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Inside the Middle East
July 12, 2010
Posted: 1324 GMT

By the CNN Wire Staff

Jerusalem (CNN) - An aid ship trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza still plans to aim for the Palestinian territory, its organizer told CNN on Sunday, despite Israel's foreign ministry saying it would likely dock elsewhere.

Workers
Workers

But the activists on the boat will not resist if they are confronted by the Israeli military, said Youssef Sawani, the executive director of the Gadhafi Foundation, which is sending the boat.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the ship "an unnecessary provocation."

The ship, launched by a charity headed by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's son, set sail from Greece on Saturday carrying 2,000 tons of aid.

It should take 70 to 80 hours – about three to three-and-a-half days – to reach Gaza, Sawani said.

The Gadhafi Foundation refers to the ship as the Hope, although it appears to be registered formally as the MV Amalthea. It is Moldovan flagged and run by ACA Shipping, based in Greece.

"This is purely a humanitarian effort," he said, adding "The Israelis should seize this opportunity and allow the goods into Gaza."

Aside from the ship's crew, Sawani says nine others are on board: Six Libyans, one Moroccan and one person from Niger, all of whom work with the Gadhafi Foundation, plus a journalist from Al Jazeera, Sawani added.

Israel insists on controlling the entry of all goods into Gaza, which is run by the militant movement Hamas, because it says it must keep weapons out of the hands of people determined to attack it.

Barak said Israel would not allow the aid ship to dock in Gaza, but said it could unload goods elsewhere and Israel would allow them to enter the Palestinian territory by land after Israel inspects them.

"Goods can be transferred into Gaza through the port of Ashdod after they are inspected, but we will not allow the transfer of weapons or ammunition into Gaza," he said. "We recommend to the organizers of the flotilla to allow navy vessels to escort it to the port of Ashdod or sail directly to el-Arish" in Egypt.

Israeli commandos boarded a Turkish aid ship in May, resulting in violence between the troops and the activists on the ship that left nine Turks dead. The raid prompted international condemnation and threatened Israeli-Turkish relations.

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen and Guy Azriel and journalist Elinda Labropoulou contributed to this report.

Filed under: Gaza •Israel •Libya


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Smith in Oregon   July 12th, 2010 9:16 pm ET

Only two men on the Turkish Flagged Cargo ship filled with passengers pulled up wooden deck stave's and swung those on the advancing squad of Israeli Assault commandos. One passenger picked up a wooden deck chair and tried to separate himself from the heavily armed and armored Israeli Assault commando's.

The two that picked up the deck stave's did so only after the snipers in the Israeli assault helicopter circling over head shot one of their friends thru the Top of his head. After seeing someone brutally murdered, two choose to pick up wooden deck stave's. Despite numerous Israeli lies of knives being present, none were found and of course photos of 'knives' would have been immediately shown by the IDF around the world.

The photo's of the cargo ships wooden deck stave's were removed by the IDF and the only thing widely shown was a crude hand made sling shot.

The Israeli Assault commando's wore full Kevlar body armor, armed with a M4 machine gun, slung with a M204 grenade launcher underneath it. Standard issue for a assault team going in heavy. Given the Kevlar body armor alone, nothing short of a heavy caliber rifle would pose any risk of life to any of the Israeli commandos. Wooden stave's would be next to worthless on the assault helmets or armored suits.

The Forensic teams in Turkey found 7 of the 9 murdered by a single shot to the back of the head, execution style. One was shot 4 times in the head in various angles again in point blank range. The other apparently was the one sniped from above by utter cowards before the assault team even rappelled onto the Turkish vessel. One American citizen had been shot in the face at near point blank range by a GERNADE LAUNCHER fired by a Israeli Assault commando. Of course that young man immediately had one of his eye's blown out but survived. NOT one of the Israeli Assault team offered any medical assistance nor any medical supplys on the civilians that were shot, just let them bleed out and flop around in pain and suffering.

Forget the Israeli lies, a unarmed passenger was shot thru the top of his head by a cowardly Israeli sniper in a helicopter overhead BEFORE any of the Israeli Assault commando's even stepped foot on the Turkish cargo ship.

NATO and the International Community should demand that Israel release their stolen Turkish cargo ship so it can be examined for evidence of gunfire from the Israeli helicopters flying over that ship.

I suggest the Greek NATO flagged cargo ship addressed in this blog article travel thru International Waters into Egypt's territorial waters and unloads their food and medical supplys in a Egyptian port for moving those supplies to Gaza. IF Israel again commit's the international crime of piracy on a NATO flagged ship in International Waters or in Egypt's territorial waters then NATO and the International Community should immediately deal with Israel's criminal actions.

Sharon   July 12th, 2010 10:33 pm ET

Flotilla attack seriously flawed: probe

Quote: “The findings, to be formally published on Monday, said the clashes occurred partly because the navy had failed to deploy enough forces on the Turkish-flagged ship Mavi Marmara.
They also charged the military with poor coordination with intelligence agencies in preparing for the raid, and using faulty information.”

