Israel (IDF) versus Gaza aid ships- updates

[CougarKing]

Another aid flotilla?

link

Israel tells UN it will stop Gaza aid flotilla

28 minutes ago


UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Israel informed the United Nations Friday that it reserves the right to use force to stop a new aid flotilla from reaching the blockaded Gaza Strip.

In a letter sent to UN chief Ban Ki-moon, Israel's UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev said the stated intention of the Bolivian-flagged all-women cargo ship Mariam "is to violate the existing naval blockade of Gaza."


She added that Israel also had information that another vessel, the Naji al-Ali, plans to leave from a Lebanese port with the aim of violating the blockade.


"Israel reserves its right under international law to use all necessary means to prevent these ships from violating the aforementioned naval blockade," Shalev warned.


She said such "confrontational actions by the organizers as well as those that offer their consent, is deeply troubling and requires the attention of the international community."


"Israel came under international censure over its May 31 seizure of a six-ship aid fleet bound for the Palestinian territory when Israeli commandos shot dead nine Turkish activists in a clash on the lead boat.


The Mariam, a Bolivian-flagged cargo ship originally named Junia Star, plans to leave from northern Lebanon for Cyprus on Sunday at 10:00 pm (1900 GMT) on the first leg of a planned voyage to Gaza, organizer Samar al-Hajj said Thursday.


The vessel, renamed in honor of the Virgin Mary, plans to carry aid to Gaza in a bid to break the four-year siege of the Strip with more than 50 Lebanese and foreign women activists on board, including local pop star May Hariri.


The Naji al-Ali, another Lebanese boat organised by journalists, has also announced it would sail to Gaza via Cyprus but has not yet received clearance from Lebanese authorities.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The Turkel Commission:  it was legal to raid the ship - this from Reuters:

An Israeli inquiry cleared the government and military on Sunday of wrongdoing in the bloody seizure of a Turkish aid ship that tried to breach the Gaza blockade, saying passengers were to blame for the violence.  The Turkel Commission, whose report will form the core of Israel's submission to a U.N. inquiry into the May 31 incident, endorsed the sea closure but urged Israeli reviews of how to focus sanctions on Gaza's Hamas rulers and spare its civilians.  "By clearly resisting capture, the Mavi Marmara had become a military objective," the commission said in a 245-page report, referring to a converted cruise ship which Israeli marines boarded on the high seas after it ignored orders to turn back ....

Link to report here - summary attached.

Meanwhile, what would a report exonerating the Israelis be without someone crying "foul", right?

.... Kevin Ovenden, of Viva Palestina, who was on the Mavi Marmara said: "The claim by Israel's Turkel Commission that Israeli forces acted legally when they killed nine people aboard the Mavi Marmara, and left another brain dead, will be laughed out of court by all but the Israeli government and its most fanatical supporters.

"This whitewash commission was set up by the Netanyahu government, the same people who commissioned the assault on the aid ship.

"It is simply unfeasible to claim that, for example, the two men shot immediately to the left and right of me, were gunned down in some act of self-defence. They were shot from above. No Israeli commando was in sight of us when the bullets rang out ....

 

[CougarKing]

Sydney Morning Herald link

Israel seeks UN help to stop new flotilla
April 2, 2011 - 10:00AM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on UN chief Ban Ki-moon to stop an international flotilla of ships seeking to break Israel's Gaza blockade, Netanyahu's office says.

The flotilla of about 15 ships with activists from 25 countries is to leave next month to mark the first anniversary of an Israeli commando raid on an aid convoy trying to get to Gaza that left nine Turkish activists dead.

Netanyahu told Ban in a telephone call that among the organisers of the new flotilla are "extremist Islamic elements whose aim is to create a provocation and bring about a conflagration," his office said in a statement.

Advertisement: Story continues below A UN statement also said Netanyahu raised concerns about the flotilla but that Ban "stressed as well that Israel should take meaningful steps to end the closure of Gaza".

"The secretary general stressed his concern at the current difficulties in the peace process. They discussed the recent violence affecting Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. The secretary general said he hoped the prime minister would act with wisdom and restraint."

The Israeli statement said Netanyahu added that all kinds of goods could now enter Gaza by land, while the territory's Hamas rulers sought to smuggle in arms by sea.

"Hamas is a terror organisation controlled by Iran and only recently part of the huge effort to arm it and smuggle arms by sea was exposed with the capture of the 'Victoria'," the statement quoted him as saying.

