Israel Flouts International Law Again and Murders Innocent People.

[jodevizes]

The Israeli armed forces have flouted international law by attacking civilian ships in international waters and killing civillians.
As usual they lied and said they were shot at first. Then they said they were attacked with sticks and knives. Well, pardon my ignorance, but if you are sailing in international waters, if you are attacked, you are justified in defending yourself. If this were off the Somalia coast, they would be called pirates.

They are slowly strangling the Gaza strip by denying it access to building materials so that the people can rebuild their houses and schools.

They are not joining talks to keep the Middle East nuclear free

What a shame George and Tony aren't still in power, they could have found another country to invade.

Below is aerial footage showing the peace activists throwing an Israeli soldier off the top deck of the boat, and beating up other soldiers with iron bars:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYjkLUcbJWo

Here they use firebombs and metal pipes against Israeli soldiers:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU12KW-XyZE

This research by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center outlines who the IHH (the group involved in the violence aboard the boat, which the BBC and others are uncritically calling "Turkish peace activists") really are:

www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e105.htm

This research from the Danish Institute for International Studies details the part played by the IHH in Islamist terror in Afghanistan and elsewhere and their links to al-Qaeda:

www.diis.dk/graphics/Publications/WP2006/DIIS%20WP%202006-7.web.pdf

Chil Hague hasn't gone far enough and hasn't condemned Israel's actions which are a clear breach of international law. France have it spot on (not that I am usually a fan of Sarkozy).

Sullwah the ship was in international waters. I think the inhabitants of the boarded boat had every right to defend themselves from an aggressive act - which the boarding clearly was.

Sullwah, are you suggesting that the passengers on the boats did not have the right to defend themselves against the Israeli attack, or are you simply objecting to the suggestion that the passengers simply sat around while the IDF shot them? Could you provide link please that supports the Israeli claim that they were in the legal right by attacking these ships in international water?

Sullwah, so you're saying that armed soldiers can illegally board a boat (with God knows what in mind) and you're just supposed to lie down and take it?

I can't believe that posters are defending the Israelis because the people on the boats defended themselves against armed, hostile incursion? I mean, how dare they!

FFS... thanks for the links, am sending my protest now.

Just had a row with Israeli DH about this one. He says they should have just sunk the ship without even boarding it. For a man who is very reasonable in his view in general, I'm often very surprised by how blindly he believes that Israel is always right.

Personally, I think both sides have done absolutely deplorable things. This attack was truly dreadful, though the people on the boat acted stupidly. They had been warned not to approach Palestine, they had been warned that they were going to be boarded and searched. The other boats compiled, this one didn't. Most people have the common sense not to argue with the Israelis when it comes to their borders.

But on the other hand, I don't believe for a minute that, if Palestine had the upper hand wrt weapons and military force, that they would treat the Israelis any better than they are currently treated. The hate runs too deep either side. It's a crying shame, when just a few generations ago Arab and Jew lived side by side with no problems at all. I don't know how it went so wrong, or how it can be fixed.

Oh, and to the poster who said that Israel doesn't let people of other cultures and religions live there... they do, and I did for a number of years.

Futhermore, the Intelligence and 'Terrorism Information Center' is part of the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC) , an NGO dedicated to the memory of the fallen of the Israeli Intelligence Community, and is therefore possibly a component of the Israeli propoganda machine.

With regards to the Danish article, the IHH issues with terrorist infiltration are from 1997 and 1999. The only current criticism the article offers is the IHH was very vocal and organised demonstrations against the Iraq war. Hmm, al-Qaeda opposes the Iraq war, IHH opposes the war, MUST be related. Please.

strandedatsea - I'm confused as to how you think Israelis believe "the world owes them a living". As far as I can tell, Israel doesn't think anyone owes them anything, and they get on quite well with looking after themselves.

If you think that those on board the boat had the right to "defend" themselves with metal bars and fire bombs, why don't the soldiers being attacked by the metal bars and firebombs have a right to defend themselves?

Israel has to intercept ships going to Gaza because there is a proven track record of Iranian and other arms being smuggled into Gaza for the express purpose of being used to target Israeli citizens by a regime (Hamas) which openly advocates Israel's annihilation.

I don't understand the humanitarian nature of those who condem violence except when murderous violence is targeted at Israelis.

Annie, seriously? How much international aid and weaponry does Israel receive without being subject to the same human rights criteria as other nations? How long has the international community turned a blind eye to Israel's nuclear capability, while sanctioning Iran for theirs?

I'm not in agreement with the "world owes them a living," but I'm certainly not in agreement with your "they get on quite well with looking after themselves."

Israel was gifted a significant amount of territory 62 years ago to found a nation, and they are still failing at making it work without significant support from their allies, which appears to be fast eroding.

Israel has every right to do what they wish in their territorial waters. Different rules apply in international waters. Israel chose not to follow those and that means their behaviour is an aggressive act.