Note: Not one mention of the illegal nature of the raid in international waters on unarmed civilians.

This is how they whitewash.
They willingly concede errors which are harmless and have no consequences, whilst ommiting the true mistakes and hatred in their actions.
One has to stand in awe when confronted by their pitiful attempts to divert attention. They have no shame.
I wish this kind would just disappear from our planet.

Maik   July 13th, 2010 6:27 pm ET

I wish the Turks would grow some and escort those aid ships into Gaza. I think Isreal would think twice about attacking a ship escorted by Turkish Navy. I am SICK of Isreal thinking they can bully and imprision other nations.

Shame on Isreal!

Captain America   July 13th, 2010 6:35 pm ET

Our leaders choose to remain silent on why our complicity with Israel puts us in danger from terrorist groups around the world, but plain and simple, that’s what is causing the attacks on our interests. G.W. Bush tried to put a different face on it by saying that “they” hated our freedoms. We deserve better by our presidents.

It does not appear that any of our leaders, from President Obama on down to state legislators, care to rally solve our terrorism problem. (Last year, the South Dakota legislature enacted a resolution approving the 1998 Israeli slaughter in the Gaza Strip).

Iran has offered to join a nuclear weapons free Middle East, but it does not appear that our President cares to take them up on that offer. Obama would, it appears, need permission from Israel’s right wing government to do so. After witnessing his most recent surrender to Netanyahu and his policies, it’s not likely that he ever will join. For now, it is sufficient that a nuclear country like the United States can lecture other, smaller countries on who can and who can’t have a nuclear weapon.

Are we asking too much that all nations foreswear possession of nuclear weapons, and not just those who are smaller than us?

Does anyone beside a few people in the United States see the danger to our country in being led around by the nose by the Israeli government?

Smith in Oregon   July 13th, 2010 6:53 pm ET

ON JUNE 8, 1967, while patrolling in international waters in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, USS Liberty (AGTR-5) was savagely attacked without warning or justification by air and naval forces of the state of Israel. Of a crew of 294 officers and men (including three civilians), the ship suffered thirty four (34) killed in action and one hundred seventy three (173) wounded in action. The ship itself, a Forty Million ($40,000,000) Dollar state of the art signals intelligence (SIGINT) platform, was so badly damaged that it never sailed on an operational mission again and was sold in 1970 for $101,666.66 as scrap.

The Israeli attack on that US Naval vessel included:

The jamming of the US Naval radios on both US Navy tactical and international maritime distress frequencies;

The use of unmarked aircraft by the Israeli forces attacking the USS Liberty;

The deliberate machine gunning of the life rafts by the Israeli sailors the US Naval sailors had dropped over the side in anticipation of abandoning ship.

The recall of two flights of rescue aircraft that had been launched from US Naval Sixth Fleet aircraft carriers. After those flights were recalled, Sixth Fleet personnel listened to the USS Liberty's calls for help as the Israeli attack upon them continued knowing they were forbidden to come to their assistance.

Smith in Oregon   July 14th, 2010 2:03 am ET

Reports from the stricken cargo ship headed to Egypt with Food and Medicine supply's for the impoverished Gaza people, indicate the Israeli Military is now actively jamming the ships radio and distress channels.

Sounds like the same attack strategy the Israeli forces used since the 1970's Israeli attack on the USS Liberty communications vessel murdering dozens of American sailors and machine gunning the rescue boats the US Navy had deployed to abandon the crippled vessel.

Israel's jamming the standard and distress channels on a cargo ship is a act of war, nothing peaceful about that.

Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs   July 14th, 2010 7:15 am ET

Do you want to know what international law really says about blockades? Listen to an international law expert clarify where international law stands regarding Israel and its blockade of Gaza.

-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs

miriam   July 14th, 2010 11:55 am ET

Sharon,

A report cannot be accurately reported from until it has been officially released.

On Monday, the report was officially released and it is clear that you do not understand the purpose or the mandates of such committees.

If the committee had been mandated to report on the legality of the interception of the boats in international waters, it would have been found to be entirely legal.

However, the committee was not mandated to over-step its purpose.

What the committee did find was that the armed activists on the boat fired the first shot, at the second commando to land on the ship, evidenced by the bullet dislodged from his knee.

It can also be concluded from the report that there was a lack of intelligence due to the misplaced trust given to those who deceitfully fooled the world into believing that there were only innocent, peaceful, humanitarian aid workers on board, despite the fact that they were intent on illegally breaking a legal blockade, and infiltrated by shahids.

The pitiful are those who spread baseless hate about a people who they state that they wish to see removed from the planet.

miriam   July 14th, 2010 12:06 pm ET

Smith,

How far will you go with your conspiricies and lies?.

It is well known that the USS Liberty tragedy was a case of friendly fire, and only used by conspiracists with an anti-Israel agenda.

Israel has not jammed radio contact with the MOLDOVIAN-flagged Amalthea, with communications well publicized in Spanish, English and Arabic.

