Freedom Flotilla

[Badh]

Thought this might be worth its own thread. The freedom flotilla The Madleen was getting close to Gaza but seems to have made a diversion, as it was the closest boat to answer a distress call. They seem to also have four Sudanese asylum seekers on board who were trying to escape the Libyan coast patrol.

The UK and France are asking Israel for its safe passage.

The tracker is here but is in and out of action.
https://freedomflotilla.org/ffc-tracker/

More details here, although the latest detour is not covered in the article.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-navy-gears-up-to-block-high-profile-protest-ship-headed-for-gaza/amp/

She is 22 and certainly not a child…

The picture of Greta with the sandwich that’s being widely mocked feels unfair. It doesn’t look like she’s grinning, more of a bad angle?

'Unfair' 😂

It is a bit unfair to mock her. Maybe she's just smiling awkwardly because they've put something she doesn't like in the sandwich like cheese.

Just waiting for the next professionally outraged of Xitter breaking news headline: Abuse of Greta Thunberg's Human Rights Continues As The IDF Offer Her A Sandwich That Was Neither Vegan Nor Gluten Free.

Possibly she only eats seeded bread or sourdough, who knows.

Such petty comments 🤣
It's obvious she has riled up alot of people more than they care to admit.

Or we find the whole non-event mildly humorous.

As the mum of an autistic teenager I find it all really repellent to be honest. Young autistic woman in an anxious situation doesn't perform the face you want when presented with a sandwich, let's all mock her. Hilarious.

It is repellant, I agree.

As the mum of an autistic teenager I find it all really repellent to be honest. Young autistic woman in an anxious situation doesn't perform the face you want when presented with a sandwich, let's all mock her. Hilarious.

She's someone who has courted the limelight for years. Not that anyone should be mocked, but I'm guessing you wouldn't allow your autistic teenager the level of global fame that she was. And realistically, any person who sticks their head above the parapet on divisive topics is going to come in for widespread flack. If she's too vulnerable for that, she shouldn't be doing what she's doing.

Its the opposite, its some mildly humorous distraction from the serious things I have to do today.

On a serious note though it has shone a light on the superficial, trivial, virtue signalling and disconnected-from-reality side of the pro-pal movement that we always knew was there. That's useful.

It's such a 'non-event' to some yet there's comments after comments trying to discredit their actions. Why waste so much time and energy trying to put them down if it's just something trivial?

According to you Sharon which I and many others disagree with. It has been quite something watching the Israeli government and their supporters get so worked up over the flotilla and what they stand for. Frothing at the mouths over the audacity that people care enough about the Palestinians to risk their lives to help them.

Speaking for myself it’s just that I keep getting notifications from this thread so I’m responding past the point where anyone actually has anything of much importance to say.

Basically, it’s this or the ironing.

A young autistic woman with her own agency who willingly put herself in this situation and deserves to not be infantilised.

Now that Trump's out of the running I would say worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize !

None of what you said warrants mocking her looks or behaviour, when is that ever ok? If you can't make a point without resorting to mocking someone shame on you.

@Gaimbin A young autistic woman with her own agency
Yes she does but why does that mean it's ok to mock her looks and behaviour. The two aren't linked.

By all means criticise and disagree with her but lowering the argument to personal insults is pathetic

Are we allowed to be amused mildly surprised at the idea of her being given a nobel prize?

I completely disagree that Israeli Government got “so worked up” over the flotilla. They stated that they would not be permitted to dock, and followed through on it.

On the subject of people getting “so worked up”, have you read some of the comments on this thread and elsewhere? “Israel are attacking them!” “They are torturing them!” “They have taken them hostage!” “This is a war crime!” People getting themselves so worked up, I can sense the disappointment that Israel didn’t attack the flotilla.

That picture was released by the Israeli authorities for all we know, they may have digitally modified it to show her smiling. In an AI-driven world, it will become increasingly difficult to tell the difference.

You are absolutely right - you can't believe anything on the internet.

She hasn't really risked her life though, has she? She's a very famous young lady who even her biggest supporters suspected would never even reach Gaza. Did people really think the Israeli's were going to blow up a boat with someone that famous on? Or keep her hostage for years?
I think it's a shame that people are making such a fanfare about her and the other people (some dubious) on this boat when there are many non famous people who have been on the ground in Gaza for months REALLY helping the people there.

And I'm avoiding the hoovering.

I mean, it was a trite publicity stunt with a predictable outcome but now people are upset because these intrepid heroes are getting the attention they wanted and deserve? Can't win.

You know what? You've got a point. They are the greatest heroes since the unknown protester in Tianamen Square. Since Ahoo Daryei. Hell, since the hundreds of Iranian women killed and blinded by Iranian security forces, whose names we will never know. Yes lets give them all the Nobel peace prize !