Israel Matzav

What Syria needs now

But they won't get one. It's just Muslims killing Muslims, so no one cares.

Labels: Bashar al-Assad, flotilla, Syrian army, Syrian uprising

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:16 AM 0 comments

Pro-Israel poster goes viral in the Arab world

This pro-Israel poster is going viral in the Arab world. No really. http://t.co/i0D1ONcaMl http://t.co/GdnxppFVzy
— Yair Rosenberg (@Yair_Rosenberg) January 14, 2014

Hmmm.... What will happen if the Arabs start thinking for themselves?

Labels: Arab backwardness, Arab world, flotilla, Gaza, Syria

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:33 PM 1 comments

How about a flotilla to Homs?

Indeed.

Labels: flotilla, Gaza plenty, Syria, Syrian uprising

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:23 PM 0 comments

Send a freedom flotilla to Turkey

The latest from I Acknowledge Anti-Semitism Poses as 'Palestinian' Human Rights Activism:

Labels: anti-Semitism, flotilla, human rights, human rights abuses, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:29 AM 0 comments

New flotilla to leave from Gaza?

The 'Palestinians' are planning a new flotilla. But instead of trying to bring goods into Gaza, this one will try to take goods out of Gaza.

The focus of the 'Gaza Ark' is the fact that while goods do indeed enter the Hamas-run, Palestinian enclave, goods are said to rarely ever leave. The premise of the trip is that Gaza wants to trade with the world, rather than receive aid. Critics have called the trip "intentionally misleading", pointing to the fact that on a weekly basis, dozens of trucks export products from Gaza.

These facts haven't stopped the 'Gaza Ark' committee, however, a group which is supported by the hard-Left Noam Chomsky and disgraced Baroness Jenny Tonge. The organisation's "Who We Are" section also lists the public relations head of the Hamas-run Gaza Chamber of Commerce, Maher Al-Tabaa, and 'one-state solution' advocates such as Haidar Eid, who also works at the Al-Aqsa University, an institution that Hamas boasted about 'taking over' in 2009.

The Gaza Ark initiative is led by international anti-Israel activists, rather than ordinary Palestinians. Gaza’s Ark entails “purchasing a run-down boat from a local fishing family,” says Michael Coleman, a member of Free Gaza Australia and on the Gaza’s Ark steering committee.

“The refurbishing will be done by Palestinians in the port of Gaza, and the sailing will be with a mixed crew of Palestinians and internationals,” says David Heap, spokesperson for Gaza’s Ark in Canada and Europe. The sailing date has not been announced yet.

The Ark initiative includes exporting a token amount of trade goods from Palestinians, an act which Coleman admits is purely “symbolic”.

Which part of 'blockade' do they not understand?

Labels: flotilla, Gaza plenty

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:23 PM 0 comments

Yaalon gets Turkey

At least someone in this government gets Turkey: Moshe "Boogie" Yaalon (Hat Tip: Joshua I).

Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon voiced disapproval Monday over Turkey's demand that Israel issue an apology for its role in the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident in which nine activists were killed as the IDF intercepted the ship. Speaking to Israel Radio, the deputy prime minister called the request "rude."

His statement came the day after he attended a forum meant to discuss the publication of the UN Palmer report on Israel's conduct last summer during the raid of the Turkish liner.

"There was a provocation here that the Turkish government is also responsible for," he said. "It wasn't our side that spoiled relations, and I expect they will not [restore diplomatic relations] even after the apology."

Even if it were to bring about a restoration of relations, I believe an apology would be a huge mistake. It becomes an even bigger mistake if it's not going to restore relations with Turkey back to anything close to what they were.

If anything, it's the Turkish government that ought to be apologizing to Israel. The way that the report has been portrayed in the Israeli media to date has been that the report says that the blockade of Gaza is legal, but accuses Israel of being too swift to use deadly force. But here's something that has not been discussed very much in the Israeli media:

The report is also believed to highlight Turkish government links with the flotilla, which resulted in the death of nine Turks when IDF commandos boarded the ship.

We've known all along that the Turkish government backed the IHH. But to apologize as if we were the only ones at fault and then to see the UN say that would be outrageous.

Labels: flotilla, IHH, Mavi Marmara, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:47 PM 0 comments

'Flotilla' of 'Palestinian refugees' to 'return' to Israel?

