Israeli navy commandos on Saturday seized a ship headed to the Gaza Strip carrying about 30 pro-Palestinian activists as it attempted to break Israel’s harsh blockade of the impoverished territory.
Israeli officials said that once the ship refused to alter its course, soldiers intercepted the vessel, which was carrying much needed supplies for Gazans, and directed it toward an Israeli port. The activists did not resist and no injuries were reported.
This was just the latest attempt by activists to bring attention to Israel’s strict blockade on Gaza. In 2010, Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists on a similar protest ship carrying humanitarian supplies.
Israel’s blockade on Gaza bars all kinds of goods coming in and out of the territory, as well as restrictions on movement for Palestinians living there. It is a cruel form of collective punishment on the 1.6 million Palestinians there because of the Hamas government.
As part of the blockade, the Israeli military meticulously and callously calculated the number of calories Gaza residents would need to consume in order not to starve, and used those calculations to inform how to impose a harsh economic blockade on the Palestinians, according to newly released documents.
In a 2008 US diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks, Israeli officials “confirmed to Embassy officials on multiple occasions that they intend to keep the Gazan economy functioning at the lowest level possible consistent with avoiding a humanitarian crisis.”
“As part of their overall embargo plan against Gaza, Israeli officials have confirmed,” the cable said, “on multiple occasions that they intend to keep the Gazan economy on the brink of collapse without quite pushing it over the edge.”
“The idea is to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger,” Israeli advisor Dov Weisglass said in 2006, claiming the hunger pangs are supposed to coerce Palestinians to force Hamas out of government.
The Israeli military justifies blocking aid ships to Gaza by saying its threatening and claiming the supplies aren’t allowed into Gaza for security reasons. But clearly a ship full of peace activists, including parliament members from Greece, Norway, Sweden and Spain, are not bringing supplies to be used for violence against Israel. Yet Israel still blocks the vessels, unembarrassed that the whole world knows of it’s deliberate plan to impoverish civilians in Gaza.
Well gee, this is an election year so I should be able to use my vote and make a difference here. Let's see, Obama hasn't changed a thing in Gaza since the day he was elected. (Remember Operation Cast Lead four years ago?) And Romney's said he's in lock-step with the Israelis. Not much chance either of these guys will help the Gazans. Looks like my vote won't make any difference at all. Oh well. But hey, how about them Detroit Tigers?!!
year of the beasts and birds tigers & cardinals
Gaza, a concentration camp writ large.
I don't have to say it. You all know what I'm thinking.
The Chosen are above shame.
Hitler was also saying that Germans were chosen. This is one of the many similarities between the nazis and israelis ….
Heil to them their place is in Hell
A lot of these Israeli officials appear to be mentally ill. Putting Palestinians on a "diet" so they change their government? That's some sick stuff right there! And let us not forget the Israeli commandos storming a ship full of peace activists. Wow, that is really dangerous and heroic!
But the most moral people of the world,not from the so called Israeli "left",of course no one from the right,neither the "dove" Shimon Peres,not demanded the break of the siege.Generally,the most moral people of the world ask why they have to feed "terrorists".Even the food not come from Israel ,they think that they feed the "terrorist".If a Christian organization asked to stop the alms to Israel because Isaeli policy regarding Palestinians, they are immediately boycotted as anti semites.If this is the "moral",Israeli people are the most moral of the world.
May the Zionist entity vanish from the pages of time.
Surprise, surprise! More piracy. More lawlessness. More violations of international law. More crimes against humanity. All in a day's work for that illegal terrorist entity known as Isreal.
Too bad the aid ship was flagged out of Finland; if it had been flagged out of a NATO nation the US would have been obliged to defend it from Israeli attack.
"Israeli officials have confirmed they intend to keep the Gazan economy on the brink of collapse"?! Well, they alsoo can confirme their apartheid regim, for the same reason – Hamas, and they will be so "moral" as were! With the tacit consent of almost the whole world!