Israel’s Navy to Use Force Against Aid Ships
FM Claims Aid Delivery a 'Violent' Attack on Israeli Sovereignty
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman today angrily condemned the aid ships en route to the Gaza Strip, declaring them a “violent” attack on the sovereignty of Israel at sea, and insisting that “there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
Most of the aid ships have already reached the rendezvous point in the Mediterranean Sea, but technical problems with one of the vessels has delayed the final journey to the besieged strip until Saturday morning.
The ships aim to sail in during the day to prevent a nighttime ambush, as Israeli warships have taken to the sea and the Navy has been ordered to stop the delivery of medicine, toys and construction material “at any costs.”
The nine ship flotilla is carrying some 10,000 tons of aid, a combination of supplies banned by Israel and other supplies they have allowed in only extremely limited quantities.
Israel has already set up a detention center for the soon to be captured aid workers, but the threat to use force against the ships is the more pressing concern, as previous confrontations have involved Israeli warships intentionally ramming aid vessels and nearly sinking at least one in the open sea.
Israel’s naval power is significant, but compared to an air force that constantly bombards the Gaza Strip and an army that invades a neighboring country every couple of years, it is the odd man out publicity-wise. These chances to play pirate on the high seas may play well in the Israeli press, but having its naval might attacking unarmed aid vessels must inevitably end in tragedy.
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Marfil
May 29th, 2010 at 8:29 am
Dont play around with Israel. One of those ships could end up sinking for no apparent reason.
RespectnJustice4all
May 29th, 2010 at 1:41 am
All for the land God promised?
The real terrorists, that fraudulently claim to be the “victims”, show their true colours.
Unfortunately everybody knows about Israel.
Cold Wind
May 29th, 2010 at 10:11 am
Israel's war ships should be blown out of the water, if they attack the relief ships.
E.A. Costa
May 29th, 2010 at 11:10 am
The Israelis, nicely enough, are sailing full speed ahead into a trap of their making.
Chirvan Edross
May 29th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Why does Avigdor Lieberman continue to spout this idiotic nonsense. Is he really so stupid that he doesn't realise the stupidity that comes out of his mouth?
Druthers
May 29th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Israel never misses an opportunity to attack anything that moves. An attack on a nursing home full of people in wheel chairs would be presented as defending themselves against mobile units preparing to attack Israel.
E.A. Costa
May 29th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
The Israelis probably already have cover stories written for various scenarios.
But it will backfire if they interfere.
SammyE
May 29th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
I just kicked out four israhell tourist from my store. Call them terrorist and demanded that they leave.
MMC-NEWS
May 29th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Palestinian Aid Flotilla Getting Set to Approach Gaza…
I found your entry interesting thus I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog
…
76-water
May 29th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
I have to keep pinching myself. WTF! It would be best for Isreal to let the aid ships in to Gaza. If there is no siege, then what could it hurt. The real issue may actually be that Isreal does not want to be exposed as the rogue nation that it is.
Tom
May 29th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
The Freedom flotilla should be protected by navy vessels from participating countries such as UK/Ireland/Greece and Turkey.
E.A. Costa
May 29th, 2010 at 11:50 pm
B ritish news blackout of Gaza flotilla:
http://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/6306-qmain…
Hacklheber
May 30th, 2010 at 12:14 am
He's an ex-bouncer with Messianic Ideology.
Pure third reich material.
What do you expect.
guest
May 30th, 2010 at 1:33 am
while I fear for the safety of the aid workers on board those ships, I welcome the public relations nightmare this will be for the israelis. just more people who will be woken up to the reality of this evil little state.
E.A. Costa
May 30th, 2010 at 1:58 am
Actually Lieberman is attempting to make current a new phraseology, "violent propaganda."
This is kind of a redefinition of "performance art" as violent, if critical of Israel, even if it is totally non-violent.
This allows the Israelis to be be violent against the non-violent and claim victim status at the same time.
Also the Israelis have for a long time used what one calls "Meta-Spectacular" tactics, which is a kind of "anti-situation" in Debordian terms.
What Netanyahu did in regard to Biden on his Israel visit is the perfect example. Instead of participating in the Spectacle itself, they aim to manipulate some of the key actors in the Spectacle,and to have their manipulation become a part of the Spectacle.
It is very subtle and cunning and a kind of leverage.
They have tried this also in relation to Iran, but the Iranians are on to the game, and have their own very effective counter-tactics.
E.A. Costa
May 30th, 2010 at 2:08 am
Image if there were, say, twenty or thirty different videos of the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty, from all available points of view.
In Video X, for example–Israel forces machine gunning American sailors in life boats waving American flags.
Andy
May 30th, 2010 at 2:43 am
Too bad the British didn't do this after ww2. Palestine might never have been conquered in the first place.
E.A. Costa
May 30th, 2010 at 3:05 am
Poor Israeli Special Forces–they are going to have such a busy night. Always disturbing when your most sophisticated technical gear is obsoleted by Radio Shack.
Panita ปณิตา
May 30th, 2010 at 1:06 pm
The coast is most open to direct action against the suffocation of Gaza. Maybe internationals, Israeli progressives, Palestinians in the Diaspora could learn from Greenpeace tactics, Rainbow Warrior. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/about/… Urge Greenpeace to join in protest against this humanitarian disaster.
Imagine this as sustained repeated action, every month a new wave of small boats. Bringing in supplies, confronting the blockade. Something like Anarchists Against the Wall on water. Needs funding but maybe less than we think, with imagination and sumud.
mac
May 31st, 2010 at 11:35 am
this was done in international water, that is piracy just like somali pirates off africa. where is the u.n flotila to protect these ships.