Deaths on the Gaza-bound flotilla

This is a very unhappy event for all concerned.

In brief, this story is raging in Europe.

A flotilla of five serious sea-going vessels, loaded with 10,000 tons of humanitarian relief from many individuals and agencies, wanted to break the blockade which Israel has been maintaining against the sea port of Gaza on the Gaza strip, where 1.5 million people, since Hamas took over the legal government, have mostly been kept captive.

Israel's explanation for the blockade, is to prevent arms being easily shipped to those who would attack from Gaza. Therefore, the entire cargo was checked before it left Turkey (usually an ally of Israel) by Turkish officials, to certify that no arms were included.

On the largest, leading ship, a large number of people were travelling, some having transferred to it when one of the other vessels began taking on water.

The people are peace activists, crew, and journalists, from a variety of nations. They wanted to draw international attention to the port blockade, and to attempt to land in Gaza, despite Israel's invitation to deliver their cargo to Ashdod (Israel), or, an Egyptian port. From either of these ports, Israel promised to deliver the aid to Gaza. However, historically, it is known that usually only a quarter of aid sent FOR Gaza, actually reaches Gaza via Israel. I'm not speculating on the reason for this, just stating the information which influenced the mindset of those on the flotilla.

Sadly, and perhaps inadvisedly, Israel tried to divert the flotilla while it was still in international waters, and there, at 0430am local time, from the air, landed commandos on the largest ship, whose people were mainly unarmed. However, feeling extremely threatened, they took up whatever was nearby, and began to fight. In the event, at least ten people from the ship died, and every soldier was injured, one very seriously.

Reports vary, and several Israeli ambassadors and consuls have been asked for explanation.

Meanwhile, there has been no word to the concerned families back home, from those who were eventually led to port outside Gaza, although they had had mobile internet, and functioning mobile phones, until the time of the conflict on board. Until

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/01/gaza-flotilla-eyewitness-accounts-gunfire

I agree with Enid... it doesn't matter what Israel does, no in the Middle East will approve of it, and very few in Europe will either.

The whole world is stacked against Israel. Even Britain is beginning to back off. If it were not for America, Israel would stand alone.

And according to the Bible, America will be against her too.

So don't believe what you are reading in the media about this. Anti-Semitism is almost at a fever pitch in Europe, almost to the point that it was just before WWII.

Look up, for our redemption draws nigh!

Krispy

Alive to God,

"break the blockade". What didnt they understand about the meaning of the word "blockade"?

as far as Turkish "officials certifying" the contents, the main organizing body of this aid has extensive links with islamic jihadists, and ever since the blockade was instituted to stop importation of arms to Hamas, an organization that has made it abuntantly clear their avowed aim is the destruction of Israel, an interesting side effect of the blockade is that daily rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel have stopped.

Furthermore, i havent heard any Arab nation offer to relocate their brothers and sisters to safe haven anywhere in the Levant. This stands in stark contrast to Israel's posture to the Jewish people immediately after ww2. It was the British Empire that stopped any Jews wishing to flee the post war hell of EUROPE and breathe free air in what was then Palestine, then after the State of Israel was declared independent in 1948, Israel has always expended great national treasure to gather Jews in the Diaspora, including hundreds of thousands of Jews living in Arab lands during the late 40's/early 50's. At the same time the front line Arab states who descended upon vastly outnumbered Israel, they put their Arab "brothers" into festering refugee camps, which was a cynical ploy kept in stasis for years, so as to maintain a ready pool of dissaffected jihadi's. Israel airlifted the entire Jewish population of Yemen back to the land, resettled them, absorbed them. The same with the Falasha in Ethiopia in the 70's, tens of thousands were airlifted out, and welcomed. During this time Jews the world over waged a campaign against the Soviets to let the Jews stuck in that miserable hell to let them leave and come back to Israel. The Soviets would begrudgingly let a small number return, until of course that empire fell and many many Jews came and settled and were absorbed into the society of a very tiny nation.

i've never seen one Arab country offer such to their "brothers", the fact is, what we see today is Arab killing Arab, meaning Sunni against Shia and vice versa murder and terrorism, and the world says nothing.

I believe you misread. you wrote:
"However, historically, it is known that usually only a quarter of aid sent FOR Gaza, actually reaches Gaza via Israel."

what you might be referencing is a UN report that says the 15,000 tons of weekly relief coming from Israel is a quarter of what the UN deems sufficient, but i hardly think the UN is an honest broker in its relationship with Israel. I'll attribute your statement to a mis read, and not what i adjudge to be a reflex mindset of many Britons towards Israel and in large part the Jewish people. After all the Edict of Explusion in 1290 had us Jews kicked out of England, for about 300 years, so as much as i love the UK, its not a welcoming place for any Jew...in the long run.

maybe no place is, except for Israel and i do agree with Krispy. one day this empire will either try to boot us or kill us...depends. That's why Israel is so special to Jews, when the new hitler or nero, or edward the first rears their ugly head, we have one place left, Israel.

Neil... that was beautiful, brother.

Krispy