The Liberian-flagged Victoria was intercepted by Israeli commandos in mid-March about 200 nautical miles west of Israel's coast.

The army said about 50 tonnes of weapons were concealed in containers holding lentils and cotton.

The haul included tens of thousands of rounds of small-arms ammunition, more than 2,200 mortar bombs and six Chinese-made C704 anti-ship missiles.

The shipment also included two missile launchers and an advanced radar system to track targets and guide the missiles.

Israel said the missiles represented an escalation in attempts to arm militant groups in Gaza and accused arch-foe Iran of being behind the shipment.

Tehran denied any connection.

AFP

 

[57Chevy]

"Tehran denied any connection"  :rofl:

more info on The Victoria shipment:

Israeli commanders were acting on intelligence reports indicating that 39 of the 100 containers on deck were loaded with Iranian weapons while at port in Syria, and were to be transferred to Hamas. The Victoria was seized about 200 nautical miles from the Israeli coast, while on its way from Turkey to El-Arish port in Egypt (other sources give the destination as Alexandria, Egypt). According to the IDF, the ship picked up the cargo in the port of Latakia in Syria and sailed to Mersin, Turkey. The ship was intercepted by Israeli Navy Sa'ar 5-class corvettes and boarded, without resistance, by commandos from Israel’s elite naval unit, Shayetet 13. The IDF says the ship's crew was unaware it was carrying concealed weapons. The ship was redirected to the port of Ashdod for further inspection. After the contraband was unloaded, Israel announced it would release the Victoria and allow it to continue its journey to the Egyptian port of Alexandria.

According to the IDF’s Deputy Navy Commander Rear Admiral Rani Ben-Yehuda, the weapons may have been transported from Iran to Syria several weeks earlier, when 2 Iranian military ships sailed through the Suez Canal.

The shipment

Concealed in three containers hidden beneath cotton bags and lentils produced in Syria were the following weapon systems:
6 C-704 anti-ship missiles
230 mortar shells, caliber 120mm
2,270 mortar shells, caliber 60 mm
2 radar systems manufactured in England
2 rocket launchers
2 hydraulic mounting cranes for the radar system
66,960 7.62x39 rounds (Commonly used in the AK-47).

According to the IDF, the weapons were accompanied by user manuals in Persian. The packing slip for the 60mm mortar also included a range table for use with a model AZ111-A2 impact fuse, made exclusively by Iran. In an attempt to mislead would-be inspectors, "Made in Britain" labels were attached to all of the crates.

Victoria Affair

provided in accordance with provisions of the Copyright Act
and from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Affair

 

[CougarKing]

Another, larger flotilla?

link

Pro-Palestinian activists prepare new, larger Gaza flotilla, 1 year after deadly raid

By Christopher Torchia, The Associated Press | The Canadian Press – 11 minutes ago
ISTANBUL -
Pro-Palestinian activists said Tuesday they are in the final stages of organizing a sea convoy to the Gaza Strip, likely to be much bigger than a similar flotilla that was raided a year ago by Israeli forces, leaving nine people dead.
The campaign sets up the possibility of another showdown with Israel, which eased its land blockade of Gaza following the international furor over the raid, but is gearing up to thwart any attempt to breach its blockade off the Gaza coast.

Eight Turks and one Turkish-American died in the botched commando operation on a Turkish boat, the Mavi Marmara, that was part of the flotilla on May 31, 2010. The incident drew world attention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza and plunged ties between former allies Israel and Turkey to a new low.

Activists on the boat said they acted in self-defence in international waters during the melee, but Israel says troops opened fire after coming under assault by men with clubs and axes as they rappelled from helicopters during the nighttime raid onto the ship's deck. Seven Israeli soldiers were wounded.

Huseyin Oruc, a spokesman for IHH — an Islamic aid group that operates the Mavi Marmara — said this time an international coalition of 22 non-governmental groups hopes to send 15 vessels with up to 1,500 people. Last year, six ships and about half that number participated.
The target date for departure of the new flotilla is the first anniversary of the raid, but it could be delayed, partly because it clashes with Turkish election campaigning. Organizers say the new effort includes activists from Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Canada and the United States.

The Mavi Marmara was seized during the raid along with five other ships and docked in Israel, where it was thoroughly searched. On being returned to Turkey in August it was renovated by activists for the new flotilla. The boat has since become an icon for the IHH, which hands out small plastic models of the ship, emblazoned with the Turkish and Palestinian flags, to visitors at its headquarters.

