In a move seemingly aimed at curbing growing international criticism at their involvement, the Greek government announced an initiative to deliver the aid to the Gaza Strip themselves, and won approval from both the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority.
The announcement comes just days after Greece decided to bar aid ships from traveling to the strip, and even captured an American vessel, the “Audacity of Hope,” which was attempting to make the trip.
The Israeli acceptance comes as something of a surprise, as it undercuts Israeli Foreign Ministry claims that the delivery of the aid to the tiny enclave posed a grave threat to Israel’s survival. Now the aid will be allowed, but just delivered on different ships.
The move seems to be satisfying more or less everyone, though it has irked some of the aid workers, who were hoping the delivery of civilian aid would set a precedent. With the aid being delivered by the Greek Navy after being captured by its Coast Guard, there does not appear to be a precedent.
Clearly a cheap attempt by Greece to save what's left of it's honor after being turned out as Israel's newest prison b*tch. If Greece had any balls they'd release all the flotilla boats and give them an armed naval escort to Gaza. I'm not holding my breath on that, though.
However, now that the 'aid' is going to be delivered by the Greek Navy, will that necessitate the transfer of all cargo to military vessels? If so, what precautions will be taken to ensure the Israelis don't slip in a few weapons containers to be conveniently 'discovered' prior to the sailing date?
And how exactly is Greece being Israel's prison bitch as you so tastefully put it? By diffusing a situation that would have no doubt led to further bloodshed. Can you honestly tell me that if the Turkish navy "Had the balls" to escort the May 2010 flotilla then the aid on those ships would have reached Gaza and there would have been no bloodshed? Do you think that Israel would have stood by and let Turkish ships enter its harbors? So if "Greece had the Balls" and as you have so eloquently advised us to, "release all the flotilla boats and give them an armed naval escort to Gaza" would you seriously believe that Israel would not consider this an invasion on its territory and respond accordingly. I take it from your tone that you are not pleased that an agreement has finally been agreed by both the Israel government and the Palestinian Authority regarding the delivery of this much needed aid. Would a further escalation of hostilities and more bloodshed be more to your liking? Would a regional conflict in the Mediterranean benefit the Palestinians living in Gaza? Or are you feeling denied that you wont get to watch peace activists get gunned down live on CNN?
The bloodshed would have been entirely at Israel's hands.
Gaza is not part of Israel by the way – only as illegally occupied territory.
I do not disagree with you at all. Neither on the fact that Gaza is illegally occupied, nor that Israel would have bloodied its hands again to protect the illegal blockade of this occupied territory.
I was merely making a point that bloodshed was averted by this compromise.
The peace activists are bringing the attention to the occupation of Gaza into the world media spotlight again, and no one has to be killed to achieve this. I would consider this a victory for the peace activists.
I was also making the point that no neighboring countries in the Mediterranean can break the Gaza blockade without provoking a military response from Israel.
The only people who can make any real change in Gaza are the people who sponsor Israel financially in Washington.
I would also like to take my hat off in respect for the selfless activists who have risked their safety by attempting to sail to Gaza again. Knowing what would await them once they arrived there.
So you're an Israeli 5th columnist. Boy they got their money's worth with you, huh? So how you going to spend that 30 pieces of silver you got from the Zionazi's? Oh and by the way that's blood on your hands, innocent Palestinians blood!
I am inclined to agree with Nick' latest comments. It shows that the activist's Gaza aid action has scored results by at least putting the long suffering plight of the Gaza people in the spotlight . It has struck me that our news media are scarcely paying any attention to it. Anyway we can say that the action has had results and an impetus to carry on with these Gaza aid actions in the future. Also we cannot say that Gaza is 'occupied', in a similar way as the West Bank is. However Gazans are not a free people either. It is often called the largest 'concentration camp' in the world, which would more aptly describe situation in Gaza. There is not so much difference in being occupied or denied freedom.
Since the relief flotilla has no plans to enter Israeli waters- only that which is nominally administered by Gaza- the question of hostilities is moot, unless Israel provokes an international incident on the high seas(and we know by its history it is prepared to do so- see Flotilla 1 and the USS Liberty). The Baltic Fleet of the Russian navy could steam into Gazan ports and if they avoid crossing into Israeli territorial waters there is nothing Israel could legally do about it.
While I am pleased that the relief aid will get through, the greater issue is not the delivery- it is the Israeli potential response that is the greater issue. What has the greater potential for a provocation of violence- a flotilla of unarmed civilian boats or armed military vessels? Clearly, to Israel the greater threat is from the unarmed relief workers- but why? Israel is not blind to the symbolism of a peaceful, unarmed civilian relief flotilla delivering aid to Gaza- and it is precisely that symbolism they are are trying so desperately to erase.
"And how exactly is Greece being Israel's prison bitch as you so tastefully put it?"