As for your creative piece about the Marmara, your stories are better posted on a fiction and fantasy web-site rather than that of a news channel.

proud zionist   July 14th, 2010 12:30 pm ET

I demand an international investigation on Turkey's illegal occupation of Northern Cyprus, on Turkey's murderous incursions into Iraq to kill innocent Kurdish civilians!!

Smith and Captain America, I am sure that you will join me in my moral call for an end to Turkish war crimes, murder and occupation!!!!

Peter   July 14th, 2010 3:01 pm ET

Ancient Israel was founded by God. This Zionist state Israel was founded by man using modern weapons, fear and ethnic cleansing. Please DO NOT confuse the two.

Look up the Nakba. Look up Deir Yassin. This was a grave crime. Jews have lived peacefully in Palestine for a very long time. Only the Zionists lately have caused all of these horrible wars. So they should be condemned. Jews should not be lumped with Zionists!

Robert   July 14th, 2010 3:04 pm ET

An anti-semite isn’t someone who hates Jews an anti-semite is someone who Jews hate. There are no two sides to this issue. Hamas is an excuse, an insignificant band of bandits that Israel knew would come into existence, both Hamas in Palestine and Hezbolah in Lebanon – it is the foreseeable consequence of annexing land, bombing industry, blocking humanitarian aid and murdering people. Jews stole the land. The owners want it back. That is all anyone needs to know about Israel. That is all there is to know about Israel.

miriam   July 15th, 2010 11:38 am ET

Peter,

Presuming that what you refer to as Palestine is the Holy Land, perhaps you are unaware of the experiences of the Jews there at the hands of invading nation after nation, none of whom exist anymore apart from the British and the modern day Arabs.

It was very 'peaceful' when they were attacked, exiled, massacred, attacked, exiled, massacred, attacked, exiled, massacred.....
What's a better way for peace than getting rid of the Jews?

Of course it is so easy to ignore and misrepresent the facts and history of the Jews and the modern-day Arab attacks dating back more than 150 years and to blame everything on the Jews.

Incidentally, the connection of Jews to the land and the prayer to return to Zion is older than modern Zionism and any Jew who understands his religion will not deny that Zionism and Judaism are inseparable.

miriam   July 15th, 2010 11:50 am ET

Robert,

Not only can you revise history and invent 'facts', but now you can redefine words and ideology.

Take a break and conserve your energy. Turning the world up-side down is going to be harder than you think.

proud zionist   July 15th, 2010 12:36 pm ET

Robert

you ARE an anti-semite

period

proud zionist   July 15th, 2010 12:38 pm ET

Peter

"Jews have lived peacefully in Palestine for a very long time"

Yeah, right, especially during the Arab progroms in 1929 etc.

But why let some little progroms confuse your theories of peaceful coexistence, right Peter?

John A   July 15th, 2010 6:26 pm ET

Proud Zionist, wasn't 1929 when ship loads of fake Jews flooded into Palestine, set up terrorist organizations and bombed Palestinians in an attempt to drive them out. Zionist it seems like you forgot who started the killing again.

Proud Zionist, do you hate Judaism so much that you will taint that religion with all of the acts of murderous Zionists?

Smith in Oregon   July 16th, 2010 7:01 am ET

Ole Mitt Romney is now the number one Republican presidential fund raising candidate and today in a utterly shameful unabashed display loudly and widely touted his administration would greatly increase the number of nuclear weapons and green light the design of a great number of new designed nuclear weapons.

The utterly depraved and corrupt Republican administration of Bush-Cheney repeatedly tried the same legislation but were repeatedly stopped by the Democratic members in Congress from designing new nuclear weapons whom members of congress were rightly concerned would have been used immediately (then) on Iran's deep mountain military complexes.

Extreme ultra-right war hawks like Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is very likely just biding his time and not actively pursuing peace treaty's with the Palestine people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip until a hawkish war beating Republican American president is once again in office.

With Mitt Romney signaling he is a big friend of the vast military complex, American's at home should realize every dollar spent to the enormous Pentagon Budget subtracts that same taxpayer dollar from being spent on States, Citys, College Educations, Harbors, Levees, Dams, Schools, America's InterState Highways, America's energy needs, America's domestic needs and support.

US Military troops are not nation builders and American taxpayers can no longer afford Oil Wars to Nowhere.

America's Sons and Daughters cannot afford the personal sacrifices which a Mitt Romney would demand from them in fighting his endless planned foreign meaningless wars.

John A   July 16th, 2010 7:56 am ET

Miriam you continue to defend Israel with arguments that change depending on the topic.

Previously you claimed the Romans emptied Palestine of Jews and thats your explanation why Palestine had a Jewish population of only 3% for thousands of years.

But now the Jews (who according to your earlier remarks were forced out by Romans) somehow remained to be persecuted by Arabs for hundreds of years.