"Everybody is getting ready," Oruc said in an interview with The Associated Press at the Istanbul office. He predicted that Israel, mindful of negative fallout from last year's raid, would not try a similar operation this year.

IHH is a Turkish acronym that means Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief, and many of its regional missions are aimed at helping Palestinian refugees. Israel has accused the group of terrorist links, though it is not on a U.S. list of terrorist organizations.

Israel has vehemently defended its land and sea blockade of Gaza, saying it prevents weapons from reaching Iran-backed Hamas militants who violently seized control of the territory in 2007. Last month, Israel intercepted a cargo ship in the Mediterranean that it said was carrying arms for Hamas.

Israeli military officials say naval forces have been busy preparing for the new flotilla for weeks. They said the navy is taking the flotilla very seriously, but plans to use different tactics this time around. They declined to elaborate, but said the goal is to stop the flotilla while avoiding casualties.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the secrecy of the operation.

Yigal Palmor, spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said a recent conference of donors to the Palestinians had called on all parties to send any humanitarian aid through land crossings.

"People coming by sea are doing it as a provocation and are looking for violent confrontation. We call on all relevant parties to display responsibility and shun violence," said Palmor, noting aid for the region is provided by the United Nations, international groups and through the Palestinian Authority.

"There is no reason to try to circumvent the existing channels," he said.

Espen Goffeng, an activist in Norway, said the target for departure of the new flotilla was "early summer," and that activists might finalize the date at a meeting in Europe in early May.

"It's not like a march up the street," he said by telephone. "We need to buy boats, we need to buy cargo, we need to move people around, we need hotel rooms, we need food."

Turkey holds parliamentary elections on June 12. IHH, which says it plans to send 100 to 150 people on the flotilla, is inclined to launch its ship after the vote for fear any controversy could disrupt the election debate. The group communicates closely with the Turkish government, but says it does not need "permission" to send its boat to Gaza.

"We can advise, we can say something, but we cannot stop" the flotilla, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald that was published Monday.

Turkey has harshly criticized Israel since the three-week war in Gaza that ended in early 2009. In an April 20 column in The New York Times, however, President Abdullah Gul alluded to Turkey's role as a facilitator of talks between Israel and Syria before the war, saying Turkey wanted to help the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

"We are therefore ready to use our full capacity to facilitate constructive negotiations," Gul wrote. "Turkey is ready to play the role it played in the past, once Israel is ready to pursue peace with its neighbours."

 

[SoldierInAYear]

Video Survival Map of Israel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfOpioIFZAU&feature=player_embedded

 

[George Wallace]

This may be interesting to track (please excuse it having being posted in ref to our "Page gets Fired" story, as it is more relevant here):


Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act.

WORLD NEWS

Canadians to sail in flotilla protesting Gaza blockade

11/06/2011 8:53:04 AM
Ian Munroe


LINK

More than 30 Canadian activists are preparing to sail for the Gaza Strip as part of a controversial international flotilla protesting Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory, a year after nine people were killed in a similar undertaking.

A group called The Canada Boat to Gaza says it's raised more than $300,000 and has purchased a ship -- dubbed the Tahrir, after the uprising in Egypt -- which is docked at an eastern Mediterranean port they will not disclose.

At least 10 such ships are planning to set sail for Gaza later this month, carrying aid supplies and around 1,500 protesters from dozens of countries, according to organizers.

Ehab Lotayef, a spokesman with the Canadian group, said that several protesters from Australia, Belgium and Denmark will also be onboard the Tahrir, along with between $30,000 and $50,000 worth of medical supplies they hope to deliver to Palestinian doctors.

"Our main objective is that Israel should not have jurisdiction over the waters of Gaza," Lotayef said from Montreal. "This is the least we can do to try peacefully to break the blockade they're living under."

When six ships carrying pro-Palestinian activists, humanitarian aid and construction supplies attempted to travel to Gaza last year they were boarded by Israeli commandos in international waters. Clashes erupted onboard one vessel, the Mavi Marmara, in which eight Turkish nationals and a Turkish-American were killed.

The incident damaged relations between Israel and Turkey and deepened international pressure on Israel to lift its naval blockade.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his government hopes to head off the new flotilla through diplomatic means, but will resort to force again if protesters disobey orders from the Israeli navy and try to reach Gaza's shore.

Border controls

At issue is an embargo that Israel imposed on Gaza after Hamas seized power in a 2007 gun battle. Hamas had unseated Fatah in elections there a year earlier, but a number of countries including Canada, the United States and members of the European Union consider Hamas a terrorist group.

