Turkish Navy and PM to accompany more aid ships to Gaza

[ARCHON]

Israel will reject int'l panel to study raid

Israel will reject int'l panel to study raid | Reuters


Israel's ambassador to the United States Michael Oren speaks to Reuters TV during an interview in Washington, February 24, 2010.





WASHINGTON (Reuters)- Israel's ambassador to the United States said on Sunday Israel will reject the idea of an international commission to study its commando raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship in which nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed.

WORLD

"We are rejecting an international commission. We are discussing with the Obama administration a way in which our inquiry will take place," Ambassador Michael Oren said on "Fox News Sunday."

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has proposed a multinational investigation of the raid, an Israeli official said earlier Sunday.

Ban has suggested establishing a panel that would be headed by former New Zealand prime minister Geoffrey Palmer and include representatives from Israel, the United States and Turkey, under whose flag the ship sailed, said the official from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.

Netanyahu discussed the proposal with Ban on Saturday and planned to convene senior cabinet ministers on Sunday to decide whether Israel would take part, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

But Oren told Fox: "Israel is a democratic nation. Israel has the ability and the right to investigate itself, not to be investigated by any international board."

Israeli leaders have spoken publicly about having foreign observers for an Israeli investigation into the interception of the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara last Monday.

Ban also discussed with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erodogan "options for moving forward with the investigation called for by the Security Council," the United Nations said on its website, referring to the council's call for an impartial inquiry.

Israel's navy boarded another ship carrying aid to Gaza on Saturday. Its interception of the MV Rachel Corrie ended without violence following diplomatic efforts to avoid bloodshed.

 

[psychedelic_renegade]

Dude the whole point of the blockade is to prove to the world that oh we can do what every we want to! And that attitude has to be shattered.

And that would do nothing for Gaza, if your objective is to shatter Israels ego, then go ahead.

 

[ARCHON]

Qatar to bear the cost of taking Israel to ICJ


Putting its weight behind the decision of fellow Arab states to take Israel to the ICJ for its botched aid fleet raid that killed nine activists, Qatar has said it would meet all the expenses to be incurred on the legal proceedings.
Qatar has also said it would fund a worldwide media campaign to expose Israel, its blockade of the Gaza Strip and the aggression it has been perpetrating in the territory, a report in 'The Peninsula Daily' said.
According to the report, Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa said that Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, has assured the League of the country's moral and financial support on the above issues.
At Qatar's behest the foreign ministers of Arab League member countries met in Cairo on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the Israeli raid and its Gaza blockade.
"We heartily appreciate Qatar's commitment to meeting the expenses of taking Israel to court for the crime (the flotilla attack) and launching a global media campaign to expose the Israeli blockade of and aggression in Gaza," Moussa was quoted as saying by the paper.
Qatar is known for its humanitarian role in supporting the cause of the people of Gaza, the Arab League Secretary-General said.
"The Arab foreign ministers meeting focussed on ways to respond to the flotilla raid by Tel Aviv and its continued blockade of Gaza, its aggression in the Strip, and on how to remove the blockade", Moussa said.
The aim of the campaign would be to expose Israeli blockade and aggression.
The foreign ministers of Arab League (a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa and Southwest Asia) countries have decided in the Cairo meeting to eventually break the Israeli blockade of Gaza through various means.

 

[ARCHON]

Iran's navy offers to escort Gaza ships
Official: Elite Revolutionary Guards are prepared to intervene


updated 9:15 a.m. ET June 6, 2010
TEHRAN - Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards are ready to provide a military escort to cargo ships trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza, a representative of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday.

"Iran's Revolutionary Guards naval forces are fully prepared to escort the peace and freedom convoys to Gaza with all their powers and capabilities," Ali Shirazi, Khamenei's representative inside the Revolutionary Guards, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency.

Any intervention by the Iranian military would be considered highly provocative by Israel which accuses Iran of supplying weapons to Hamas, the Islamist movement which rules Gaza.