The latest 'Palestinian' gambit is to send a flotilla of boats or an airplane filled with 'Palestinian refugees' who live in the United States or Europe, and to dare Israel to refuse to admit them.

A controversial plan has been set by 9 European groups, 1 in Canada and 2 in the US to send Passenger boats boarded by huge number of Palestinian Refugees to their homes in occupied Palestine known as “Israel”

Well-informed sources told the Palestine Telegraph that a fund has been allocated for the purpose of the activity. The sources refused to release their identities in order not to damage the plans. They pledge that they will go to public soon and introduce themselves and their ideas. The groups are already active in their positions.

Activists will name the Flotilla as, “Ship your luggage, Return to Palestine”.

About the mechanism of the event, organizers refused to release extra information as it will only benefit Israel to bring the plans down. The organizers said that they are considering hiring a private passenger jet which accommodates scores of Palestinian Refugees.

The boats will carry Palestinian Refugees of dual citizenships from Europe, US and Middle East. Boats or airplanes will carry a combination of those refugees with European activists, MPs, journalists and activists.

The unique aim of the plan is the direction. The ultimate direction is not Gaza and not breaking the siege as in every time. However, it will be Israeli sea ports of Haifa and Ashkelon.

Activist, A. D added that the refugees will implement the Right of Return as stated through International law.

...

According to organizers the local committees has been initiated in Lebanon and Syria. The number of Refugee passengers is estimated of 20 thousands distributed in passenger boats.

Palestine Telegraph asked A.D about the country which will allow them to sail after what happened in Flotilla 2. No more details were given but it will be from 2 countries on the Mediterranean Sea and maybe the red sea as the governments there have agreed.

The boats won't be allowed to land in Israel. The plane sounds like the ridiculous plan from a couple of months ago to send a plane to Gaza and to dare Israel to shoot it down. No country admits people who don't come on a round trip ticket unless they have applied for and received permission to immigrate (well, except that the US under Obama allows all the Mexicans who want to come to the US to stay in the US). I would not bet on which country wants to commit an act of war against Israel by allowing that plane to take off.

But look at the silver lining: The 'Palestinians' intentions will be crystal clear to all who are willing to see. This isn't about 'occupation.' It's about destroying the Jewish state (God forbid).

What could go wrong?

Labels: flotilla, flytilla, Palestinian refugees, right of return

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:26 AM 4 comments

Why Turkey pulled out of the flotilla of fools?

Perhaps this is why Turkey pulled out of the flotilla of fools. It seems that the United Nations is about to issue its report on last year's flotilla, in which nine Turkish terrorists were killed. The report apparently favors Israel so strongly (according to Haaretz, which is not exactly a fan of the current government) that Turkey has asked the United Nations to tone it down (Hat Tip: Soccer Dad).

The director general of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Feridun Sinirlioglu, conveyed Turkey's request in a secret meeting early last week in Geneva with Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon.

A draft of the report, due to be released within two weeks, was given to Israel and Turkey about six weeks ago. The committee determined that Israel's naval blockade of Gaza is in keeping with international law, and therefore its actions to stop the flotilla were also legal.

According to a senior government official in Jerusalem, the report criticizes the Turkish government and highlights the relationship between it and IHH, the group that organized the flotilla.

The report also states that, while Israel Defense Forces soldiers acted in self-defense, they used disproportionate force that led to the death of nine Turkish citizens. The report recommends that Israel pay compensation to the families of the dead and injured Turkish citizens, which Israel has already said it is willing to do.

The official said the Turks would like to soften the parts of the report that could cause a political storm in Turkey.

During the meeting with Ya'alon, the Turks suggested that the toning down of the report would lead to an end to the crisis and the normalalization of relations between the countries, which would include the return of the Turkish ambassador to Tel Aviv.

The UN investigator has said that he will change the report based on any agreement between Israel and Turkey to do so.

The reason that the parties have not reached an agreement, according to Haaretz, is that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not yielded on the demand for an apology from Israel. Turkey's Hurriyet Daily is reporting that Prime Minister Netanyahu has agreed to the demand three times and then backed out three times out of fear that an apology would cause Avigdor Lieberman to take Yisrael Beiteinu out of the government (Hat Tip: Joshua I). The Hurriyet report does not mention the Haaretz story. Israel Radio has reported the apology story.

