Israel Hijacks Aid cargo, executes hostages - Pak journo, Talat Hussain taken hostage

[Ahmad]

Na man I was talking about the idiot that you were presenting the facts to.

ic, i thought it differntly, that amerian lady lost her life defending the rights of palestinians to live.

 

[Aslan]

Dude, you still haven't left this thread? How vella are you?

And I thought we agreed not to call them aid workers but political activists? Lets not go down that road again please.

And when did I make that deal with you! let me guess are you not the same person that actually wanted me to make a deal for taking a week off. Can you point out that post where I had agreed with you on what ever you are claiming. And why should I have to go I have stood my ground unlike you who runs away every time he is confronted.

 

[apophenia]

They weren't representing a NATO country, but were just NATA nationals acting against the will of Israel and was dealt with.

Two of the ships were flying flags representation a nation which is in NATO if you don't buy into the NATO assets (civilians)argument. Read the NATO charter article 5 and 6.

Article 5

The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security .

Article 6 (1)

For the purpose of Article 5, an armed attack on one or more of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack:

* on the territory of any of the Parties in Europe or North America, on the Algerian Departments of France (2), on the territory of or on the Islands under the jurisdiction of any of the Parties in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer;
* on the forces, vessels, or aircraft of any of the Parties, when in or over these territories or any other area in Europe in which occupation forces of any of the Parties were stationed on the date when the Treaty entered into force or the Mediterranean Sea or the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer.

pic source :Home | Mail Online

 

[Marxist]

yes, they thought they would have been stopped, not being killed. it shows the innocence of the aid workers and the utter barbarism of israelis. the organizers have alredy said that their intention was not only to get help to gaza, but to make the world aware of the suffering of palestinians, thats why the ship was filled with group of people from different faith(christians, muslims, jews). somebody had/have to do something to bring the plight of palesininas to the world.

ya,those words shows the truth of the flotilla incident.and most unfortunate was loss of life..yes with this incident Palestinians will get humanitarian aid (through Egypt) so the people on the ship have achieved what they came for.

is there any info about Pakistani journalist?

 

[Aslan]

ic, i thought it differntly, that amerian lady lost her life defending the rights of palestinians to live.

I know her, her poor parents are still struggling to get any justice.

 

[MKI 30]

Turkish Navy will now be escorting relief goods to gaza, this is a good gesture but dangerous too at the same time. I don't think Israel will back down and will counter turkish ships with full force. Israel have the whole support of Uncle Sam.

That is why you see, Uncle Sam has been so quiet and mum on this issue. I am sure they knew that Israel would attack the aid ship, yet they did not do anything about it. Turkey and Israel are US allies, Dont know how US would react if both navy's face each other.

 

[Fighter488]

Israel founders in international waters​

By Simon Thurlow

Until Monday morning, the Mavi Marmara (Blue Marmara) had an undistinguished, if industrious, career. Relentlessly plying Istanbul's passenger routes, the ship carried hundreds of thousands of commuters and holidaymakers through the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. It is doubtful whether any of those passengers would have remembered her name; they were certainly not aware that they were on board one of a very select group of sea-going vessels that have permanently altered world politics. The list includes the HMS Victory, the Bismarck, the General Balgrano - and now the Mavi Marmara.

Nearing the end of her utility as a commercial vessel, she was sold this year by the state-owned Istanbul Fast Ferries Company for just US$1.25 million. The ship's new owners were the IHH Insani Yardim Vakfi (The Foundation of Humanitarian Relief), a Turkish non-governmental organization that focuses on Palestine, and particularly Gaza.

Little is known about the group; various reports allege they are Islamists and have close ties to Hamas and al-Qaeda. The group itself strongly denies such ties. What is more likely is that the IHH has some form of backing from Ankara. Turkey is not famed for the strength of its civil society, and it is unlikely that any group would have been able to take such bold steps against Israel without the private support of someone in power.

It was under the auspices of the IHH - as part of the Free Gaza flotilla - that the Mavi Marmara found herself sailing towards Gaza, laden with medical equipment, books and building materials, as well as a number of dignitaries including members of various parliaments, a Holocaust survivor and a Nobel peace prize laureate.