Lets return to the facts:

1. There is absolutely no proof that the Jewish biblical story of being expelled by Romans ever happened. Romans never expelled any people from any land. They used the locals as slaves. And the Romans were not persecuting Jews, they were persecuting mankind.

2. The Jewish population of Palestine lived peacefully with Arabs until Britain started to change the demographics of the area. Britain started to place Europeans (claiming to be Jews) in Israel from 1900 onwards. The invasion of European immigrants was a concern to the Palestinians as they saw the British empire handing their land to a foreign culture. The European immigrants then made the first terrorist organization Irgun. The European terrorists then started to burn down Palestinian homes and assassinate (Just as Israel acts today) to clear Palestinians out. This started the conflict between Arabs and European immigrants (who claimed to be Jewish).

3. The European Jewish immigrants are descendants from the KHAZAR. A European tribe known for war, which converted to Judaism around the year 700AD. These European converts have no blood connection to the Jews of the bible.
The Khazars kingdom is today known as part of Russia.

4.Israels Jewish population are immigrants made from Eastern Europe/Russia who were living in poverty at the end of the cold war. However, they quickly realized that America and Britain wanted to control and manipulated the Middle East for oil. The CIA overthrowing the Iranian democratic government in 1951 being an example. Israel was established by Britain & America as a method of populating the oil regions with subjects who will fight for the interests of western empires. Essentially Israel was to be the wests aircraft carrier in the middle east.

5. Palestinians have had their homes destroyed, farms destroyed and lives destroyed so the area could be repopulated with European immigrants who will follow the instructions of Britain and Americas in return for substantial aid. By enlarge it is America which bought and paid for Israel and in return America has a firend with nukes to threaten the oil regions.

6. So today we have Palestinians angry that their homes have been robbed. We have US military in Iraq and soon Iran. We have US jets being flown by European immigrants who claim to be Jewish in Israel. And the middle east is under the thumb of the west.

7. America supports dictators in Saudi Arabia, it has over thrown legitimate and moderate governments in Iran and it has supported the destruction of defenceless Palestine all in the name of spreading democracy. If that were not bad enough, the Israelis (European immigrants) kill Muslims in the name of reclaiming Gods promised land.

8. Some people say religions create wars. But as the above clearly demonstrates, man will find any excuse for war. Dictators will pretend to be democrats, murderers will pretend to be religious. News media pretends to be facts.

Proud Zionist and Miriam, you may even think you have good intentions. You may even think what you read on your government Website is true. Sadly the blind and unquestioning supports that you give to your tribe makes you a key ingredient to the nasty workings of mankind. If you want to be Jewish, Christian or Muslim don't swallow all the bull you read in your news papers and try to understand that all people from all races have historically been led by those who seek power over others. Your moral duty is to look beyond what you are told to believe and consider the consequence of supporting those who make the world what it is today.

In the case of the middle east, the power and bad influence definitely blew in from the west. But if the Muslims had power, they probably would have done the same. It not about, left & right, Jew & Muslim etc. Its about evolving beyond the sick world we have all made. And Miriam, to include Jews in the sickness of mankind is not anti Semitic. You are only people, you sin and even your God tells you that. Do you think your God is anti Semitic?

Proud Zionists & Miriam, grow up, don't talk with so much misplaced pride. As your Jewish God requires you should also recognize your sins and you should give back the land you have stolen. Return to Israels boarders and end your illegal military occupation. This will be a big step towards proving man can be more than greed. Do something that makes people proud to be Jewish. Be who you claim to be, people of God and not people of war.

Samantha   July 16th, 2010 5:40 pm ET

John A, what can I say apart from WOW. Brilliant post, thank you!

proud zionist   July 16th, 2010 9:17 pm ET

John A

no it was not 1929 when the first Jews lived in Israel

but i will not bore you with facts, antisemitic liar, you don't give a hoot about them anyway

Smith in Oregon   July 16th, 2010 10:13 pm ET

@ proud zionist, Yes I have repeatedly called upon the CIA to stop giving free American taxpayer dollar purchased weapons, explosives and military equipment in the CIA's crass attempt to enable the Kurdish fighters to kill as many Iranian soldiers as they could across the Iranian border region. The CIA continued arming, and supplying the Kurdish fighters even when it became clear they were murdering vast numbers of Turkish civilians in nearby Turkey instead of Iranian soldiers UNTIL Turkey sent high level envoys to Washington DC and demanded that stop.

It appears the CIA moved into Iran to provide free American taxpayer dollars to various Iranian resistant groups in hopes they would blow up various Iranian meetings and infra-structures which has recently occurred. Meanwhile the Mossad has been picking off Iranian scientists (murdering them) which apparently indicates if you have a college degree in Science in Iran or employed as such for Iran you are marked for death by Israel. I imagine the bounty for a captured Mossad agent is getting rather high regardless where in the world they are detained.

proud zionist   July 17th, 2010 11:55 am ET

Smith

and what did your CIA reply to you, antisemitic liar?

