Israel Matzav

'We're the only ones who believe them'

Ben Smith describes how isolated Israel is in the international community.

For while much about the incident remains unclear, a day of carefully parsed statements from the White House and State Department left at least one irrefutable aftershock: With much of the world expressing fury over the raid, the contrast with Washington’s muted response could not have been more striking.

“The situation is that they’re so isolated right now that it’s not only that we’re the only ones who will stick up for them,” said an American official. “We’re the only ones who believe them — and what they’re saying is true.”

The official was referring to Israeli protestations — backed by Israel Defense Forces video — that their solders were attacked by passengers on a ship headed for Gaza with humanitarian aid, when they boarded the ship in what the Israelis concede were international waters.

Organizers of the flotilla, meanwhile, insisted that participants were unarmed and that Israeli forces used excessive force.

That may be true at a government level, but people are being convinced by all the evidence the IDF is putting up - it's far from a waste of time. This evening I had an email from a non-Jewish woman in Venezuela who says she is on our side. And I'm sure there are many others.

Watch for the silver lining in the clouds:

Six hours later, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley issued a third statement, adding that the U.S. expects that the Israeli government — the unstated emphasis was not the United Nations — “will conduct a free and credible investigation.”

Is the US starting to get it?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:07 AM