The plan was to bust the three-year blockade that Israel has enforced around the Palestinian territory - a blockade designed to strangle the economic life out of the Gaza Strip and force Hamas from power - by simply steaming into the port at Gaza City. The logic of the organizations involved was that there was very little that Israel could do to forcibly halt nine unarmed ships. How wrong they were.

It was at 4:30am Israeli time on Monday morning that the Mavi Marmara ceased to be just another Turkish ferry boat. The details remain unclear, but the basic facts are that the ship was boarded by Israeli forces in international waters. After a brief tussle, 19 passengers were dead, and the ship was no longer heading for Gaza, but for the Israeli port of Ashdod. Israeli and Middle East politics had changed forever.

The exact sequence of events will be debated for months - who struck the first blow, who was armed and with what, when the white flag was raised, etc. None of these details will alter the consequences.

For Israel, the Mavi Marmara is only the latest - and biggest - of a series of public relations disasters that have begun to change international perceptions of the country. Benjamin Netanyahu's cool reception from United States President Barack Obama; Mossad's alleged involvement in the assassination of a top Hamas figure in Dubai; the announcement of new settlements during US Vice President Joe Biden's Jerusalem trip; all have added up to a perception that Israel is losing its touch in the public relations department.

For Israel's detractors, this is merely the country finally revealing its true colors. For Israel's sympathizers, it is evidence that Netanyahu's government does not have the tact and subtlety to handle Israel's delicate international relations, and certainly not the know-how to evolve its strategies to deal tricky situations.

Certainly, the manner of the ocean raid supports this analysis. Israel made a crucial mistake in intercepting the boat in international waters; under international law, their actions amount to little more than piracy. Indeed, the whole operation was probably a mistake. Had they just allowed the Free Gaza Flotilla through, a few headlines would have been generated and then forgotten.

Instead, Israel has focused the world's attention on Gaza, and further alienated its key allies. Israel's opponents will be delighted at another chance to assume the moral high ground. Emerging first among them is Turkey, traditionally Israel's major ally in the region. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tayyip Reccep Erdogan, ties between the two countries have already been feeling the strain - recent incidents include Erdogan's outburst in Davos, where he stormed out of a panel discussion with President Shimon Peres over Israel's actions in Gaza, and the bizarre meeting where Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister made the Turkish ambassador sit on a lower chair, and refused to shake his hand, as a public rebuke for alleged anti-Semitism in a Turkish television show.

Turkey's response to the Mavi Marmara incident was swift and unexpectedly harsh: Israel was guilty of "state terrorism", said Erdogan, currently on a state visit to South America (which itself was not without controversy; he canceled his Argentina leg because the Buenos Aires municipality decided to scrap the planned unveiling of a statue of Turkish founding father Ataturk, apparently due to Armenian pressure).

Turkey's positioning in the next few days will be critical; this incident may well be the catalyst for the country to finally assume the Arab leadership mantle that Ataturk abandoned so whole-heartedly. Turkey has elections in a year, and for the first time since 2002 they may be competitive; a sex scandal means the opposition party has a fresh, popular leader, with polls already showing much increased support. An aggressive foreign policy always plays well with the electorate; just ask George W Bush.

The Mavi Marmara is now docked in Ashdod, alongside the other eight ships of the Free Gaza flotilla. Israel has promised to send the supplies it carried to Gaza (but only those supplies that comply with existing Israeli regulations). The ships' passengers have been detained; they will be offered immediate deportation or the chance to fight their cases in Israeli courts.

Despite the tragic loss of life, the activists in detention know that they have struck a crucial blow against Israel's siege of Gaza. For as a short term measure, the raid of the Mavi Marmara proved that the blockade of Gaza is still very much in force; in the long term, however, it will be remembered as the incident that precipitated its demise.​

Simon Thurlow is a specialist in international relations, with particular emphasis on the Middle East and Africa. To read his blog, please click here.

(Copyright 2010 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

Asia Times Online :: Middle East News, Iraq, Iran current affairs

 

[prodevelopment]

And when did I make that deal with you! let me guess are you not the same person that actually wanted me to make a deal for taking a week off. Can you point out that post where I had agreed with you on what ever you are claiming. And why should I have to go I have stood my ground unlike you who runs away every time he is confronted.