John A   July 17th, 2010 3:22 pm ET

Zionist, you have no answers apart from anti Semitic liar? As I said to Miriam, you should learn to use the anti Semitic card where it works. I don't care if you call me that, because I'm not running for congress and don't need Jewish lobby money to fund my political campaign. So you can call me anti Semitic all day long. But remember, if Israel looks aggressive and corrupt, acts with aggression and corruption, it is not anti Semitic to describe Israel as aggressive and corrupt.

Zionist you have been wearing your tin foil hat for far too long under the hot Israeli sun. Give it up, the fraud Israel has perpetrated has been exposed for all to see.

Fred Brun   July 17th, 2010 7:29 pm ET

proud zionist
Why don't you answer the points that Smith makes? You Anti -Christian liar!

miriam   July 18th, 2010 8:09 am ET

John A,

Jews have migrated back to the Holy Land for centuries, a fact recognised by the British and by the Arab leaders of the late 19th century and early 20th century such as Yusef Diya al-Khalidi in 1899 and the British Royal Commision of 1913.

Romans expelled all Jews from the Jewish province of Judea which they renamed Palestina. Jews remained in and moved to other communities in the Holy Land.

There is plenty of recorded and archeological proof that we have discussed previously on this blog.

Jews have rarely lived in peace in the Holy Land, including the hundreds of years before any Arab immigration. Even at times when Muslim rule was preferable to Christian control, the Jews were discriminated against and abused.

During the British Mandate, there was immigration of Jews and non-Jews. As much as 37% of the immigration was non-Jewish Arab with their population doubling.

There is no proof that Ashkenazi Jews are descended from the Khazars whereas there is proof that they were not.

Half the Jewish population in Israel is Sephardi and many Ashkenazim have family trees showing their Sephardi lineage.

Wars are not just religious and radical ideology is increasingly the cause of conflict.

Describing the Jews as included in the sickness of mankind is self-hating bigotry.
Judaism brought laws and reason to mankind without which, chaos, anarchy and disorder would reign.

It is not surprising that modern day irrational, ego-centric. selfish anarchists will hate Judaism for contributing to the positive development of mankind including law and order and democratic government.

The irony is, that the hate is so intense, that it is easy to blindly support and be bought by everything anti-Jewish, including the lies, propaganda and myths of ideologies that would create a world of suppressive restrictions the likes of which would not even give the freedom to express anything.

proud zionist   July 18th, 2010 4:20 pm ET

John antisemite A and Fred israel basher

none of the Israel bashers on this blog, including you, have anything to offer in facts. the only point you r trying to make is that israel is not legitimate

tough on you, israel will exist long after your bones rot 6 feet under

the day you relate to any of the facts presented here, which means about 3 min after the end of the world, will i seriously debate your hams and hitler propaganda, not before

if you don't understand, ask haniye and mashal, your teachers

Mary   July 18th, 2010 9:10 pm ET

Miriam in between all your BS, this is what Israel is really about. War, lies and greed. Just take a look at your leaders. All of Israels leaders have belonged to terrorist organizations and most have been found to be totally corrupt.

Netanyahu admits on video he deceived US to destroy Oslo accord!!

Amazing – the power of AIPAC, the acting branch of Israel’s Likud Party, to utterly dominate the jellyfish Americans never ceases to amaze. No matter what Israel does, no matter how much contempt Israel laughingly spits at the U.S., the U.S. is unconditionally Israel’s arse-clown.

When asked if the US will object, he responds: “America is something that can be easily moved. Moved to the right direction … They won’t get in our way … Eighty per cent of the Americans support us. It’s absurd.”

proud zionist   July 19th, 2010 8:56 am ET

"AIPAC, the acting branch of Israel’s Likud Party"

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Fred Brun   July 19th, 2010 2:33 pm ET

proud zionist

What do you present on these blogs is right wing hate-mongering. You and Miriam are the self described propaganda mouth pieces of Israel's racist society. You hate everything Muslim and Christian. Your bragging of what your society has contributed to the world falls short. The Sumerians from Mesopotamia created what are the building blogs for the modern civilization we live in.
The oldest known writing system is that of the Sumerian’s. The cuneiform system of writing which they developed was adopted by many other peoples of the Near East, including the Babylonians, Assyrians, Hittites, and Persians. The Sumerians developed the first calendar, which they adjusted to the phases of the moon. The lunar calendar was adopted by the Semites, Egyptians, and Greeks. They invented mathematical tables and used quadratic equations. Both for religious and agricultural purposes, they studied the heavens, and they created a lunar calendar with a day of 24 hours and a week of seven days. Much of this science was transmitted to the West by the Greeks and later by the Arabs. The bureaucrats of Sumer had developed a complex commercial system, including contracts, grants of credit, loans with interest, and business partnerships. They developed a legal frame work of which many principles are adhered to in our modern law. The Sumerians were credited with great advances in the arts and sciences.
This was 6000BC or over 8000 years ago. A bid before your time.
Believe it or not, there were many people before the Jews in the world who contributed to the positive development of mankind, unless you believe only in your supernatural fantasy and legends. So much for your historical propaganda.