I'm not thrilled with the idea that we're going to help Erodgan down from his tree. The reason that the government is willing to consider it is that it feels that this may be our last chance to repair our relations with Turkey. Once the report is released, it will be much more difficult for the two countries to reach an accommodation. My own view is that Turkey is never going to reach an accommodation with us anyway, and we might as well play the UN report for all it is worth.

But in any event, it should be clear why, under the circumstances, Turkey felt that it could not participate in the flotilla of fools that hopes to reach Gaza this week.

Labels: Avigdor Lieberman, Binyamin Netanyahu, flotilla, Mavi Marmara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:53 PM 2 comments

Back to the '60's with the Mavi Marmara

You're all going to love this video from Elder of Ziyon.

Let's go to the videotape.



Heh.

Labels: flotilla, Gaza plenty, IHH, Mavi Marmara, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:52 AM 0 comments

Mavi Marmara armed terrorist pictures released

On Tuesday, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Aharonoth released photos of Turkish IHH 'activists' terrorists aboard the Mavi Marmara last May carrying live ammunition. I have noted previously that the IDF had the photos and had decided not to release them.

They were put up in a couple of places toward the end of the day before the holiday started on Tuesday (see here and here). What I have done is to screen-capture them from a Channel 10 video report, in the hopes of making them larger and clearer for you. Unfortunately, the Channel 10 report only included two of the three pictures:





In part of the video that Channel 10 did not show, 'Israeli Arab' MK Hanin Zoabi walks right past the second armed terrorist.

Labels: flotilla, IHH, Mavi Marmara, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:13 AM 0 comments

IHH announces show will go on

The Turkish terror organization IHH has announced that despite the opening of the Rafah crossing point from Gaza into Egypt, it will be sending a flotilla of ships to attempt to bust what is left of Israel's 'blockade' of Gaza (Hat Tip: Joshua I).

“In the past, we went there for Gaza, but now we are going for humanity and the law,” Bülent Yıldırım, head of the İHH, told daily Hürriyet in an interview published Sunday.

Though admitting that Israel had loosened its embargo over Gaza since last year and had lifted its embargo on many items of humanitarian aid, Yıldırım said: “If they had told us before our departure last year that they would [loosen the embargo], we wouldn’t have gone. But now we have lost nine of our friends as martyrs.”

And therefore they want to lose some more?

The Turkish government - led by the Jew-hating Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ahmet Davutoglu - clearly could stop this if they were so inclined. But they are looking to go to war with Israel. And war, they shall get.

Labels: Ahmet Davutoglu, flotilla, Gaza plenty, Mavi Marmara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:29 PM 3 comments

Egypt opens Rafah crossing

Shavua tov, a good week to everyone.

Remember the last time that Egypt opened its border for all those poor 'starving' Gazans?

Well, this time, the Egyptians are being much more careful about what kind of pictures are being released. No more riots at the border. Instead, we are seeing pictures of nice quiet people sitting on a bus (Hat Tip: Memeorandum).

Hundreds of Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip arrived here by the busload on Saturday to pass through the reopened border into Egypt, taking the first tangible steps out of a four-year Israeli blockade.

Can someone please explain to me if this is an 'Israeli blockade,' how can the Egyptians be the ones releasing it? Maybe it was also an Egyptian blockade....

“I feel this is the start of freedom,” said Hasna el-Ryes, 45, a Gaza resident waiting to cross into Egypt so she could travel to visit sons studying in Britain. “You can’t imagine how much we have suffered.”

Maybe she won't come back. Maybe a lot of other Gazans won't come back. Wouldn't that be cool? Of course, there is a major down side:

Israel issued no statements on Saturday in response to the border opening, but its officials have made clear that they consider the looser controls a major security risk. It began its blockade of Gaza four years ago to keep Hamas, which consolidated control in Gaza after winning elections, from being resupplied with rockets and other weapons to use against Israelis.

Actually, the blockade was originally to keep Hamas from moving Gilad Shalit out of Gaza, and then tightened when Hamas took power. But at least the Egyptians haven't opened the border completely - they're not total fools either.

And the formal, seven-days-a-week opening on Saturday did not remove all restrictions. It left in place a blockade on the shipment into Gaza of goods, including concrete that is badly needed to repair buildings damaged in clashes with Israel. “This is good, but we are looking for Egypt to break the siege, to allow the shipment of cement and trade,” said Gamal el-Din, a Palestinian engineer entering Egypt.