Yup, I'm the same person. And if I remember correctly you were too chicken to take up my offer. Unlike you, I have a life so I went away.

Regarding the flotilla, if you still haven't changed your mind, then here is my final proof:

".....The Free Gaza Movement says it wants to raise awareness of what it describes as the "illegal siege on Gaza" by Israel. It says the blockade of Gaza by Israel is unjustified and that it denies Palestinians vital goods and services. "We want to raise international awareness about the prison-like closure of Gaza and pressure the international community to review its sanctions policy and end its support for continued Israeli occupation," the group says on its website......"
Q&A: Aid and Israel's Gaza blockade - CNN.com

Freegaza - Our Mission

If you still don't agree, well, I'm done hitting my head against a brick wall.

 

[Ahmad]

ya,those words shows the truth of the flotilla incident.and most unfortunate was loss of life..yes with this incident Palestinians will get humanitarian aid (through Egypt) so the people on the ship have achieved what they came for.

is there any info about Pakistani journalist?

ask the pakistani members, i am not from pakistan.

 

[blain2]

Yes. The aid boats ran the Israeli Navy blockcade and then when the soldiers boarded the boat, the aid workers tried to push the soldiers over board so they could get to the shore.



The Palestinian waters are controlled by israel. So you have to have permission to enter the waters. The turkish aid workers didn't get permission and they ran the navy blockade.

Infact, the Israeli navy would of been well in there right to of sink the boat, but instead they decided to board it and thats when the aid workers tried to resist.

The ships were intercepted in Intl waters. Not Israeli waters. Secondly, under what law are Palestinian waters controlled by Israel?

The embargo is illegal at the very basic. All of the Israeli arguments that our boarders were attacked are devoid of legal cover. The Israelis have absolutely no jurisdiction on these boats whatsoever. Even if these boats were in the coastal waters off Gaza, the Israelis have no right to stop them yet they do it because they have the might to do so.

This act of the Israeli boarders is no different than the Somali pirates sailing international waters off the Somali coast and intercepting foreign ships.

 

[Brotherhood]

Why use the word 'pews' for jews? You still have the belief that only YOU get angry over stuff? And you are the same guys who will go on an on about racism against Islam. There were jews on the aid boats too.

Get off your imaginary high horse, you don't have one.

I should have copy and paste some of your posts from I.... defence to here, show everyone what a hypocrite you are, but oh well, it ain't worth it. You are what you are.

 

[Aslan]

Forget it, pews it is for the humanitarians!

Why use the word 'pews' for jews? You still have the belief that only YOU get angry over stuff? And you are the same guys who will go on an on about racism against Islam. There were jews on the aid boats too.

Get off your imaginary high horse, you don't have one.

If you are not man enough to stand by your words then dont bother. Next time when talking to me at least have to audacity to quote me so that I would know who whats up. And secondly the above coming from you is not even a surprise you Muslim hating bigot. And yes the humanity of the pews, the whole world saw it. May be if you had taken off your I hate Muslim glassed you might have seen it too. I have wasted enough of my time on a soulless human like you.

 

[Al-zakir]

I bet if Iran blow up some zionist ship in international water over security concern then the world will attack Iran like hungry wolves including some so called muslim nations. This world is full of Hypocrite......

 

[Aslan]

Yup, I'm the same person. And if I remember correctly you were too chicken to take up my offer. Unlike you, I have a life so I went away.

Regarding the flotilla, if you still haven't changed your mind, then here is my final proof:

".....The Free Gaza Movement says it wants to raise awareness of what it describes as the "illegal siege on Gaza" by Israel. It says the blockade of Gaza by Israel is unjustified and that it denies Palestinians vital goods and services. "We want to raise international awareness about the prison-like closure of Gaza and pressure the international community to review its sanctions policy and end its support for continued Israeli occupation," the group says on its website......"
Q&A: Aid and Israel's Gaza blockade - CNN.com

Freegaza - Our Mission

If you still don't agree, well, I'm done hitting my head against a brick wall.

Now do every one a favor and hit your head on a real brick wall the brain of yours might come back to life.

 

[Aslan]

ask the pakistani members, i am not from pakistan.

Just saw the slide on Geo they are saying that the 3 Pakistanis have been handed over to the Jordanian authorities. They will be coming back to Pak tom.