Many pro-Palestinian activists say the blockade violates the rights of Gaza's 1.5 million residents. Last year, the International Committee of the Red Cross said the blockade breached international law because of its impact on civilians. Israel says it's a necessary measure, preventing Hamas from obtaining weapons with which it could attack Israeli troops or civilians.

In the wake of the Mavi Marmara raid last year Israel eased its embargo on Gaza, allowing in things like biscuits and soft drinks. Last month, Egypt also announced it was reopening its border crossing with Gaza, further loosening the embargo.

Kevin Neish, a retired marine engineer from Victoria who has been fundraising across Canada for the Tahrir, said he doesn't believe those developments go far enough toward improving living conditions in the Palestinian territory.

The protesters want the blockade lifted so that more aid can flow into Gaza and its dense population can trade freely with other countries, Neish said.

"If the people of Gaza have the blockade lifted then they won't be firing rockets at Israel," he said from Vancouver. "They'll have a normal life."

Neish, 54, was onboard the Mavi Marmara when Israeli troops boarded it in the last flotilla and he witnessed the deadly clashes that ensued. He was taken into Israeli custody and says he was subjected to "brutality" before being released a few days later.

Israel has banned Neish from visiting for a decade. But he plans to return to Gaza onboard the Mavi Marmara again this month.

The new flotilla has gained a number of high-profile supporters including three Nobel Peace Prize laureates, author Alice Walker, a former Israeli Air Force captain and a Holocaust survivor.

Diplomatic pressure

The protesters have also drawn criticism from officials in Canada and abroad. In a statement last month Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird called the flotilla "provocative" and "unhelpful."

"I strongly urge those wishing to deliver humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip to do so through established channels," Baird said, citing "Israel's legitimate security concerns."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has indicated he would like governments to discourage activists from staging flotillas bound for Gaza because they could "escalate into violent conflict."

The Canadian group is also reportedly the focus of a million-dollar lawsuit, filed by a dual Canadian-Israeli citizen in an Ontario court, which claims that it is providing material support to Hamas.

Lotayef would not comment on the lawsuit. But he said medical supplies the Tahrir will transport, such as baby aspirin and blood pressure medicine, are intended for hospitals and clinics in Gaza that aren't associated with Hamas.

Organizers will also provide non-violence training to those who will sail on the Tahrir, he said, and are seeking an independent organization to inspect the boat before it leaves port to show that it's carrying no weapons.

Emanuel Adler, an expert on Israel at the University of Toronto, said the protesters' strategy is to court international support for Gazans on humanitarian grounds, by prompting Israel to confront the flotilla.

He believes the best way for Israel to respond is by inspecting the ships for weapons and allowing them to proceed to Gaza's shore.

"If the other side wants a response, the logical thing is not to respond," Adler said from Tel Aviv.

But he's afraid that domestic pressures in Israel, including from the country's formidable military, may lead to a different outcome.

"There's always an aspect of deterrence, that if we don't stop the flotilla this time, they'll send one three times as large."

I am sure that the Israelis will handle this the same way that they have handled all previous instances of persons trying to illegally enter Gaza from the sea.

 

[CougarKing]

An update involving other Canadians in another "aid ship"  :

link

MONTREAL - A ship carrying Canadian protesters bound for Gaza was prevented from leaving a port in Greece Friday as the country announced it was banning vessels heading to the blockaded strip.

Organizers said Greek coast guards boarded the ship, known as the Tahrir, and attempted to arrest a Canadian passenger for refusing to surrender the boat's registration papers.
Ultimately no one on board was arrested but passengers were told the ship would not be allowed to leave for Gaza, organizer Ehab Lotayef said from Montreal.

Meanwhile, another vessel carrying American protesters that tried to leave from a different Greek port was escorted back to shore.

The ships are part of a flotilla of nine Greek and foreign-flagged vessels that have been planning to break Israel's sea blockade and deliver aid to the Palestinian territory.

Israel contends its sea blockade stops weapons from reaching Iran-backed Hamas militants who control Gaza, and has warned it would stop any attempt to circumvent its restrictions.

A flotilla to Gaza last year ended in bloodshed, when nine people were killed and 45 were injured after Israeli soldiers boarded a Turkish ship.

Canadian foreign affairs Minister John Baird has called this year's convoy "provocative," while the United States and Greece had previously urged activists not to proceed with the flotilla, saying it could lead to confrontation and noted that there were other means of aid delivery.