Egyptian officials have said they hope to soon open the border to at least some goods. There are still restrictions on passengers as well. Although women, children and older Palestinians can enter without a visa, men from 18 to 40 are required to obtain one, for security reasons.

And I'm sure you'll all be shocked to hear that a lot more people want to go to Egypt than want to go to Gaza.

While the terminal holding Egyptians entering Gaza remained almost empty for most of the day, a steady stream of Gazans kept flowing the other way. Aish el-Meleit, a 55-year-old farmer, said he had come for a chance to visit an ailing aunt in Egypt; he had missed the deaths and funerals of both his parents because of the blockade [Maybe he belongs in Egypt? CiJ].

By early afternoon, six buses, each carrying about 50 travelers, had dropped their passengers on [should be "from." CiJ] the Palestinian side, the police said. Only two people had been returned from the Egyptian side, compared with nearly 40 on a typical day last week.

Arutz Sheva adds some more proof that the Egyptians are not complete fools (Hat Tip: NY Nana):

With that, Egypt prevented 23 Gaza Arabs from entering Sinai, as they were on a “no-cross” list, prevented from entering Egypt because of their connections to criminal or terrorist groups.

Two medical teams were stationed at the crossing, one to examine Gaza Arabs who claim to be seeking medical treatment in Israel, and a second to examine others to ensure they are not carrying communicable diseases.

But they did violate the peace treaty with Israel by opening the crossing.

It should be noted that the opening of the Rafiah crossing is a violation of previous Egyptian agreements with Israel. According to the agreements, Egypt is supposed to consult with Israel on the opening of the Rafiah crossing, and European Union officials are supposed to be present to ensure that no weapons or materials that could be used to build bombs and missiles are brought from Sinai into Gaza. In addition, Israeli troops are supposed to be able to observe the activity at the crossing via closed-circuit TV. None of these elements were included in the Egyptian move. Speaking to reporters, Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said that Israel “will obviously be looking to preserve security arrangements at the border and hope nothing will be done to allow Hamas to empower itself and to reinforce its terrorist infrastructures. The Israeli position has been made known to all relevant authorities, including in Egypt.”

I'd bet on that flotilla showing up next month anyway.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Egyptian apartheid wall, Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, flotilla, Gaza plenty

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:31 AM 1 comments

Davutoglu's new demand

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has issued a new demand if Israel wants to 'avoid' a new flotilla to Gaza: Accept the Hamas - Fatah reconciliation.

In televised remarks on Thursday night, Davutoğlu said Israel should also lift the blockade of Gaza. “If Israel does not want new aid convoys, it should recognize the new Palestinian administration and lift the blockade of Gaza. Then there will be no grounds for new aid convoys to Gaza,” he told private Ülke TV. “But instead of doing this Israel refuses to recognize the reconciliation deal in Palestine and insists on keeping Gaza under embargo.”

Davutoğlu's remarks came as organizers of an international flotilla prepare to send a new convoy of aid ships to Gaza in June. Last year, Israeli commandos stormed a Turkish ship in a similar flotilla, killing eight Turks and one Turkish American on May 31.

Asked how Turkey would react if a similar tragedy repeats this year, Davutoğlu said the government was assessing every possibility, including the worst-case scenario. “We hope there will be no such situation. We think Israel has enough experience not to repeat a mistake like that,” he said.

He's really out of control.

Labels: Ahmet Davutoglu, flotilla, Gaza plenty, Mavi Marmara, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:20 AM 1 comments

Erdogan's son joins IHH

How's this for a diplomatic incident in the making? Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's son has joined the IHH. I can tell you this much for sure: If he shows up on a boat trying to run the Gaza blockade, he will not be treated differently than anyone else (Hat Tip: Joshua I).

Turkish PM Erdogan’s son Necmettin Bilal Erdogan and his family participated in pro-Hamas, Islamist charity organization IHH’s “Kite Festival” organized to commemorate the anniversary of the raid on Mavi Marmara.

IHH organized the event in Istanbul as part of a program to commemorate the shahids of the ill-fated raid of the Israeli commandos on Mavi Marmara on May 31 of last year.

The kite festival was organized to be held in Istanbul and the shores of Gaza simultaneously.

