The key issue is why on earth would a humanitarian mission put its people into such dangerous situation as to confront with a national army?
Well, it wasn’t a humanitarian mission, in spite of the medical, aid stock. There was just a PR calculation: if Israel let them through, it is defeated and further uncontrolled instrusions in Gaza should be possible. On the contrary, if Israel arrests the vessels and –as it has been the case– opens fire, the “international community” will protest and Israel will have, once more, the bad guy’s role.
I’m not going to try to keep up with the breaking events, as world governments and publics scramble to figure out how to react. Instead, I’ll just say that the bottom line for Washington is that the U.S. can not ignore this or try to hope that it will pass quickly so that it can resume business as usual. It is rapidly spiraling into one of the most intensely galvanizing issues in the Arab media — and around the world — since the Israeli war on Gaza itself.
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It is difficult to fathom how the Israeli government could have thought that this was a good way to respond to a long-developing public relations challenge, but its actions will certainly fuel its evolving international legitimacy crisis.
He is right. This was a bad day for Israel and it hard to imagine that Israel acted deliberately (as an aggressor).
Alas, many media consumers do not question media and so they will have to invent a motive for Israel. I wonder what the plan of the infamous lobby might be this time?
This last comment went into the wrong thread. I’ll add another one because I don’t know where to put it:
Swedish author Henning Mankell has canceled his tour through Europe. He is one of the Free Gaza passengers. This very evening (Monday) he should have been in Zurich, tomorrow in Konstanz, the next days in Berlin, Düsseldorf and Braunschweig.
UPDATE on the moral chasm: David Brog, “A Tale of Two Hearts“ Recently an Israeli blogger translated a piece by a young Israeli journalist who participated Read More »
Yesterday was Nakbah Day, and my email box is full of material from various pro-Palestinian groups about the tragedy, literally “the catastrophe,” that befell the Arabs Read More »
In discussions of the al Durah trial in Paris, the subject of the politicization of the judiciary in France has come up often. It’s kind of Read More »
The New Yorker has a great cartoon that is at once funny, sad, true (especially to people like medievalists who study pre-modern cultures), and paralyzingly foolish. Read More »
fizziks: This is a great piece and should be required readi
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Irene Kelly: The Palestinians celebrate Nakbah Day on the wrong
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cba: I think this article by Eve Garrard is very much t
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Peaceful indeed.
The key issue is why on earth would a humanitarian mission put its people into such dangerous situation as to confront with a national army?
Well, it wasn’t a humanitarian mission, in spite of the medical, aid stock. There was just a PR calculation: if Israel let them through, it is defeated and further uncontrolled instrusions in Gaza should be possible. On the contrary, if Israel arrests the vessels and –as it has been the case– opens fire, the “international community” will protest and Israel will have, once more, the bad guy’s role.
Another attack on IDF soldiers:
http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2010/05/video-of-peace-activists-stabbing-idf.html
http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2010/05/if-idf-intended-to-kill-protesters.html
A Pro-Arab-Propagandist says:
http://lynch.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/05/31/a_gazan_memorial_day
He is right. This was a bad day for Israel and it hard to imagine that Israel acted deliberately (as an aggressor).
Alas, many media consumers do not question media and so they will have to invent a motive for Israel. I wonder what the plan of the infamous lobby might be this time?
This last comment went into the wrong thread. I’ll add another one because I don’t know where to put it:
Swedish author Henning Mankell has canceled his tour through Europe. He is one of the Free Gaza passengers. This very evening (Monday) he should have been in Zurich, tomorrow in Konstanz, the next days in Berlin, Düsseldorf and Braunschweig.
http://www.achgut.com/dadgdx/index.php/dadgd/article/kollateralschaden/
Did he really believe he would make it to Zurich so quickly or did he intent to sue Israel?