printAfter delivering a one-two punch to Israel—first the charm offensive in the form of an invite to hang with BHO at the White House, and then an injurious vote with the Third World-dominated UN to deprive Israel of its only military deterrent—Slimy Obama has actually issued a sensible statement in response to an unfortunate position into which Israeli naval commandos had been pushed by the usual “peaceful” poseurs, backers of the “M.O.P.E (Most Oppressed People Ever)”.
First to the statement: “United States deeply regrets” the loss of life and injuries and was working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy.”
THE FOLLOWING REPORT IS VIA AMBASSADOR (RET.) YORAM ETTINGER:
Israel’s Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center sheds light on the nature of Turkey’s IHH, the chief organizer of the flotilla to Gaza:
1. The radical Islamic, anti-Western IHH – the chief supporter of the flotilla to Gaza – poses as a humanitarian relief fund (Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation), while supporting Hamas and several Jihadist organizations in Bosnia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Algeria, Chechnya, etc..
2. The IHH initiated a number of “humanitarian aid” convoys to anti-US Islamic terrorists in Iraq’s Fallujah Triangle.
3. According to the Danish Institute for international Studies, IHH is connected to Al Qaeda and global Islamic terrorism. The Istanbul office of IHH was raided, and IHH activists were arrested, by the Turkish security services. Explosives, IED (Improvised Explosive Device) manuals, weapons and Afghanistan-oriented documents were confiscated during the raid.
4. According to a French intelligence report, Bulent Yildirim, the president of IHH, recruited “Jihad warriors” and transferred money, firearms and explosives to Al Qaeda and other Islamic terrorists in various countries. Yildirim made telephone calls to European “shelter apartments,” which were used by Islamic terrorists, including Abu el-Ma’ali, known as “Junior Ben-Laden.” IHH produced documents, which facilitated air travel by Islamic terrorists, posing as relief workers. IHH was connected to Ahmed Ressam, an Islamic terrorist, who attempting to smuggle 1320 pounds of explosives and plant them at the Los Angeles International Airport.
5. Bulent Yildirim embraced the world view of the Muslim Brotherhood (the mentor of Hamas in Gaza) and has been a systematic supporter of – and collaborator with – Hamas. He has transferred significant amount of money to Hamas and its “charitable societies” and has promoted – during major Hamas events in Turkey – armed struggle against the Jewish State.
THE CONTEXT OF THE “GAZA FLOTILLA”:
1. Gaza is a bastion of Iran and Syria-supported Hamas terrorism, launching thousands of missiles at Israel, kidnapping Israel’s Gilad Shalit and smuggling into Gaza terrorists, more precise and longer range missiles, explosives and other lethal elements. Efforts have been made to minimize such smuggling via Sinai and from the Mediterranean.
2. Israel’s aim of cooperation was demonstrated by Jerusalem’s offer to allow the “Gaza Flotilla” to reach its destination (in spite of the daily flow to Gaza – via Israel – of food, oil, cement and multitude of products) following a thorough examination of its content.
3. The “Gaza Flotilla” aim of confrontation was demonstrated by its rejection of Jerusalem’s offer and by the handguns, knives, screwdrivers, iron pipes and a gun employed by terrorists on board. Confrontation has been the goal of the “Gaza Flotilla,” as evidenced by the campaign of anti-Israel incitement carried out by its personnel and sponsors.
4. The Israeli soldiers were prepared for a peaceful-takeover in face of (erroneously-assumed) civil disobedience. Therefore, they were equipped with paintball guns as the primary weapon and handguns as an emergency weapon, to be used only if facing death. They resorted to handguns in response to an attempted lynch by the scores of terrorists, who assaulted the soldiers with iron pipes, knives, screwdrivers and a gun. Handguns were snatched from soldiers, by the lynching mob, and were directed at the soldiers. Five boats were taken over peacefully and one (with 600 passengers) became an arena of confrontation between Israeli soldiers and terrorists. Israeli restraint minimized fatalities among terrorists.
5. The responsibility for the fatalities and casualties lies at the doorstep of the IHH, other supporters of the “Gaza Flotilla,” the UN and multitude of governments, which could – but would not – stop the Flotilla.
6. Would NATO allow a “humanitarian aid” convoy, organized by the radical Islamic anti-Western IHH, to travel unchecked to a Taliban stronghold?! Would Germany, Italy or France allow such a convoy to reach “Baader Meinhoff”, “Red Brigade” or “Action Direct” terrorist strongholds?
7. The “Gaza Flotilla” highlights the role of the Jewish State as the outpost of Western democracies in face of Islamic terrorist offensive. De-legitimizing and weakening Israel – the role model of counter terrorism – would be a tailwind for Islamic terrorists – the role model of international terrorism – facilitating their assault on the Free World. It’s not a clash over Gaza; it’s a clash of civilizations!
[SNIP]
It is a good thing that, this time, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu is canceling the “much-anticipated meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington on Tuesday in a sign of just how gravely Israel viewed the uproar. In Canada, Netanyahu announced he was rushing home but said he had called the American president and agreed to meet again.”