More than 1500 special kites with the pictures of the ‘shahids’, Palestinian flags, and of Mavi Marmara that were prepared for the event by IHH were flown by the participants. PM Erdogan’s son flew a kite which had the picture of Mavi Marmara and the script that read, “Mavi Marmara Continues on its Voyage”.

The series of commemorative events will end on May 30 with a big march to Istanbul’s Taksim square, with the participation of many Islamist organizations under the leadership of IHH.

What could go wrong?

Labels: flotilla, Gaza plenty, IHH, Mavi Marmara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:22 PM 2 comments

Davutoglu threatens Israel AGAIN

It's still a month before the scheduled departure date, and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is once again threatening Israel not to touch his flotilla.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in a television interview, "It should be known that Turkey will give the necessary response to any repeated act of provocation by Israel on the high seas," AFP reported.

What does that mean? He wants to come here and fight and then ask NATO to protect him from a response?

Asked about his government's efforts to prevent the flotilla from taking place, Davutoglu repeated a statement he made last week, asserting that while Ankara has "never encouraged any convoy," it "cannot give instructions to civil society" not to embark on the attempt to bust Israel's blockade, according to the report.

"We have shared our views about the safety of our citizens with all related parties," he said. "That was the case last year and it is not any different this time."

In other words, they give a wink and a nod and tell their citizens to go join the IHH.

The Turkish foreign minister also addressed the recently-announced Palestinian reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, urging the West to back the deal. "If the division of the Palestinian authorities is healed, the conditions that serve Israel's justification for the blockade will be eradicated ... and there will be no need for an aid convoy," AFP reported.

I don't understand that one at all. Because Hamas and Fatah kiss and make up, we should let weapons into Hamastan? Or perhaps he thinks that we're only blockading Gaza to keep Abu Bluff happy? What a moron....

Labels: Ahmet Davutoglu, flotilla, Gaza plenty, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:55 AM 0 comments

Davutoğlu summons and 'warns' Israel's ambassador to Turkey

Israeli ambassador to Turkey Gaby Levy (pictured) has been summoned and 'warned' by someone acting on behalf of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu. The content of the warnings was not disclosed. Davutoğlu made the fact that the 'warnings' were given public (Hat Tip: Joshua I).

Levy was summoned at Davutoğlu's order and the Israeli diplomat had a meeting with Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Halit Çevik, who gave him a series of “serious warnings and messages,” Davutoğlu said in an interview broadcast on a local television channel in Konya, his hometown and electoral district. The foreign minister did not reveal what the warning were about, saying only that they concerned “recent developments.”

But the conversation, whose date was not given, appeared to be about a planned aid flotilla to Gaza. Davutoğlu denied reports that Levy had visited the Foreign Ministry to tell the Turkish officials to stop the flotilla, which is expected to sail towards Gaza in June despite an Israeli blockade of the coastal strip.

“Ambassador Levy's coming to the Foreign Ministry and issuing such a warning is out of the question. No foreign ambassador in Ankara can do that,” Davutoğlu said. “On the contrary, he was summoned to the Foreign Ministry upon my directions and given several serious warnings and messages about recent developments. Turkey's expectations concerning steps that need to be taken so as to prevent a repeat of similar events were conveyed to him,” he added.

Davutoğlu said he would not provide details about the content of the meeting but added that Gaby was given “clear messages” regarding Turkey's stance on certain issues.

Another report makes clear that the warnings related to the prospect of a repeat attempt by the Mavi Marmara to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza.

"What Turkey expected to prevent repetition of similar incidents to Mavi Marmara attack have been relayed to the ambassador," Davutoglu said while speaking at a tv program.

When recalled that participation to Israel's foundation anniversary celebrations was low and that nobody from the cabinet attended the celebrations, and asked whether this was a diplomatic boycott, Davutoglu said it was not right to describe this a diplomatic boycott.

"It is very meaningful that nobody went there although there was not a boycott decision," Davutoglu said adding that Israel should take this stance into consideration seriously.

Davutoglu said Israel should soon review its stance and should show respect to Turkish nation, "normally, we are careful about national days of the countries. If they want our friendship, criteria of this is clear. Israel should admit its crime and compensate it," he said.