Israel is a criminal state. It's occupation of Palestine — all of it, "Israel" proper and the West Bank and the Gaza concentration camp — is an unalloyed horror — ongoing –of brazen criminality, the poison of which spreads across the planet. The US is completely subverted, entangled as the primary accomplice (the head "bitch" one might say), with the American Jewish community the primary — if unwitting — agent of that subversion. The Jewish communities of other countries — UK, Russia, Canada, to name those I'm familiar with — serve in similar fashion. All quite understandable in light of the non-mysterious fact of the ethnic/tribal support of Israel by the larger Jewish community in "the diaspora".
In the lawless environment of international affairs — realpolitik — this "criminality" might be considered "realistic", ie not objectionable — the ruling elites would say with self-interested complacency that that is the way things are and always have been, get over it
But fully one quarter of the world's population won't "get over it", and remains militantly opposed — ie unapologetically supportive of resistance via the use of force — to the historic and ongoing Zionist criminal enterprise in Palestine. Crucially, that one quarter of the world's population — the Muslim world –is rapidly achieving modernity, throwing off the chains of Western domination, and has massive wealth both in the bank and in the ground. Even as the Muslims rise, modernity — the internet — is replacing the mythology of "Israeli legitimacy" with the self-evident reality of Zionist criminality.
It is in this context that the Greek govt, in its moment of economic stress, has surrendered to Israeli pressure — almost certainly for economic reasons — and signed on as an active accomplice to the gradual Israeli destruction and erasure of the Palestinians(no doubt the Greek govt justifies this as acting responsibly, in it's own interest, and in the cause of peace).
So, to answer your question, Nick, THAT is how, exactly.
Israel claims it 'left' Gaza so all ships should sail to Gaza under their own steam so long as they do not enter Israel waterways.Israel vice grip on the Palestinian has less to do with Israel security and more to do with Israel reluctance to let go of the Palestinian 'cash cow' that guarantees Israel at least 41% of the total International aid that should rightly go to the Palestinians but ends up in Israel coffers..
If Gaze was free of Israel interference then Israel could no longer collect, or seize Palestinian taxes. if Gaza controlled its own imports and exports, Israel could no longer charge the UN for tonnage/storage of goods that transit Ashkenod.Port, and instead of provide much needed employment for the Palestinians. Palestinians could fish in their own waters without being shot at by the IOF.
Israel intends to profit from keeping the Palestinians totally dependent , Slaves to the cause of the illegal regime. For the same reason Israel bombs Palestinian airport., bombs flour mills, bombs power station then charge the Palestinians the highest energy tariff in the World. Israel uproot their trees and poison their water and burn their crop, destroys their egg production and chicken coops all to force Palestinians in dependency at the whim of the 'chosen ones'.
Thanks for not posting my reply twice. Why bother enter the debate if the comments are screened. My comments where not offensive but it appears there is an agenda to only publish certain points of view on antiwar.com. After following and contributing countless comments and articles to this website since the Kosovo invasion I have never been censored until now. Pretty poor Justin.
Moderator’s Note: Let me break out the world’s smallest violin and whip up a ditty for poor, poor, Nick, who is much oppressed by the fact that Antiwar.com comment filters are imperfect and that Antiwar.com comment moderators do things like, um, SLEEP occasionally – TLK
Dear Moderator: Thank you very much for your sympathetic and insightful reply. I must say I am truly touched by your kind sentiments and concern. And what a wonderful virtuoso concerto. I can tell immediately that you are a masterful musician, because I too play the violin sir. And mine is even smaller than yours. Please await for my next performance as I will be dedicating it especially to you. My next performance is scheduled around about the same time Antiwar.com will be seeking donations. I am sorry to have kept you from your slumber. Sweet dreams and goodnight.
Moderator’s note: Well, Nick, that’s just it — you DIDN’T keep me from my slumber, nor did you think to yourself the obvious thought: “Heck, maybe Antiwar.com can’t afford to provide 24/7 instant comment concierge service.”
Instead, you jumped to the conclusion that Antiwar.com’s moderators were intentionally preventing your comments from being published due to some disagreement with a notional “party line” you weren’t toeing.
Sorry to take it out on you in particular, but frankly that gets real old real fast. – TLK
Dear TLK. I too must apologize as I live one the other side of the planet and should have been more considerate of the time zone difference. I haven’t been posting much lately and haven’t gotten used to he idea that antiwar.com reviews readers comments these days. Keep up the good work. the service you provide through this website is priceless. Thanks for your efforts.
Moderator’s note: Hey, it’s no big deal and I’m sorry we ended up sniping at each other. We don’t moderate ALL comments, by the way, just those that get caught by an imperfect set of filters. I’m trying to figure out why YOURS are getting caught to that I can fix it. – TLK
How can a country with such a proud history like Greece allow themselves to be humiliated by this lick-spittle behavior. Needing money this badly, and stooping so low for it.
There is a a notion floating about, that the Israelis offered the Greeks something — economic help in some form, pressure on the EU, Germany in particular probably — for their help with the flotilla. I have no doubt that it's true. What's not yet been speculated about — so far as I have seen, but the matter is still quite "fresh" — is what threats the Israelis may have made — very carefully no doubt, threatening people is a VERY delicate matter.