Folks, this is what defending the homeland means. You don’t go on foreign expeditions searching for monsters to destroy; you destroy the monsters when they approach your homeland.
As usual, “Israel’s refusal to put down its guns and mobilize an army of stone throwers to throw stones back at the persecuted Arabs is equated with the crime of using excessive force.”
UPDATE I: IDF Via YouTube – Navy Warns Flotilla (May 31, 2010):
Flotilla Members Attacking Israeli Boarding Party – May 31, 2010
UPDATE II: Flotilla of flotsam and jetsam. “Oh Jews, The Army of Muhammad Will Return.”
Via Diana West, “Who Attacked Whom?”
UPDATE III (June 1): Finally Israel recognizes the need for a super intelligence, both presentable and well-spoken, to serve as ambassador to the US. Michael Oren is indeed all that. For decades, Israel’s PR was fronted by bumbling schlemiels.
Was this a set up? Did Israel get sucked in? Those are legitimate questions. However, I ask you, what would the US do if a flotilla of 6 ships of dubious origins, from the Middle East, was approaching one of its ports. Dirty bomb smuggling, any one?
UPDATE IV: David Frum’s “Stop the Hypocrisy about Israel” focuses on the double standards applied to Israel. I’d add that Turkey crying “bloody massacre” is beyond farcical.
Turks exterminated the Armenians during the First World War and attempted to do the same to the Kurds. These days Turkey prosecutes Turks who dare to “denigrate Turkishness,” like novelist Orhan Pamuk. “Denigrating Turkishness” is code for refusing to deny the Armenian genocide.
UPDATE V: Alan Dershowitz:
“… The legality of blockades as a response to acts of war is not subject to serious doubt. When the United States blockaded Cuba during the missile crisis, the State Department issued an opinion declaring the blockade to be lawful. This, despite the fact that Cuba had not engaged in any act of belligerency against the United States. Other nations have similarly enforced naval blockades to assure their own security.
The second issue is whether it is lawful to enforce a legal blockade in international waters. Again, law and practice are clear. If there is no doubt that the offending ships have made a firm determination to break the blockade, then the blockade may be enforced before the offending ships cross the line into domestic waters. Again the United States and other western countries have frequently boarded ships at high sea in order to assure their security.
Third, were those on board the flotilla innocent non-combatants or did they lose that status once they agreed to engage in the military act of breaking the blockade? Let there be no mistake about the purpose of this flotilla. It was decidedly not to provide humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza, but rather the break the entirely lawful Israeli military blockade. The proof lies in the fact that both Israel and Egypt offered to have all the food, medicine and other humanitarian goods sent to Gaza, if the boats agreed to land in an Israeli or Egyptian port. That humanitarian offer was soundly rejected by the leaders of the flotilla who publicly announced:
“This mission is not about delivering humanitarian supplies, it’s about breaking Israel’s siege on 1.5 million Palestinians.” (AFP, May 27, 2010.) …
[SNIP]
The White House has backed the UN Security Council’s call for an “impartial investigation” into the events.
UPDATE VI: IDF Releases Definitive Flotilla Footage. Observe how these animals swarm the Israeli soldiers. What if these were your Navy SEAL sons?
UPDATE VII (June 2): Israel has been “serbed,” says Serbian writer Nebojsa Malic. See his analysis in the Comments Section.
Diana West has a clip of the ‘demonstrators’ and their ‘peaceful message.’ “http://www.dianawest.net/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx”
The Kingdom of Sweden’s banal inquiry was especially entertaining.
If there was some manner in which to display solidarity with Saladin’s dominion of The Levant, I presume the Swedes would do so as well.
“Folks, this is what defending the homeland means. You don’s go on foreign expeditions searching for monsters to destroy; you destroy the monsters when they approach your homeland.”
Words to live by.
It is not merely an incident. It is an act of war, done in a way so that it seems innocent.
The language and method are for maximum news coverage and for pushing Israel to the edge.
They have armed for a july/august war with Israel:they know usa0/obama doesn’t supporting Israel. As usual obama is weak and polite.
In the third world this is a successful mission!
In S. Africa it’s told as evil israel/usa aggression against the oppressed and the basically jailed in the own territory by evil Israel
There will be banners for free Palestine here in South Africa in the next few weeks
The whole “Palestinian suffering” has been a 90 year example of the Sorenson-Kennedy dictum: “we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship” in order to annihilate the Jews from the land of Israel. Then there is the famous quote attributed to Golda Meir: ” Peace will come to the Middle East when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us.” The flotilla, peace process, boycotts, wars, kidnappings, are all different ways aimed at the same end – a Judenrein Middle East.
I wonder what all the humanitarians of IHH have to say about what happened to the Armenians in 1915?
It is extremely good fortune that this video evidence exists. Without it, Israel would be in a very weak position.
I am sick and tired of everyone hammering Israel. Everywhere I go (coffee shops etc) all I hear are anti-Israel sentiments.
I then decided to do something about it. I went and had a t-shirt printed which has the words: “I Fight terrorism. I support Israel”.
