Hoping that Israel stops the latest convoy to the Gaza
From Tia Goldenberg, AP News "Pro-Palestinian aid flotilla sets sail for Gaza" (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100530/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians)
The flotilla, which includes three cargo ships and three passenger ships, is trying to draw attention to Israel's three-year blockade of the Gaza Strip. The boats are carrying materials that Israel bars from reaching Gaza, like cement and other building materials. The activists said they also were carrying hundreds of electrical-powered wheelchairs, prefabricated homes and water purifiers.
It's even possible that they are telling the truth about the "humanitarian" nature of the shipment (though note that "cement and other building materials" can be used to build bunkers and smuggling tunnels). Certainly, it would be stupid for them to include actual weapons and ammunition on ships likely to be stopped and searched, possibly captured.
Nevertheless, it's important that Israel stop this shipment. If she doesn't, then the shipments will become regular, unchecked, and soon include weapons.
Keep in mind that Hamas started a war with Israel. And hasn't yet committed to peace, not even verbally. Thus, the Gaza is a city under siege, and a besieging party should conduct a siege competently. Furthermore, if and when it becomes necessary for Israel to go in again, hopefully to clean out that nest of vileness permanently and drive its occupants somewhere else, every weapon smuggled in could claim the lives of Westerners.
Some 700 pro-Palestinian activists are on the boats, including 1976 Nobel peace laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire, European legislators and an elderly Holocaust survivor.
Showing that you can always find fools to support any cause, however bad. The presence of the "elderly Holocaust survivor" in support of people who want every Jew in the world dead is especially sad. Still, this should not be allowed by the Israelis to deter them from any and all necessary action to prevent the convoy from reaching its destination. After all, a lot more people may wind up dead if the ships make harbor in Gaza.
In particular, the ban on building materials has prevented Gazans from repairing thousands of homes that were damaged or destroyed in an Israeli military offensive, meant to stop Hamas rocket attacks, early last year.
Oh noes. The poor widdle Gazans are suffering for launching a war. How unjust!
Israel rejects claims of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying it allows more than enough food and medicine into the territory.
Yes, well, Israel should stop those shipments, too. Someone needs to open a dictionary to the word "siege."
In Syria, eight Damascus-based Palestinian groups urged Arab and Muslim states to work to support the flotilla and warned Israel against committing any "foolishness to impede the vessels"
"This could create more tension and trigger unpredictable reactions," said the groups, which included Hamas and the militant Islamic Jihad.
I'm sure Israel is so scared of "Hamas and the militant Islamic Jihad" (which are both attacking Israel to the best of their ability already).
The reason I'm slightly worried is because Barack Obama, as part of his drive to prove himself the least competent American President since James Buchanan, may successfully pressure the Israelis to not stop the convoy.
My advice to Israel: ignore our pleas, and if we tell them that we will not let them stop and search the ships, sink them (by submarine, obviously). And if you do capture the ships, make them prizes, do not let them sail again. That should reduce the enthusiasm of the Palestinians and their backers for another sailing.
Israel, they're trying to kill you. Stop pulling your punches.
The flotilla, which includes three cargo ships and three passenger ships, is trying to draw attention to Israel's three-year blockade of the Gaza Strip. The boats are carrying materials that Israel bars from reaching Gaza, like cement and other building materials. The activists said they also were carrying hundreds of electrical-powered wheelchairs, prefabricated homes and water purifiers.
It's even possible that they are telling the truth about the "humanitarian" nature of the shipment (though note that "cement and other building materials" can be used to build bunkers and smuggling tunnels). Certainly, it would be stupid for them to include actual weapons and ammunition on ships likely to be stopped and searched, possibly captured.
Nevertheless, it's important that Israel stop this shipment. If she doesn't, then the shipments will become regular, unchecked, and soon include weapons.
Keep in mind that Hamas started a war with Israel. And hasn't yet committed to peace, not even verbally. Thus, the Gaza is a city under siege, and a besieging party should conduct a siege competently. Furthermore, if and when it becomes necessary for Israel to go in again, hopefully to clean out that nest of vileness permanently and drive its occupants somewhere else, every weapon smuggled in could claim the lives of Westerners.
Some 700 pro-Palestinian activists are on the boats, including 1976 Nobel peace laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire, European legislators and an elderly Holocaust survivor.
Showing that you can always find fools to support any cause, however bad. The presence of the "elderly Holocaust survivor" in support of people who want every Jew in the world dead is especially sad. Still, this should not be allowed by the Israelis to deter them from any and all necessary action to prevent the convoy from reaching its destination. After all, a lot more people may wind up dead if the ships make harbor in Gaza.
In particular, the ban on building materials has prevented Gazans from repairing thousands of homes that were damaged or destroyed in an Israeli military offensive, meant to stop Hamas rocket attacks, early last year.
Oh noes. The poor widdle Gazans are suffering for launching a war. How unjust!
Israel rejects claims of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying it allows more than enough food and medicine into the territory.
Yes, well, Israel should stop those shipments, too. Someone needs to open a dictionary to the word "siege."
In Syria, eight Damascus-based Palestinian groups urged Arab and Muslim states to work to support the flotilla and warned Israel against committing any "foolishness to impede the vessels"
"This could create more tension and trigger unpredictable reactions," said the groups, which included Hamas and the militant Islamic Jihad.
I'm sure Israel is so scared of "Hamas and the militant Islamic Jihad" (which are both attacking Israel to the best of their ability already).
The reason I'm slightly worried is because Barack Obama, as part of his drive to prove himself the least competent American President since James Buchanan, may successfully pressure the Israelis to not stop the convoy.
My advice to Israel: ignore our pleas, and if we tell them that we will not let them stop and search the ships, sink them (by submarine, obviously). And if you do capture the ships, make them prizes, do not let them sail again. That should reduce the enthusiasm of the Palestinians and their backers for another sailing.
Israel, they're trying to kill you. Stop pulling your punches.