In the next few weeks and months investigative journalists will be nosing about, interviewing those insiders who were privy to the "negotiations" in this matter. Perhaps then we'll find out the "unfortunate consequences" that might have "happened" to Greece had they not assisted the Israelis with their flotilla problem.
The Wiki leak showed that the blockade of Gaza is punishment for the people of Gaza voting for other than the puppet that Israel wanted. We invaded Iraq to bring democracy to the people but we support Israel that is run by bigots and the official policy is one group because of religion are superior to others. They expelled the majority of people so that group would hold the majority and they continue to expel to keep the majority. That is democracy to the chosen. They would not exist without the massive amount of money that they get from others. The real issue is why the people of Israel are allowed to run a concentration camp. I believe it is to gain the natural resources but then again I have no real facts. It is a difficult thing to understand why a group would allow the world to see them as such animals as the Israel are to people who only crime is they owned the land prior to the great stealing by Lord Rothschild.
The latest insult is the Israel government is now forcing the arabs to pay for the destruction of their homes usually knocked down because they did not get a building permit. For the record in its 68 years Israel has never issued a building permit to an arab. They are knocking down the homes of arabs so they can move a jewish family into the place. Shame.
According to the Israelis, everything poses a "threat to Israel’s survival." Is anyone else sick and tired of this psychopathic paranoia? WW2 is over and this isn't the 1930s. Israel is now the aggressor and brutalizer of over 2 million Palestinians–yet it hides behind religion and history to perpetuate its war crimes and crimes against humanity. One never hears this kind of self-serving pap from other countries who were brutalized by war–Vietnam and Cambodia lost millions of people, yet today they are proud survivors rather than snivelling warmongers.
Make that Zionist revisionist history. The real events are far from the way they are portrayed by that crowd.
Bob Marley: "Every day the bucket goes to the well. One day the bottom will fall out."
One can see that Israel is the big bully in the neighborhood and how sheer hopeless the position of the brave Gaazans actually is. Israel the bully keeps them collectively punished and shows them that they are at all times under it’s control. I hope Greece will have to pay a heavy price for it’s treachery against the people of Gaza and the brave flotilla activists. Shame on you Greece.
Today we are all Palestinian, let's all make sure the long suffering people of Palestine have the right to vote for their own leaders and can recieve basic human needs supplies to help them survive this horrible behaviour by the Zionist's who have high jacked the Jewish and Christian religions.
Using White Phosphourous on 14 year old civilians protecting their own streets was a very poor representation of Judeism or Christianity and the true King of Israel notices. You have only begun to pay the price for your lies and Blasphemy of his name!
Aren't they swell! The Greek, so sheepish and accommodating. The Zionists, so understanding and magnanimous. What a bunch!
This is a starvation blockage NOT just a military blockade; otherwise Israel will allow humanitarian aid through unfetter!!!!
Look at other military blockades including USA military blockades; they will ALL allow humanitarian aid through after checking the ship at SEA. EVERY and I mean every USA warship in the Persian gulf checks ships for weapons and contraband and lets them through. There was even a scandal in which Navy men stole jewelry from a Malaysian merchant vessel. In the end the US Navy refunded the merchant.
This Greek offer is just theft by another name. Do you honestly believe after all that has happened to the Gaza flotillas that Israel would not just steal the aid and horde it for themselves. Why not just steal it. I mean who can say 'no' to Israel.
ZIONISM = JEWISH NAZIS
This is just theft by another name. Israel will just steal the aid.
I agee Israel is wrong on all points aside from thia I don't know of anything they are right about.They have not once really tryed to have peace but IT will backfire.Israel does nothing to please any loving peacfull GOD so I agree they have not even come close to the punnishment they will recive from GOD even with murcy.Nick I had the same problem recently I called not Knowing that they were not open for calls all the time Don't know how but was treated real ignoratly.Then called back between 8 and 9 in the mornig and w3as treated like scum told I only care about myself.Why would I read this almost every singel day and am botherd by the suffering in the world but I guess I only care about myself.Also the person called back and was rude to my wife witch was uncalled for.But A ladt can't remember her name called and was nice and said to call hert but its the same number so I will not call again.But I agree Antiwar is a great site and must be run by careing people hard to understand why I was treated like scum.Never new the time difference eather or would have waited for the right time to call.But I think the man I spoak to was half asleap and would not let me explain or say sorry.
Also never got an apology but the nice woman I spoak to I told her to tell the man sorry he must not have been in a good mood it happens.No ones perfect.
As mentioned last night on the TV news (surprisingly), there have been talks going on for a while now about building a gas pipeline from Israel to Greece. Greece has been very, very enthusiastic about the idea of importing Israeli gas.
I would guess that that's the bribe to stop the flotilla.
Why is it that "peace activists" in the West never deliver aid via "flotillas" to the poor Arabs who are suffering under their own regimes, and to Kurds suffering under Turkish oppression? All the "peace activists" do is try to deliver aid to Gaza.
Now why is that, huh? Could it be that there is a double standard at work?
I know that trying to be a bit objective and fair on Antiwar.com is pretty useless but we try, ya know?
Believe me, I am not a defender of Israel, but it is clear that Antiwar simply cannot think straight.