But Canadian organizers with this year's flotilla said they aren't breaking any laws and will continue attempts to sail to Gaza.

"It is the blockade of Gaza that is illegal under international law," organizer Dylan Penner, who is in Greece, said in a statement.

"We have a legal and moral obligation to challenge the blockade, given the failure of the international community to act."

Despite the difficulties Friday, organizers said the Canadian delegation remains in good spirits.

Demonstrations supporting the flotilla are being organized for Saturday outside Greek consulates in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, as well as the embassy in Ottawa.

"The protests will be continued on the streets of many countries around the world," Lotayef said.

The setback on Friday followed a week of administrative delays that organizers attributed to Israeli pressure on Greece, which is mired in an economic crisis and has grown closer to Israel as it seeks more foreign investment.

On Thursday, an Irish ship said it had to abandon plans to set sail from the Turkish town of Gocek because of what it called Israeli sabotage.

Earlier this week, activists said the propeller of a Swedish ship in a Greek port was sabotaged. Israel has not commented on the reports.

Greece's Civil Protection Ministry said coast guard authorities were ordered to take "all appropriate measures'' to implement the ban on vessels setting sail for Gaza.

It also said the "broader maritime area of the eastern Mediterranean will be continuously monitored by electronic means for tracking, where applicable, the movements of the ships allegedly participating'' in the flotilla.

— with files from The Associated Press

 

[The Bread Guy]

Canada's new official Opposition appealed directly to Israel not to harm a boatload of Canadian protesters determined to break the Gaza Strip blockade.

NDP Leader Jack Layton and foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar delivered that plea directly to Israel's ambassador to Canada, Miriam Ziv, during a meeting at the opposition leader's office in early June.

They were trying to prevent a repeat of last year's tragedy when nine activists taking part in a similar flotilla on a Turkish boat were killed in a raid by Israeli commandos.

"Obviously, when there's a loss of lives involved everyone should take heed," Dewar said in an interview Tuesday.

He and Layton urged Israel to observe "an abundance of caution and care dealing with the flotilla because it was pretty clear it was going to be happening." Dewar said Ziv listened politely. She was not available for an interview ....

Source:  The Canadian Press, 5 Jul 11

 

[The Bread Guy]

A reminder from Foreign Affairs - highlights mine:

The Government of Canada takes the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and endeavours to provide Canadian travellers the best possible advice so that they can take informed decisions.

The security situation along the coast of Gaza remains volatile. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) advises against all travel to the Gaza Strip. See full travel report.

On May 28, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird also issued a statement advising Canadians not to participate in the Gaza flotilla. The Canadian government provides consular assistance within its mandate and its ability to do so.

The border around the Gaza Strip is under the control of Israeli and Egyptian authorities. Canadians who break the laws of another country are subject to the judicial system of that country. DFAIT can neither offer protection from the consequences of such actions nor override the decisions of local authorities.

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller, and travellers are responsible for their own personal safety. It is strongly recommended that Canadians who choose to travel to the Gaza Strip register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service (ROCA) prior to leaving.

Source:  DFAIT advisory, 7 Jul 11

As Tony Baretta and others have said in the past, don't do the crime if you can't do the time....

 

[Journeyman]

He and Layton urged Israel to observe "an abundance of caution and care dealing with the flotilla because it was pretty clear it was going to be happening."

Did they make a similar appeal to those organizing the flotilla? No; I didn't think so.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

When is Layton going to finally get it into his head that he did not win the election and he is not the Prime Minister? :

 

[medicineman]

He takes his lead from Bono, who feels he can go around telling heads of state how to spend their money, so Jacko naturally believes he's got the priviledge of telling people how to defend and police their borders.

MM

 

[CougarKing]

Youtube link

CPS Gaza boat and crew were attacked with water cannons on 13 Jule 2011 at midday. The boat filled with water, as those aboard were hit in the face with powerful blasts of water.
The attack occurred at 2 miles out to sea, well within the 3-mile limit imposed by Israel.

The crew was monitoring human rights violations committed against Gazan fishermen

 

[Edward Campbell]

Youtube link

The crew was monitoring alleged human rights violations committed against Gazan fishermen

FTFY

 

[The Bread Guy]

The crew was monitoring alleged human rights violations committed against Gazan fishermen

FTFY

Ah, but for the Civil Peace Service Gaza (producer/sharer of said video), it's guilty until .... well, just guilty because they say so....

.... For the second consecutive day, the CPSGAZA human rights monitoring boat came under sustained attack by Israeli naval forces, and was threatened for the first time with lethal force.

