Posted on 05/31/2010 5:54:00 AM PDT by markomalley
Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - Israeli police and security forces have raised a state of alert across the country after the attack on a group of ships off the coast of Gaza, leading to at least 19 dead and dozens injured (see Israel attacks ships carrying aid to Gaza. At least 10 dead). An Israeli policeman tells AsiaNews that "We are on the brink of war or a new Intifada." Here and there in Israel, particularly in Nazareth, there are demonstrations against the attack on the ships carrying humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, forcing the Israeli blockade on the Strip. Arab organizations have declared a general strike. Security forces have decided to close the Gaza crossings, some roads that communicate with the West Bank and the Temple Mount mosques. The seized vessels (all six) were conducted in the port of Ashdod. There are fears about the fate of a Palestinian leaders from northern Israel, Raed Salah, who was on the attacked ships. At first the news spread that he had been killed in the raid. Palestinian sources now say that he is seriously hurt. Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority has declared three days of mourning throughout the West Bank and called the Israeli operation a "massacre". Israel is also battling the media. MPs and ministers continue to assert that the activists were not at all "peaceful" but waited for the arrival of soldiers carrying weapons (long knives, bats, other instruments of offense). At least six soldiers were wounded, one of whom seriously.
For Israel, ships and humanitarian aid were "a provocation". The deputy foreign minister, Daniel Ayalon said that before attacking, the Israeli military command ordered the ships to stop several times and agree to land the aid under Israeli control. He also said that the activists on the ship are linked to Hamas and other terrorist organizations. According to some Israeli analysts, the incident of the Gaza flotilla is likely to further exacerbate the relationship between Palestinians and Israelis, on the brink of a new, third intifada. An Israeli policeman, speaking to AsiaNews, confirmed the risk of a third intifada, but also added: "We are on the brink of war. There is a fear that Hezbollah front in Lebanon could be sparked again and that anti-Israel demonstrations spread throughout the world. " Currently there are demonstrations in Turkey, especially Istanbul. The Foreign Ministry urged all Israelis leaving for Turkey to cancel their departure and said he will hold the Ankara government responsible for anything that could happen to Israelis on soil Turkish. Today Ankara has recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv. |
You overlook the most important criteria for the operation.
That is, to take possession of the vessels, the cargo and passengers and bring all to the desired port under absolute control and in accord with precedent and established procedure.
Mere stopping the vessels was not the objective
It will be spun against Israel in any case. Of course.
But ships disabled and adrift lack the sturm und drang of a botched commando assault into the teeth of children-shields and international film crews.
What film would we see instead? Boring films of propellers fouled with wires and lines. It would actually be funny, and even Israel haters would tip their hats at the cleverness of the solution.
No commandoes, no babies, no screaming.
That objective was stupid, with a 99% chance of turning into a PR catastrophe.
If the mission is to arrange a virgin birth in a blizzard on a skateboard, the mission is STUPID.
Gallipoli was also a mission. It was also a STUPID mission.
Well, THIS Freeper is a bit nervous since one of my kids is over there now...she comes home next week. She was in Hebron a few days ago (Arab territory) and they took the group there in a bullet-proof bus. They would not go there now...
IDF went in in darkness and surprised the ships by boarding outside Israeli territorial waters. They went for all film and video crews but a Turkish crew evaded them and sent out the footage
The PR ripple would have been much lower the way you say to do it. But perhaps Israel wanted this to be public and in your face. Right now the US is really backstabbing Israel by trying to force them into a UN nuclear inspection regime. Where the UN gets to proclaim that since Israel won’t open up for inspection then Iran is perfectly justified in seeking nuclear weapons. Not that Israel has ever admitted having nukes nor has it ever joined the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty which Iran has joined.
Israel just might be getting ready to do anything and welcome anything.
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India, Israel and Pakistan
Three states—India, Israel, and Pakistan—have declined to sign the Nuclear Non Proliferation treaty. India and Pakistan are confirmed nuclear powers, and Israel has a long-standing policy of deliberate ambiguity (see List of countries with nuclear weapons). These countries argue that the NPT creates a club of “nuclear haves” and a larger group of “nuclear have-nots” by restricting the legal possession of nuclear weapons to those states that tested them before 1967, but the treaty never explains on what ethical grounds such a distinction is valid.
I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the IDF and Cabinet operational meetings now.
I’m sure there was a faction that had pushed for covert technical means, who are now yelling “We told you so!” at the “go commando” faction.
Just SINK them!
I have it! Torpedo the ships, using stolen North Korean torpedos! LOL. Frame the jerk NORKS!
I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the IDF and Cabinet operational meetings now.
I’m sure there was a faction that had pushed for covert technical means, who are now yelling “We told you so!” at the “go commando” faction.>>>>>>>>>>>>
Israel learns from it’s mistakes. Like I said.....they may have wanted a noticeable response here and not a clever stealth response. Now the ball is in the Muslims court. Lets see what they do besides get more UN condemnations.
Pro-Israeli sentiment aside, this was a major boneheaded move by the IDF.
How about they first do a blockade, then send a representative to the ship to meet with the captain and discuss boarding to do a general search. You play it out long enough so the international press can see there’s no “aggression” by Israel. If it checks out, it checks out and they go on their way. If there’s contraband, you go back to the IDF ship, keep the blockade and release a statement to the press on your findings and why you won’t let the flotilla proceed.
Killing “aid workers”, whether they were or not, is perceptively one of the worst things a military can do. It doesn’t matter what the truth is at this point, because the media will not let the truth surface.
Israeli Navy Addresses a Ship in the Flotilla and Offers it to Dock in the Ashdod Port
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKOmLP4yHb4
Demonstrators Use Violence Against Israeli Navy Soldiers Attempting to Board Ship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU12KW-XyZE
Israel should send aid to the Kurds and see what Turkey thinks.
Yes, they will learn from this.
They’d go to the PA region and dummy some pics of hungry, dirty children in dire need of medical attention. Then they would show pictures of the ships adrift. And then they show pictures of the Israelis eating the flesh of Muslims.
I’m not arguing with you. I’m just saying, they are damned if they do and dead if they don’t. And Israel’s enemies, like ours, will use every situation to demonize us and elevate our enemies.
Essentially, Israel has to give up being liked, just like America needs to, and has to do what they need to do.
This was not meant to be a “raid” on this ship. It was designed to be a peaceful boarding and Israel was NOT using lethal force. They were in the midst of boarding when the “peaceful protestors” attacked them with sharpened metal rods, long knives, heavy pipes, and bats. An Israeli soldier was stabbed critically in the stomach and the PROTESTORS fired shots before the order for the IDF to fire was given.
They wanted the ships in tact for inspection. There would have been no “attack” if they had not been forced to defend themselves.
That is why you are only seeing a scant few seconds of a video clip because if they show it all, it is clear who started this fight.
Shoulda coulda would. Not "meant" to be. Wahhh.
Do you realize how naive all that sounds? We live in the REAL world, not the "meant to be" world. We must deal with REALITY, not what it was "meant to be."
Exactly!
They always show pics of dirty hungry children. The world is used to those images, they have little or no impact. Ships adrift have no “zing” as PR images. They just make the organizers of the trip look like unprepared fools.
Most important thing to remember is this, the enemies of Israel are using the MSM sympathy strategy to paint a false image of Israel as wanton mad dog out of control killing machines upon defenseless aid givers.
Give me a friggin break.
Go Israel, its your right of survival.You have every right to defend your country.
Something a lot of Americans need to remember.
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