Freedom Flotilla attacked by Israeli Navy, deaths reported
The Free Gaza Movement’s Freedom Flotilla was attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters late last night. There are varying reports on the tragic aftermath. The New York Times is reporting (by way of the Israeli Trade Minister) between 14 and 16 killed, as well as 30 more injured. Free Gaza, however, just released a statement saying two were killed and 31 injured. Here is how they described the horrifying action:
Under darkness of night, Israeli commandoes dropped from a helicopter onto the Turkish passenger ship, Mavi Marmara, and began to shoot the moment their feet hit the deck. They fired directly into the crowd of civilians asleep… Streaming video shows the Israeli soldiers shooting at civilians, and our last SPOT beacon said, “HELP, we are being contacted by the Israelis.”
We know nothing about the other five boats. Israel says they are taking over the boats.
It’s clearly too soon to predict anything, but a moment has most certainly been created. Israel has exposed its willingness to break international law and fire upon unarmed civilians in a much more dramatic and potentially costly fashion than perhaps ever before. It’s not just Palestinians this time, but a group far more difficult to sweep under the carpet: international activists, the likes of which include a Nobel Laureate and an 85 year old Holocaust survivor. Already, the story is the lead on most mainstream media websites.
Meanwhile, Israel is trying to justify its use of deadly force, saying its soldiers saw weapons on board the ship. But according to Free Gaza, there is video evidence that shows otherwise. Israel knows that if the truth sticks, the Palestinian rights movement will receive a strong shot in the arm. Already, protests have begun in Turkey, where, according to Al Jazeera:
Thousands of Turkish protesters tried to storm the Israeli consulate in Istanbul soon after the news of the operation broke. The protesters shouted “Damn Israel” as police blocked them.
Turkey is also reported to have summoned the Israeli ambassador to lodge a protest.
“(The interception on the convoy) is unacceptable … Israel will have to endure the consequences of this behaviour,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement.
As this moment unfolds, it is important that the memory of the nonviolent activists killed yesterday be honored with a commitment to nonviolence by all Palestinian rights activists. It is the only way any good will come from this tragedy.
[...] Multiple sources are reporting that Israeli commandos have attacked and killed several members of The Free Gaza Movement on board a ship in international waters. This ship was part of a “Freedom Flotilla” bringing aid and reconstruction supplies to Gaza. This was the 9th such mission by FGM, five of the previous missions were successful, but the last three had been violently blocked by the Israeli Navy. This is the first such mission involving fatalities. At no point in their journey do the Freedom Flotilla’s ships enter Israeli territorial waters, making the attack a blatant violation of international waters. Israel claims to have spotted weapons on board, a fact FGM claims to have video disputing. According to FGM sources Israeli commandoes dropped onto the ship by helicopter and proceeded to fire into a group of unarmed civilians sleeping on the deck. [...]
“Violation of international waters” Ouch…I’m having a hard time picturing water being violated. I guess, no means no, even when talking about water.
“According to FGM sources…unarmed sleeping on the deck”
Really? The unarmed sleeping civilians must be violent sleep walkers.
Bottom line, FGM got people killed because they were stupid.
[...] than a day has passed since the Israeli navy attacked an international Gaza Freedom Movement “Freedom Flotilla,” intent on breaking Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, in international waters. The [...]
[...] “Freedom Flotilla” or a provocateurs’ pontoon? Peaceful organizers or anti-Semitic bigots? Yes on all [...]
[...] rain, around 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Midtown Manhattan on Tuesday to march in protest of Israel’s May 31st attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Only 5 days prior, many of these same activists gathered on this same city block in a [...]
[...] to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip earlier this week were anything but nonviolent as Israeli soldiers descended from helicopters above. The facts of the incident remain very much in question, to be sure, and they will continue to be [...]
[...] days after the violent takeover of the Freedom Flotilla, another Free Gaza boat, the MV Rachel Corrie, has been captured by the Israeli military in [...]
[...] than 36 hours have passed since tThe Israeli navy attacked an international Gaza Freedom Movement “Freedom Flotilla” intent on breaking [...]