When recalled the news reports that ,"a second flotilla is getting prepared to set sail a short time before the anniversary of the Mavi Marmara attack. There are demands from the United States and Israel to stop this flotilla. Israeli Ambassador in Ankara Levy came to foreign ministry and told to stop the flotilla," Davutoglu said it was out of question for Levy to come to the ministry to make such a warning. "No ambassador can come to Foreign Ministry in Ankara to make warning," he said.

"On the contrary, Deputy Undersecretary Halit Cevik recalled Israeli Ambassador upon my directives, made him serious warnings over the recent developments and gave messages," Davutoglu said.

It's time to recall Levy from Ankara. Enough is enough.

Labels: Ahmet Davutoglu, flotilla, Gaby Levy, Gaza plenty, Mavi Marmara, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:54 PM 5 comments

Israel Navy fires at Malaysian ship trying to run Gaza blockade

Two Israel Navy gunboats fired four shots at the Malaysian ship MV Finch shortly after 6:00 am on Monday (Israel time) after the Finch tried to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza. The Finch, which was claimed to be carrying PVC piping for sewers was escorted by Egyptian vessels to El Arish on the Egyptian side of the border.

The Israeli boats intercepted the Malaysian ship and ordered the captain to retreat before firing warning shots into the air, Faizal said through calls and the short-messaging service (SMS) to Bernama headquarters here a few hours after the incident.

He said the incident occurred at 6.05am local time (1.05am Malaysian time) when the ship, sponsored by Perdana Global Peace Foundation, was followed by the Israeli boats for about half hour before the four warning shots were fired into the air.

Faizal said one of the shots almost hit a crew member Mohd Jaffery Ariffin, causing the others to panic and hide for their safety.

"The Israelis asked us to stop the ship and withdraw to Egyptian waters. We managed to radio the Egyptian army for help.

"After a while, an Egyptian naval vessel came over and the Israeli boats left the scene," he said.

...

According to Faizal, after the Israeli navy fired the first shot, the ship's Captain Jalil Mansor was heard telling the Israelis through radio: "This is a violation of law against unarmed civilians".

The following exchange then took place.

Israeli army: "This is a warning shot. Turn around."

Captain Jalil Mansor: "We are unarmed civilians on a humanitarian mission to Gaza".

Israeli army: "This is a closed military zone. It's a violation. Turn around."

Captain Jalil Mansor: "We will continue (the mission)".

The Israelis then headed to the back of the aid vessel and released a second warning shot into the air.

Derek Graham: "This is a violation (of international law). We are on a peaceful mission and unarmed."

Israeli army: "Turn around. We will fire again".

Derek Graham: "You are firing towards unarmed civilians".

Israeli army: "We didn't fire towards unarmed civilians".

Derek Graham: "Looks like firing towards us".

Israeli army: "We didn't fire towards you. That is only a warning shot".

Following that conversation, the Israeli army fired two more shots and threatened: "Next time, we will land on your ship".

Then the Egyptian navy was heard telling the Israelis on the radio: "Stop firing. They are in the Egyptian waters".

Upon realising the presence of Egyptian naval forces, the Israelis departed.

According to this report from France24, the incident took place a little bit later (6:54 am) and the boat was most definitely NOT in Egyptian waters:

"The MV Finch, carrying sewage pipes to Gaza, had warning shots fired at it by Israeli forces in the Palestinian security zone this morning at 6:54 am (0354 GMT)," said Shamsul Azhar from the Perdana Global Peace Foundation.

"The vessel was in the Palestinian security zone, about 400 metres from the Gaza shoreline, when they were intercepted by Israeli naval forces," he told AFP, adding it was now anchored 30 nautical miles away in Egyptian territory.

An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed that the vessel, flying a Moldovan flag, had been intercepted as it sailed from Egypt's El-Arish port, where it had been docked for several days.

"A navy patrol boat contacted the vessel, which claimed to be heading for the Gaza shores. Once it crossed into Israeli naval territory and didn't answer calls to turn back, warning shots were fired in the air and it returned to El-Arish," she said.

I suspect that this was a test to see if Israel is really going to continue to stop 'humanitarian aid' ships trying to reach Gaza. If so, they got their answer.