At approximately 8:15 am, two Israeli gunboats approached the Oliva as it cruised within the three-nautical mile fishing zone unilaterally imposed and enforced by Israeli forces.

After circling it several times, they opened fire on it with water cannons, nearly filling it with water in an apparent attempt to sink it.

Two United States crew members and the Palestinian captain were rescued from the vessel, in imminent danger of capsizing, by a small fishing boat, which transported them to a nearby trawler.

One of the warships then circled the trawler for nearly an hour, firing water cannons at it and taunting its fishing crew over its loudspeaker with cries of, "Where are your fish? Show me your fish!"

The warship eventually departed, after an amplified warning that if it returned to the sea, the Israeli navy would shoot both Palestinian fishermen and international human rights observers ....

 

[The Bread Guy]

In accordance with government directives, after all diplomatic channels had been exhausted and continuous calls to the vessel had been ignored, IDF Navy soldiers boarded the Al-Karame in an effort to stop it from breaking the maritime security blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Upon expressing their unwillingness to arrive at the Ashdod port, it was unequivocally necessary to board the vessel and lead it to Ashdod.

The soldiers operated in line with procedures and took every precaution necessary while using all operational tactics determined prior to the operation, and avoid causing harm to the activists on-board while ensuring the safety of the soldiers. Following the boarding, the passengers’ health was examined and they were offered food and beverages.

Upon the arrival of the vessel at the Ashdod port, the relevant security authorities and the Israel Police will begin the process of questioning the passengers, who will then be transferred to the Ministry of Interior and the Immigration authorities ....

Source:  IDF news release, 19 Jul 11

 

[Edward Campbell]

The Globe and Mail is reporting that the UN Report on the Gaza incident has been leaked to the NY Times and that report says "Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip was legal ... The report by a panel of investigators, which was due to be released on Friday but was leaked in full to the Times, also said that Israeli commandos faced “organized and violent resistance from a group of passengers.”"

 

[Edward Campbell]

And Turkey has rattled a (diplomatic) sabre by expelling the Israeli ambassador.

The report which, according to the article, called for a restoration of "... full diplomatic relations, repairing their relationship in the interests of stability in the Middle East and international peace and security ...” must come as a major disappointment to Turkey which is trying to burnish its image with both the EU and the Arabs and West Asians at the same time; joining the anti-Israel camp is good politics even if it is bad policy. I also think it is fruitless policy: Europe is not going to accept the Turks as Europeans and the Arabs are not going to accept them as anything else.

 

[The Bread Guy]

As for the latest Canadians who tried (and failed) to get through, they're upset Canada's not paying for their deportation flights out of Israel  :'(

With several Canadians still languishing in an Israeli prison, organizers of the Canadian Boat to Gaza are demanding Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird step down for failing to do his job.

"Our friends have been assaulted, tasered, beaten, kidnapped, robbed, and imprisoned and we have now learned that the Department Foreign Affairs is telling them they have to pay for their deportation flight," says Wendy Goldsmith, an organizer with the Canadian Boat to Gaza.

"If Minister Baird wants to put the interests of a far-right Israeli government before Canadians, he should apply for the job of Israel's ambassador," adds Goldsmith. "Otherwise he should demand the immediate release of the Canadian political prisoners in Israel and an immediate end to Israel's illegal blockade of Gaza. Unfortunately, when it comes to Israel, Baird is soft on crime."

The Canadian Boat to Gaza organizers say the minister has failed to seek the immediate release of the Canadians and internationals who have been political prisoners of Israel since Friday. Instead, they say, the minister has been spreading misinformation in an attempt to justify Israel's illegal actions.

"Canadians are still imprisoned by Israel because they refuse to sign documents that falsely claim they entered Israel 'voluntarily' and 'illegally'," says Dylan Penner, an organizer with the Canadian Boat to Gaza.

"The fact is they were kidnapped and taken there against their will," says Penner. "But Minister Baird is trying to create the impression that international waters are Israeli waters. He should really look at a map and stop misleading Canadians about international law."

Two tweets from the Department of Foreign Affairs last week advised Canadians to "avoid all travel" to "regions of #Israel surrounding the #Gaza Strip." However, there are no Israeli waters "surrounding" Gaza. There are Gaza's coastal waters beyond which are international waters. The Israeli Navy captured the boat in international waters (approximately 50 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza), not Israeli waters. This is a violation of international law ....

rabble.ca, 8 Nov 11