But Who Takes Notice?
The military commission which Israel created in the wake of the storm of condemnatory world opinion after the deadly raid on a Turkish-led flotilla of 'humanitarian aid' headed for Gaza, determined to break the Israeli blockade of the Strip has published its initial conclusion. The international community will shake its head and mutter 'predictable'. Those who have faith in the veracity and honour of the State of Israel will accept it mutely, for what else is there to say?The popular international press continues to name those nine Turkish men who were killed in the melee that followed their violent attack on the rappelling IDF commandos as innocent 'protesters'. Preferring to use that delicate kind of inoffensive language. Inoffensive to those whose wrath they prefer to avoid by naming them the thugs that they really were, intent on brutalizing the commandos before they could commandeer the ship and steer it to port.
And brutalize them they most certainly did, surrounding and viciously attacking each of the IDF commandos as soon as they reached the end of the tether attached to their hovering helicopter, beating them with metal cudgels, throwing one from the top deck of the ship to the bottom deck, wounding and taking three as prisoners. In the process also managing to take possession of the commandos' arms, and shooting several commandos.
When the following IDF commandos to ascend understood what was occurring, they took possession of the situation and in a strenuous effort both to protect themselves and to secure the lives of their wounded comrades, they used lethal force. Resulting in the deaths of nine Turkish 'activists'. All the other activists on board the Mavi Marmara swore that fellow travellers innocent of wrong-doing had been slaughtered by Israel.
The vociferous reaction of the watching world, and the outraged howls of Ankara demanding abject apology and cash reparations lest an already severed relationship be completely sundered, made headlines for weeks. And continues to sizzle. That Israel defended itself and was able to air videos depicting what had really occurred made no impression whatever; the story was set in stone and the IDF cast as inhumane transgressors.
Major-General Giora Eiland who headed the commission of enquiry and brought his conclusion to the public ahead of another independent Turkel Commission, concluded that errors in judgement owing to inadequate intelligence on the background and intent of the IHH terrorist 'activists' aboard the ship, mingling with the other activists was responsible for
the unfortunate turn that events took.
That the planned takeover of the vessel to guide it away from its intended destination at Gaza, and bring it to an Israeli port where the humanitarian supplies could be vetted for the possibility of containing weapons for Hamas, would result in the IDF commandos landing into a violent trap. The irony is that Israel was defending its right to defend itself, and that regardless of the fact that its soldiers were viciously assaulted, it is held responsible for the outcome of the mission.
The mission to bring the Mavi Marmara and the other ships in the flotilla to the Gaza coastline, bypassing inspection at an Israeli port in defiance of Israel's blockade of the Strip was not successful. But its much larger mission, to embarrass and have incendiary blame cast on the State of Israel, did succeed, spectacularly. Against any and all vestiges of intelligent discrimination, taking into account the events as they unfolded and the underlying intentions.
While even Germany now has made an official statement that in its opinion the Turkish Relief Foundation (IHH) 'charity' is a front for a terrorist group whose tentacles reach far indeed. As far as New York City where its partner in funding the "free Gaza" flotilla, the Malaysian-based Perdana Global Peace Organization, is also a major funding partner for the $100-M 13-story mosque planned near Ground Zero, site of the 9/11 attack in New York. This is lost to those who cling to their belief in Israel's mendacity as an oppressor.
"To my relief, the investigation found no negligence or failures on any significant matters", retired general Giora Eiland stated. His report had praise for the commandos, insisting that live fire under the violently onerous situation that they faced was "justified".
Labels: Israel, Political Realities, Terrorism
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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