Labels: flotilla, Gaza plenty, Malaysia, Mavi Marmara, MV Finch

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:25 PM 4 comments

Turkey: No shortage of volunteers for suicide mission

Let's make this clear. There is no - and I mean no - way that the IDF or the Israeli government is going to let a Mavi Marmara flotilla sail unmolested into Gaza. At the very least, the ships will be stopped, boarded and inspected - and not by a third country. And yet, the New York Times reports, there is no shortage of volunteers for what might be a quite dangerous mission.

At dawn on May 31 last year, Ms. Sonmez stood on the observation deck of the Mavi Marmara, shouting orders as Israeli helicopters hovered overhead and commandos boarded the ship. Her colleague Cevdet Kiliclar, who managed the relief foundation’s Web site, was shot and killed while taking photographs “just three or four steps away from me,” she recounted.

Now Ms. Sonmez, who is on the board of the foundation, plans to embark on the Mavi Marmara once again and will be one of 150 activists making the trip.

Within 48 hours of application forms being posted on the foundation’s Web site last week, some 2,000 people had volunteered to partake in the journey, she said.

Although Israel has warned that it will continue to enforce its Gaza blockade, the Humanitarian Relief Foundation does not expect another raid on its ship, Ms. Sonmez said.

“I don’t think Israel will make the same mistake again,” she said. “I think Israel knows that it has isolated itself.”

Not everyone agrees with her.

“If the ship sails, it will be a disaster,” said Osman Bahadir Dincer, a specialist in Middle Eastern affairs at the International Strategic Research Organization in Ankara. “In this atmosphere in the Middle East, we do not need a provocation,” Mr. Dincer said by telephone this week. “This would absolutely be a provocation.”

What could go wrong?

Labels: flotilla, Gaza plenty, Mavi Marmara, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:20 PM 1 comments

They've got to be kidding: Turkish prosecutor wants Mavi Marmara raid soldiers' names

A public prosecutor in Istanbul has asked for the names of the IDF soldiers who were involved in the raid on the Mavi Marmara last May.

In a two-page letter, the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office sent the request as part of an ongoing court case investigating the May 31 flotilla raid, the report said.

The letter demanded the names and contact details of IDF soldiers and officers who were involved in the raid. The letter also demanded that an official copy of information and documents related to the incident be sent, according to the Turkish paper.

Good luck with that. The Turks don't know when to quit.

On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of members of Congress sent a letter appealing to the Turkish government to prevent a second flotilla from sailing to Gaza this June.

“We write today to express our serious concern over reports that the so-called Free Gaza Movement and the IHH are planning to send another flotilla to Gaza in the coming weeks to provoke a confrontation with Israel,” the members wrote in the letter.

“We ask you to help discourage these efforts and work with the Israeli government in a productive way as it continues to allow legitimate aid, but not weapons, to enter Gaza.”

The letter continued by stating that “Israel, like any country in the world, must take whatever steps necessary to protect its citizens and that starts with preventing additional weapons from entering Gaza. If flotilla organizers carry out their confrontational plans, the Israelis will have little choice but to board the vessels and search for weapons.”

If they do it again, maybe Congress will recognize the Armenian genocide.

Still waiting to hear from my Turkish readers why this is considered normal behavior. Heh.

Labels: flotilla, Gaza plenty, Mavi Marmara, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:28 AM 2 comments

Where's the flotilla for Daraa?

Here's a video of what's going on in Daraa in southern Syria.

Let's go to the videotape.



And what you can't see is that the city is under siege. Unlike Gaza, Daraa really is under siege.

Residents have remained defiant: Unable to leave their homes, they have chanted "God is Great!" to each other from their windows in the evenings, infuriating security forces and raising each other's spirits.

"Our houses are close to each other, so even though we can't go outside, we stand by the windows and chant," said a Daraa resident, speaking to the Associated Press by satellite phone. "Our neighbors can hear us and they respond."

Daraa has been without water, fuel or electricity since Monday, when the regime sent in troops backed by tanks and snipers to crush protests seeking an end to President Bashar Assad's authoritarian rule.

Tanks and armored personal vehicles have cut off neighborhoods, and snipers nesting on rooftops throughout the city have kept residents pinned in their homes. Other areas of the country also have come under military control, but Daraa has faced the most serious stranglehold.

So where's the flotilla for Daraa?

Labels: Bashar al-Assad, Daraa, flotilla, Gaza plenty, IHH, Mavi Marmara, Syrian uprising

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:24 AM 1 comments