Hunkwill   July 19th, 2010 8:08 pm ET

A convey trying to reach the biggest prison to deliver medical aid some blanket maybe but no building materials because its banned by the "occupation force " like to say live but only on life support is it really living life?

I said and i will continue to say that Israel is a moral burden and one day it will prove on its own stupidity the Israeli style that they are the real pain to this world.

proud zionist   July 20th, 2010 6:02 am ET

Gaza prison?

a luxury shopping mall was opened in Gaza recently.

if it is so bad in Gaza, how come they have a luxury shopping mall?

but the israel bashers will find an answer, I am sure

miriam   July 20th, 2010 2:26 pm ET

Mary,

see my response elsewhere.

miriam   July 20th, 2010 2:35 pm ET

Fred,

Where are all those societies now?

Judeo-Christian values, based on Jewish laws and values are what the Western world is based.

Reject those values because of their Jewish connection if you so wish but much of the world prefers them to any alternative.

proud zionist   July 20th, 2010 4:59 pm ET

Fred Brun
'
your contibution to civilization is cut and paste BSD

dah

Samantha   July 21st, 2010 8:48 am ET

False pride Zionist,

Only Israel describes the corner store as a "luxury shopping mall" and why would Israel say that? I have seen the pictures of this supposed "luxury mall" and it would be an embarrassment on any western high street.

Gazans aren't now living the high life. The majority live on $2 a day. Few can afford anything inside the mall.

One of the women shopping at the new store was interviewed, she said she has no electricity at her home. So she came to the mall to see lights and sit in the air conditioning.

"Freedom is not about buying frozen french fries or chocolates," said Hiyam Ahmed, a mall employee. "Ending the blockade means opening up ports and having the freedom to import and export goods as you like without waiting three years for Israel's approval."

Proud Zionist, there is a blockade on Gaza. Goods can not freely pass, trade is choked and unable to flourish. Before you try to spread more Israeli lies and fairytales, why don't you give examples of how a siege is good for the economy. Why don't you define your mad thoughts, Why do you post dribble that has no place in a sane mans mind?

miriam   July 22nd, 2010 8:03 pm ET

Samantha aka Reena,

Ask Hamas and UNRWA why there is no electricity and income is so low when Gaza receives millions in aid and Hamas controls most of the electricity supply.

On second thought, you won't get any answer from them other than the usual "blame it on Israel" excuse which you so easily believe.

How many countries can you name that have free passage of all trade?

How many countries allow any trade with another territory that deliberately fires rockets at its citizens and declares that it wants it annihilated?

How many governments support cross-border kidnappings and the holding of captives with no access to any humanitarian visits or contact with the outside world and still expect normal relations?

Most Gazans will tell you privately, that restriction on trade with Israel has been the best thing for Hamas. The tunnel trade has created hundreds of (under-age) jobs and Hamas officials are raking in the cash in taxes. They can only lose by increasing the goods coming from Israel since prices and demand will drop.

Most "isolated", "under-seige", "impoverished" nations would think it a miracle that a multi-level mall, in addition to olympic-size swimming pools and boutique restaurants can be built and opened when there are no construction materials, a shortage of water and a lack of food.

Similarly, how can thousands of kids break a world record in basket-ball bouncing when there are no toys or leasure accessories?

It's no miracle.

Just ask Israel.

A decades-long boycott and ban on trade with Israel by the Arab and Muslim world hasn't prevented the Israeli economy flourishing and surviving the financial crisis better than most.

And that's without economic aid from anywhere.

Yusil   July 23rd, 2010 5:59 am ET

According to recent released figures Israel has stolen $ 2 Billion in funds directed to the Palestinians in 2009. If you add the billions of $ in aid from the US yearly, it’s no wonder that Israel is managing financially.

Imagine one mall in Palestine, how many are there in Israel? Reverse the situation. Do you think that the Israelis would think that they were privileged/

Imagine an aid convoy trying to help defensless Jews, would the worldwide Jewish diaspora not try to help? How about Europe or the US? Would they be called terrorists?

John A   July 23rd, 2010 8:41 am ET

Miriam says, Ask Hamas and UNRWA why there is no electricity and income is so low when Gaza receives millions in aid and Hamas controls most of the electricity supply.
-------------------------
Again Miriam posts blogs to convince the ignorant.

Hamas has been asked Miriams question, the UN has been asked and the people of Gaza have been asked.

The simple answer to Miriams dishonest question is: Israel destroyed Gaza power plants in the Gaza massacre of 2008 when Israel murdered 1,500 civilians.

Since that awful time, Israel has not let any building supplies into Gaza. Very little aid reaches Gaza as Israel blocks it on the boarder. And if anyone resist Israels cruelty, Israel will kill them as was with the aid flotilla. When will Israel give that ship and its aid back? Most aid to Palestine disappears into the hands of corrupt Israel.