There were a range of people on board the vessels - an 18 month old child, the writer of Wallender, a Nobel Laureate. Should they be subject to Israeli aggression?

'Defend' themselves??? Are you for real?

They SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!

Geddit?

Jeez, I'm going to have a cup of tea before my head explodes....

Really Lovecat? And what about the blockade of Gaza? Is that legal? In case you don't know the answer it is not. What gives Israel the right to act in this way?? Where in international law, in particular?

X-posts, MollieO - I was replying to Sullwah's ridiculous comments, not to you.

I think Israel's actions in Palestine are abhorrent. And yes, I do know it's illegal, ta

Oh, I think Mollie and Lovecat are saying the same things. I interpreted Lovecat's post to mean the IDF shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Apparently Israel wasn't sure it could stop ONE ship within it's own territorial waters.

Sorry Lovecat!

Another point to Sullwah. If what Israel did was legal then why are the UN security council holding an emergency session? Also why has the Israeli PM cancelled his trip to Washington?

AnnieLoBeseder

you make a fair point. Both sides hate each other. The Israelis have the upper hand in weapons, defense etc so the Palestianians are at a disadvantage and yes it is not s fair fight, the Israelis have to show restraint. Maybe if the Israelis let some more of their people die that would make everyone happy.

zazizoma - easy now, I'm not arguing with you! Despite having narrowly escaped being killed by suicide bomber twice during the entifada, I am certainly not 100% pro-Israel and anti-Palestine. Israel seems to me like a young child who is just learning that they aren't actually obliged to do what their parents them, and is trying to find the boundaries but behaving increasingly badly. The more the international community lets them get anyway with idiotic and deplorable behaviour like this, they more they will do it. And let's remember too, that Israeli is really a young child - the country is only 60 years old. When I first lived there 15 years ago, there were no barricades, Palestinians were relatively free, though even then things starting to head in the wrong direction.

There needs to be far more, and far more resounding condemnation of Israel from the rest of the world. Otherwise, like that naughty child, they are going to keep going and seeing how far they can push it. Some of the top Israeli politicians genuinely seem to believe their own propaganda. FFS my intelligent and otherwise compassionate DH seems to believe it!

I grew up in apartheid South Africa. It was wrong, but I was educated in the propaganda machine and brought up to believe that black people are second class and dirty. To this day, I have to consciously suppress those 'instincts' when dealing with black people. It's deeply embarrassing to me, but I can't help it. So to, I would imagine, many Israelis are conditioned to hate Arabs and believe that they are all dirty and bloodthirsty people who are out to kill them.

At least the South African blacks used peaceful protest (for the most part), mixed with resounding international condemnation of the SA government's policy, to effect a real and lasting change.

Perhaps the same would work in Israel and Palestine. It needs resounding international condemnation, coupled with peaceful protest from the Palestinians. As long as there is violence, both sides will continue to hate each other. One side or the other has to give peace a chance, as clichéd as that may sound.

scanty - can I assume from the way you've separated "lo" and "beseder" that you understand my name?

Scanty, how cynical. As if those of us who object to the Israeli apartheid state want the Israelis dead. It's just this mentality that is a root of the problem, where one is either completely with the Israelis or totally against them and thus participating in a conspiracy for Jewish annihilation. I don't buy your dichotomy.

I completely agree with your 22:04 post Annie, well said.

Just watched footage on the BBC and to be fair looks like the soldiers were under attack and faced serious injury or death. Still don't know who threw the first punch.

Problem I see is the more the world condemns the Israelis the more they will retreat and back themselves into corner. They are some of the most paranoid and arrogant people I have ever met (though being paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you). Saying that, Hamas will be jumping for joy at this, the Israelis have just done them a huge favour - think they care about the people that died?

Annie,

was going to say AnnieNotOk but not sure if that translation would have been right as it's been a long time.

Zazizoma,

I'm not completely for one side or the other as I feel for both. To be honest, both sides make me want to bang their heads together and tell them to grow up and play nice. What I was responding to was the tone of some posters who did seem to come across as totally one sided, not seeing that this is such a complicated problem with no black and whites. I don't blame the Palestinians for the way they feel but anger and hate is not going to get them anywhere and they are the ones suffering the most here.

scanty - close, but it's "I'm not OK". Geddit? Ani - Annie... oh, never mind!

I'm a chump - totally missed the Ani part - geddit now though - slicha!

Yeah the Palestinians should sign an online petition, that would sort it.

Israel is involved in state terror, illegal nuclear weapons, invasions of Lebanon - Sabra and Chatilla - the massacre of 350 kids in Gaza, it has a torture camp...does anyone think anything will happen to them over this?

It is a state based, founded on ethnic cleansing, a bit like the US in fact...

The Israeli state baords a boat in international waters, some of its soldiers are attacked with iron bars...so it shoots nine people dead...luckily you don't police the UK, but it does show your contempt for human life.

Oh and the ANC were involved in violence, lots of it, murder, bombings and so on. Their armed wing were the MK. And they were right.