 

[Awesome]

I don't think Israelis are fool enough to attack Turk PM boat, they will let him pass. But by any means it won't ensure steady supply of aids to Gaza. Turk PM should do whats really needed that is to bargain uncle and rest of Nato members to his and palestine's side if he really cares for Gaza. I'm really sorry but I see nothing but stunt in this, he will prove himself hero to turk people but then what?

The I will lead the next boat to feed hungry and destitute people Hopefully you'll follow afterwards.

 

[ARCHON]

Venezuela’s Chavez attacks Israel in speech
June 6, 2010
CARACAS, Venezuela (JTA) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called Israel a "genocidal state" during nationally broadcast comments following violent clashes aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla.

Chavez called Israel a "cursed terrorist and murderous state" amid shouts of “Long Live Palestine” during a June 1 speech, the day after Israeli Navy commandos boarded a Gaza-bound ship and nine people were killed in the ensuing violence. He also accused Israel of supporting the local opposition against his government.

“Israel is financing the Venezuelan opposition. There are even groups of Israeli terrorists, of the Mossad, who are after me trying to kill me,” he said.

In response, the American Jewish Committee said in a news release last Friday that the Organization of American States should condemn the comments in the “strongest possible terms.”

“These baseless accusations by President Chavez are downright dangerous and are used by him to bolster his own political standing,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris.

In the same speech, Chavez sent his “greetings and respect” to the local Jewish community.

“They know they have our affection and respect," he said, adding later that "I doubt very much that a Venezuelan Jew would support such an atrocity.”

The local Jewish community has had a strained relationship with the government following a spate of attacks against Jewish houses of worship last year, including an assault against the city’s main synagogue.

Other Latin American nations closely aligned with Chavez have come out strongly against the Jewish state. Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa recalled his country’s ambassador from Tel Aviv, while Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said he was suspending diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Venezuela ruptured its diplomatic ties with Israel last year following the war in Gaza.

 

[ARCHON]

I think its time for US to intervene and relocate the state of Israel to Alaska or something, so that the rest of the world can live peacefully.

 

[psychedelic_renegade]

The I will lead the next boat to feed hungry and destitute people Hopefully you'll follow afterwards.

Well good luck with that, dont forget to take someone heavy weight with you like pm or Nobel laureates.

On my part I'll keep paying 20% of my salary as tax from which GoI provides aids to Palestine. I'm too young to die a premature death. :s

 

[KillBill]

I think its time for US to intervene and relocate the state of Israel to Alaska or something, so that the rest of the world can live peacefully.

I hope just the name of the state, not the people who call them Israeli too...

 

[GUNNER]