The last claim from Miriam about Israel not having aid from anywhere exposes how dishonest she is. Israel receives more aid from America than the rest of the world put together. And if America didn't shake its guns at anyone who asks for justice in the middle east, the the entire Irsaeli debacle would have been resolved many years ago.

proud zionist   July 23rd, 2010 9:32 pm ET

samantha

why don't you see how easy it is to end the siege

free Gilead Shalit=no more siege
don't free him=siege

anything you did not understand?

Shame_on_anyone_who_supports_Israel   July 24th, 2010 1:19 pm ET

Proud Zionist,

Gaza siege began in September 2000 = Nothing to do with Shalit

Hamas elected in 2005 = Nothing to do with Israels Siege which started in September 2000

One day Israel says the siege is for its security, the next day the siege is to free Shalit, the next day the siege is to bring dowm Hamas.

The only truth is that Israel will always find a reason why it must attack its neighbors and use American weapons to capture more ground.

Proud Zionist changes his story every day = Proud Zionist is a liar

Anything you did not understand?????

proud zionist   July 24th, 2010 3:23 pm ET

John antisemitic liar A

no powere plants were destroyed in gaza

miriam   July 25th, 2010 1:38 pm ET

John A,

Israel and Egypt provide 3/4 of Gaza's electrical supply.

Gaza's one electric plant was damaged in 2006 but has never been destroyed.

Hamas is responsible for the supply of fuel to run the Gaza plant.
They receive enough fuel, which may be stalled when the fuel terminal is fired on by kassams, but it is up to Hamas if they wish to divert the fuel for other purposes.

All aid from the flotillas was delivered to Gaza, although Hamas was reluctant to distribute it.

US aid to Israel is only military and is worth $2 bn annually.

US aid to Afghanistan is $75 bn annually
Iraq is $65 bn
Pakistan is $3.25 bn
military and economic and not including increases last week.
It is obvious US aid to Israel is small compared to the total amounts distributed around the world without listing any other statistics.

miriam   July 25th, 2010 1:47 pm ET

Shame,

Every year since 2000 and before, Gaza has been on the verge of an "humanitarian disaster" as well.

Just as there is no "humanitarian disaster", there is no "seige" on Gaza.

There is a restriction of goods since Gaza has declared itself an enemy of Israel and has launched attacks against Israeli civilians.

Under international humanitarian law, no country has the responsibility to provide goods to an enemy territory apart from basic humanitarian supplies.

Israel has supplied over and above that which she is required to.

Gaza shares a "border" with Egypt.

John A   July 27th, 2010 12:43 pm ET

I see CNN continues with its unhealthy tradition of always allowing pro Israeli propaganda the last word on each blog.

Smith in Oregon   July 31st, 2010 5:08 am ET

In regards to today's airstrikes on multiple locations on the Gaza Bank by Israel:

This is yet another reason to entirely pull the plug on giving Israel billions of free American taxpayer dollars, they can carry out their endless blood feud entirely on their own now, no need for billions of free American taxpayer dollars for endless hyper-expensive weapons systems. The tiny country of Israel can protect itself and wage it's own senseless war's on it's neighbors in the Middle East.

Let Israel ask their neighbors for free money and free hyper-expensive hardware.

The Republican Neo-Con's spew endlessly over the unemployment benefits in America as social-welfare and yet pressure Potty'ticians to give Israel tens of free Billions of dollars to a tiny country whose citizens average only 27,000 a year. Their entire gross incomes are not even enough to build and support their nuclear power programs, far less than it takes to even upgrade, maintain and replace their enormous sophisticated military hardware and weapons. Welfare for Israel is fine for those Republican neo-cons?

There is probably a document on Wikileaks US Military documents stating that is fine with them.

Smith in Oregon   July 31st, 2010 6:49 am ET

In regards to the Japanese Super Oil Tanker that was struck in the Gulf by some kind of weapon as it passed thru the shallow and narrow Strait of Hormuz across from Iran's nearby shoreline:

The Japanese Oil Supertanker ship's owner claimed the explosion was likely the result of an attack. Crew members on the tanker said one person on board saw a flash of light on the horizon just before the explosion. Was it a Iranian Silk worm anti-ship missile being launched?

China has been supplying both Iraq and Iran it's Silk Worm missiles and Iran now manufactures it's own version of the updated Silk Worm anti-ship missiles which they have fired on tankers in the past. They would also immediately show up on the Supertanker's radar. But America's useless Shadow Government issues only silence.

proud zionist   August 4th, 2010 10:58 am ET

Smith in Oregon :

"In regards to today's airstrikes on multiple locations on the Gaza Bank by Israel"

Gaza Bank?

hahahahahahahahahahahaha

you want to deposit or withdraw?

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Robert   August 6th, 2010 5:13 pm ET

I'm not saying Neta "yahoo", (as the kid's in his country call him, being way too ignorant to know his real name), isn't a very evil person.

However, I feel that Israel enjoys baiting the hate. Its intentional, to get sympathy and more money. It never seems to amount to anything except chicken-war tactics.