I feel proud wearing that t-shirt. Will have another one done tomorrow as I cannot wear the same clothes every day:)
Ilana…I have said it before to other bloggers: I stand with Israel! Myron, my wife’s family is / was Armenian-Russian-Georgian and most slaughtered back then before they could make it to Canada and the U.S. Some of them still remain in Tbilisi. As for the UN’s comments, well, I say the Israeli’s employed the Cautionary Principle…progressives, socialists, etc. employ it to regulate business products, etc., so why not self-defense? Turn it back on the protesters and Israel haters. ps Where’s all the big outcry about Somali pirates, North Korean attackers, and the outrage nown as Darfur? Funny how those apparently pale into insignificance by the world press when Israel attempts to protect itself.
Iam always shaking my head at the perverseness of the world in general and the United States in particular. We gush over thugs like Castro, Chavez, Mao and the like while we curse allies like old South Africa and Israel. The Palestinians can indulge in the most transparent, fake provacation and we don’t bother to look at theevidence but automatically condemn Israel. Or condemn the Tea Parties. Or condemn White Baptists in Alabama. Or condemn rich yuppie white boys playing lacrosse at a rich yuppie university. Or condemn Arizona over a law nobody has read. It is the thing to do because nobody is trained to dig into an issue but rather to react like one of Pavlov’s dogs to a certain stimulus. The gulf of difference between civilized, educated society and third world tom-tom beating society grows ever more narrow.
The Israelis boarded this vessel in international waters. They were not wanted on the vessel. Maritime law says this is an act of piracy. The passengers on the vessel were within their rights to repel ANY boarders except Turkish inspectors, (this is a Turkish vessel) with all means at hand. They had no firearms or explosives. A “death list” was found after the attack, dropped by one of the commandos. You have to be blind, deaf, and utterly stupid to support this action by Israel. The problem is that Jews the world over will suffer for this, the action of a corrupt, viciously insane government. Most Jews will see this for what it is, a senseless depraved act. Only the Zionist madmen in power, and those supporting this act, need be brought to account, and not the worlds Jewish population. Sadly, the only way to do this is to shut off ALL funding and aid to Israel from all countries, boycott all Israeli goods, and closely monitor their armed forces, including and especially the 3 nuclear armed subs off the Iranian coast. Overwhelming force should be present to assure that any stupid move by the insane leaders of Israel will result in that country being turned immediately into a radioactive cinder. This is the only thing the Israeli leadership understands. Pray for the Jews. They will be caught in the middle of this, as well as the Arabs. Both sides just want to be left alone to live a peaceful life. The leaders will kill them all, just to satisfy their bloodlust and thirst for power.
Paul Witz: “Overwhelming force should be present to assure that any stupid move by the insane leaders of Israel will result in that country being turned immediately into a radioactive cinder.”
A month ago, I thought Obama’s nuclear policy was silly. Now I concede he’s got a point. Ok, so the Israelis have paint guns, a US Swat team has 9 mills and up, Mp-4 and 5s, thirteen round twelve gauge shotguns, does being under gunned count as a “stupid move”? A couple of weeks ago, protestors rioted in Indonesia, the army there turned loose on them with just about anything handy, yet there is not a peep from the news, the terrorists in Gaza are using the money that Israel is giving them for food money to buy and shoot rockets into Israel and its Israel’s aggression. Staying on point, the North Koreans sink a South Korean ship and its South Korea’s fault because they are not giving enough aid to North Korea. Where did the rational world go?
This was an example of Israeli excess, complete overkill. I saw the headlines that this aid ship was leaving Cyprus and then the next day…. 10 dead! I’m still stunned. I’m baffled when Christians are so cavalier about human life. This reminds me of the siege at Waco or Kent State. Overwhelming, reckless State carnage.
This is a Turkish stunt to gain street cred on the Arab street. The ruling AK (Justice & Development) Party in Turkey feels ideological sympathy with Hamas too, as they are both rooted in Islamic politics.
Unfortunately, governments in countries that should know better also seem to be trying to gain street cred with the Arab masses.
Ilana, Israel is being “Serbed.” Hamas has learned the lessons of Bosnia well, and by casting Gaza as another Sarajevo, is planning on winning by losing. Israel’s military advantage thus becomes a liability, and the war is shifted to the theater of international public opinion – which, ever since Bosnia, has been dominated by bleeding-heart liberals conditioned to root for the designated “underdog”, while seeing anything the designated culprit does (whatever its legitimacy) as pure evil.
This is like abortion. You either want to prohibit abortions or subsidize them. Likewise, you either want to support Israel, or isolate and boycott Isreal. Cutting off the subsidies and declaring neutrality doesn’t seem to be an option.
I agree with malic
Serbia bombed was and is a disgrace that will haunt Europe.
Mass hysteria is the fault of the mSM media: people are confused at best, world wide with half educated ideas.
At worst: it suits the third world.
I think these people want war and they will find a way to start it without getting blamed :the momentum is with the third world :while we allow our governments to be led by nonsense. And united nations.
Israel bends backwards, armed with paintball guns, and get stabbed in the back, literally, in this case.
To Paul Witz..Maritime law be damned. The Israelis are fighting for survival against an insane and ruthless enemy. They showed more restraint than I would have under the same circimstances.