iran, i dont get why everything that has to do with war in the muslim world has to involve Americans. I dont see Russians going in there, nor any other powerful country.

Americans don't have to help fix the problem, though it would be the responsible thing to do and a nice gesture, but they (I guess I should say 'we' since I am one) should stop perpetuating the problem by giving military aid to Israel. That country needs to learn how to fix its problems without resorting to so much force.

 

[Netto Azure]

*Sigh*

Well events such as this will never end until both side gives viable concessions for the 2-state solution.

But alas, historically ingraned reactions prevent such actions. :/

 

[Red1530]

Israel had the right to stop the flotilla as they were trying trying to run the blockade. The flotilla was warned that they were entering the area of hostilities. They were instructed to go to an Israeli port for the cargo to be inspected and then forwarded by land to Gaza. If this was a truly peaceful mission, then they would of cooperated with Israel.

 

[twocows]

Israel had the right to stop the flotilla as they were trying trying to run the blockade. The flotilla was warned that they were entering the area of hostilities. They were instructed to go to an Israeli port for the cargo to be inspected and then forwarded by land to Gaza. If this was a truly peaceful mission, then they would of cooperated with Israel.

They were in international waters. Their intentions are irrelevant at that point; they were not in Israeli territory. But even if they were in Israeli territory (for the sake of argument), Israel is still in the wrong. Yes, they were intending to run the blockade, but it was to give supplies that Israel was preventing Gaza from receiving, such as cement to rebuild structures and utilities that Israel had destroyed. The people in Gaza have no access to those supplies and need them to rebuild. There were no weapons or offensive supplies on those ships, there's no way this can be painted as a hostile action. And again, even if we take (for the sake of argument) that the ships were in the wrong, there was absolutely no need to kill any of the people on board. The only possible word that can describe what transpired is "massacre."

 

[.Gamer]

I dont see the problem. The blockade has been there for like, three years? I mean, its pretty obvious they were provoking them. 5 of the ships went away without incident. The last ship they started attacking them. They are just doing their job. I really don't think people understand that Israel is in a literal do or die as far as holding their ground against the other middle eastern countries.

 

[Ivysaur]

I dont see the problem. The blockade has been there for like, three years? I mean, its pretty obvious they were provoking them. 5 of the ships went away without incident. The last ship they started attacking them. They are just doing their job. I really don't think people understand that Israel is in a literal do or die as far as holding their ground against the other middle eastern countries.

The problem is, keeping a blockade and punishing a million people for the crimes commited by a few is illegal in several ways, and attacking a ship on international waters, where they have no right at all to do anything to anybody, breaks another several international laws they signed last April (just in time to break them!).

If giving the people in Gaza toys, wheelchairs and construction materials would have caused the complete destruction of Israel, at least they could have waited until the ships had entered their territory to stop them?

 

[Red1530]

They were in international waters. Their intentions are irrelevant at that point; they were not in Israeli territory. But even if they were in Israeli territory (for the sake of argument), Israel is still in the wrong. Yes, they were intending to run the blockade, but it was to give supplies that Israel was preventing Gaza from receiving, such as cement to rebuild structures and utilities that Israel had destroyed. The people in Gaza have no access to those supplies and need them to rebuild. There were no weapons or offensive supplies on those ships, there's no way this can be painted as a hostile action. And again, even if we take (for the sake of argument) that the ships were in the wrong, there was absolutely no need to kill any of the people on board. The only possible word that can describe what transpired is "massacre."

Israel is engaging in a distant blockade which was used by President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crises. Also concrete can be used to make bunkers to protect Hamas from Israeli air strikes. Israel sends in about 14,000 tones of supplies per week to the Gaza Strip. If there was no blockade then Hamas will be able to rearm without interference.