JERUSALEM, June 6, 2010 (AFP) - Israel's powerful inner forum of seven ministers was to meet behind closed doors on Sunday evening to seek ways to calm an international outcry over its deadly storming of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
Global calls for an independent enquiry with foreign observers will be weighed against Israel's reluctance to submit itself to any form of international tribunal.
The deaths of eight Turkish activists and a US-Turkish citizen in Monday's commando operation against the aid flotilla sparked outrage around the world, particularly in Turkey, a onetime close ally.
Israeli supporters of an enquiry will argue that Israel should submit for international scrutiny evidence it says proves the deadly clashes aboard the Turkish-owned aid ship Mavi Marmara were provoked by a hard core of activists spoiling for a fight.
"This group boarded separately in a different town, organised separately, equipped itself separately and went on deck under different procedures," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.
"The clear intent of this hostile group was to initiate a violent clash," he told reporters at the weekly cabinet meeting.
The United States has called for "a credible, impartial, and transparent investigation" into the commando operation.
So has the United Nations, which is also pressing Israel to lift the Gaza blockade, imposed in 2006 after Gaza-based Hamas militants snatched Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who is still being held.
That is a demand which is not going to go away. More blockade-runners are expected to head for Gaza, increasing the pressure on Israel to find a diplomatically-acceptable way of dealing with them.
"We shall have to find a solution to lifting the blockade," Social Affairs Minister Isaac Hertzog, of the largely-dovish Labour party, told reporters."We can have discussions about this with friendly countries who may propose creative solutions for easing the situation in Gaza," he added.
One such proposal, emanating from Washington, according to Israeli media, is for an international naval presence which would inspect Gaza-bound vessels to verify that they are not carrying weapons or other contraband.Since 2005, when Israel unilaterally withdrew all its soldiers and settlers from the Gaza Strip, militants have fired thousands of rockets and mortar rounds across the border.
"We are not insensitive to international criticism," Hertzog said. "The question is how do we ensure our security."
There was fresh criticism of Israel on Saturday when its special forces boarded an Irish-owned vessel, the Rachel Corrie, after it ignored orders not to head for Gaza with a cargo of aid.
This time there was no resistance but the ship was forced to sail to an Israeli port where it was impounded. Its 19 passengers and crew were being deported on Sunday.
The views of ministers in Netanyahu's centre-right coalition government do not divide neatly along political lines.
"I see no place for an enquiry with non-Israeli participants," Science Minister Daniel Hershkowitz, of the conservative National Religious Party told reporters.
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, of Netanyahu's Likud party agreed, arguing that the best forum for conducting an enquiry would be within the parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee.
Defence Minister and Labour party chief Ehud Barak, is reported to be against an enquiry which would look into the military's actions.
But Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, considered a super-hawk on most issues, supports an open investigation."We have nothing to hide," he told public radio on Thursday. "And if they want to include an international member of some sort in their committee, that's alright."
One cabinet minister, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity on Sunday, said "there are many options which need to be discussed."

 

[Aslan]

And that would do nothing for Gaza, if your objective is to shatter Israels ego, then go ahead.

That will make a world of a diff to Gaza, it is all about israels ego and
sufferings in Gaza, something that you might never get.

 

[GUNNER]

I think its time for US to intervene and relocate the state of Israel to Alaska or something, so that the rest of the world can live peacefully.

Good Idea !

 

[Awesome]

Well good luck with that, dont forget to take someone heavy weight with you like pm or Nobel laureates.

On my part I'll keep paying 20% of my salary as tax from which GoI provides aids to Palestine. I'm too young to die a premature death. :s

She is not that old either.

If she can stand in front of an armed soldier taking aim to save kids, we can go on a boat to feed the kids! I wish Turkey opens up the invite for all of us. I do not intend to inflict any violence on anyone, just want to ensure a steady stream of aid with food, clothing and medicine to reach the Palestinians.

 

[psychedelic_renegade]

If she can stand in front of an armed soldier taking aim to save kids, we can go on a boat to feed the kids! I wish Turkey opens up the invite for all of us. I do not intend to inflict any violence on anyone, just want to ensure a steady stream of aid with food, clothing and medicine to reach the Palestinians.

I'm sorry if I'm sounding inhumane, but I really can't connect to Palestine to that extent to stand in front blazing guns. May be more native problems, I'd follow your suit.

 

[GUNNER]

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will not ride in an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, the country's foreign minister told CNN Sunday.

"No. No. No, no, no, no. Prime Minister Erdogan doesn't have such an intention," Ahmet Davutoglu said in an interview, nearly a week after nine civilians were killed in an Israeli raid on a previous flotilla.

He stressed that the aid shipment was "absolutely" an effort of aid groups and not sponsored by the Turkish government.
"As the Turkish government, we didn't encourage them, but it was a civilian activity," he said.

But, Davutoglu said, Turkey was concerned about the use of force against its civilians.

"If there is a new attempt again within the framework of this civilian approach, we cannot say anything against them. But if another country attacks this civilian convoy and kills our citizens, of course, we have full right to ask why," he said.