Truth is, if they ever did anything, from what I can gather, Israel would be immediately blown up. The counter-force is too formidable. What they prefer, I believe, is to constantly whine, and threat, and gain sympathy from whoever still listens to them. They have an army of 20 year olds and no brains or real guts... as judged by the way they kick cats, constantly. Kittens.

But, its like the New Black Panthers... Obviously someone is playing these guys. The awful racism is way too over the top. I would further say the CIA is probably using them to race-bait, to start incidents, to take people's means of protecting themselves or to push Obama's agenda. Who knows? It's not real. DON'T REACT. (No matter what persecution complex Glen BEck is creating for himself).... Turn away and pay no attention. Keep your mind on the real problems. These fake actors are just following their lines to get people fighting about nothing important.

What they hate, more than anything, is to be ignored. Remember what Mom used to say?

miriam   August 8th, 2010 12:36 pm ET

Robert,

Israel ignored, seeking attention?!!!!!!!!!!!

What conspiracy will you come up with next?

grasshooper   March 1st, 2011 5:23 pm ET

All who oppose the Zionist regime please STOP calling it “Israel” Every time you do it you reward the occupation of Palestine. Name “Israel” implies a state on the occupied territory. Call the occupiers what they really are: the Zionist regime. This way, every time you refer to it, you will imply its temporary nature (the nature of all occupying regimes). Encourage your fellow comment posters to use the name Zionist regime as well.

We must also be categorically against generalizing, and recognize that many Jews are against the crimes the Zionist regime is committing in their names, and that many Jews are leading the global resistance to it. They should be proud. I wish that they finally find piece wherever they choose to live (including Palestine) through a peaceful democratic process as opposed to the Nazi-style occupation the current Zionist regime is using.

The only way to oppose the Zionist controlled media and Zionist paid bloggers is to take each other’s comments and copy, repost, email, and otherwise distribute them to other blogs, newspaper websites, Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking websites. Please do so with this comment for justice to prevail.

gigamummy   March 1st, 2011 5:52 pm ET

It appears that sharing and reposting others’ comments is becoming a trend. You can definitely copy, repost, or email mine to anyone including lobbying senators, state representatives and any other public officials who shape our country’s foreign policies.

The main Zionist claim is that they have a supreme right to some of Palestinian territory because they lived there thousands of years ago. Let’s examine the core and real nature of this claim.

Firstly, this claim is mistaken and selfish in its core concept because Zionists fail to recognize that history is a continuum and that there were other people living in majority in Palestine before the Jews and also after the Jews. Zionists simply cut history at a convenient point for them and claim ancestral ties to the land as of that convenient point.

Secondly, whatever the claim, it is beyond absurd to try to shape modern world based on thousands of years old maps. Imagine if the rest of the world would be reshaped by who was on the land thousands of years ago. It would cause horrific wars, countless refugees, and unimaginable human suffering, exactly what is happening in Palestine.

Thirdly and most disturbing, Zionist goal was to establish a Jewish state wherever possible. Palestine may have been a preference, but Palestine was not the only location that Zionists planned as their state in modern times. Another location was Argentina where Jews have been migrating for hundreds of years for the purpose of establishing a state. Also, locations in Europe were on the list and that’s why the Catholic Church was killing/expelling Jews since Roman times (read the history of the Holly Inquisition). Whatever the location, Zionist plan was to simply occupy the people living on the land even if that would mean imposing a regime worst than Nazi Germany’s from which they escaped. And Zionists would just use a different ideological coloring than the one used in Palestine in the attempt to rationalize the occupation.

In conclusion, the main claim on which the Zionist regime is built in Palestine is erroneous, selfish, and a lie. I am categorically against generalizing, and recognize that many Jews are against the crimes the Zionist regime is committing and that many Jews are leading the global resistance to it. They should be proud.

John Bryant - St Louis, MO USA   March 9th, 2011 4:16 am ET

Okay, from my understanding. The Middle-east hates the US for our involvements in other nations internal issues.

So, we should say that we have had enough. Inform the UN and world. We are stopping our involvement upon the worlds request and become neutral and act as a middle man to talk. No Military action against anyone. Except any aggressive nation against the US. Only act like what the UN was suppose to be. And eject the UN from the US. So, the US involvement would be would be of mediator between to other nations. And act on humanitarian duties. If needed stop buying from foreign nations to complete our neutralization of other nations issues. We have and still are taking to much risk in other nations internal issues.

So, we should stop voicing our opinion on foreign another nations internal.

hmm. watching news that to me isn't our concern. Get our own news out. not foreign. G..

Ryan   August 17th, 2012 5:00 pm ET

Nice to see we were on the same page on the Gaza withdrawal. I reacll feeling like a voice crying in the wilderness in my support for it. Sharon counted on the heedless bloodlust of the Pals and they didn't let him down. It drove a stake through the heart of 'land for peace.' And then Hez volunteered to chop off its head and stuff garlic in its mouth. Even the Four Mothers have now been mugged by reality.


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