Israel attacks Gaza aid fleet

[Trudy]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/05/20105313304799...

Israeli forces have attacked a flotilla of aid-carrying ships aiming to break the country's siege on Gaza.

At least 19 people were killed and dozens injured when troops intercepted the convoy of ships dubbed the Freedom Flotilla early on Monday, Israeli radio reported.

The flotilla was attacked in international waters, 65km off the Gaza coast.

Avital Leibovich, an Israeli military spokeswoman, confirmed that the attack took place in international waters, saying: "This happened in waters outside of Israeli territory, but we have the right to defend ourselves."

Footage from the flotilla's lead vessel, the Mavi Marmara, showed armed Israeli soldiers boarding the ship and helicopters flying overhead.

Al Jazeera's Jamal Elshayyal, on board the Mavi Marmara, said Israeli troops had used live ammunition during the operation.

Live blogging


Aftermath of Israel's attack on Gaza flotilla

The Israeli military said four soldiers had been wounded and claimed troops opened fire after "demonstrators onboard attacked the IDF Naval personnel with live fire and light weaponry including knives and clubs".

Free Gaza Movement, the organisers of the flotilla, however, said the troops opened fire as soon as they stormed the convoy.

Our correspondent said that a white surrender flag was raised from the ship and there was no live fire coming from the passengers.

Before losing communication with our correspondent, a voice in Hebrew was clearly heard saying: "Everyone shut up".

Israeli intervention

Earlier, the Israeli navy had contacted the captain of the Mavi Marmara, asking him to identify himself and say where the ship was headed.

Shortly after, two Israeli naval vessels had flanked the flotilla on either side, but at a distance.

IN DEPTH


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Aid convoy sets off for Gaza
Programmes: Born in Gaza
Video: Israel's Gaza PR offensive
Video: Gazan's rare family reunion abroad
Video: Making the most of Gaza's woes

Organisers of the flotilla carrying 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid then diverted their ships and slowed down to avoid a confrontation during the night.

They also issued all passengers life jackets and asked them to remain below deck.

Al Jazeera’s Ayman Mohyeldin, reporting from Jerusalem, said the Israeli action was surprising.

"All the images being shown from the activists on board those ships show clearly that they were civilians and peaceful in nature, with medical supplies on board. So it will surprise many in the international community to learn what could have possibly led to this type of confrontation," he said.

Meanwhile, Israeli police have been put on a heightened state of alert across the country to prevent any civil disturbances.

Sheikh Raed Salah,a leading member of the Islamic Movement who was on board the ship, was reported to have been seriously injured. He was being treated in Israel's Tal Hasharon hospital.

In Um Al Faham, the stronghold of the Islamic movement in Israel and the birth place of Salah, preparations for mass demonstrations were under way.

Protests

Condemnation has been quick to pour in after the Israeli action.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, officially declared a three-day state of mourning over Monday's deaths.

Turkey, Spain, Greece, Denmark and Sweden have all summoned the Israeli ambassador's in their respective countries to protest against the deadly assault.


Worldwide outrage has followed the deadly Israeli attack of Gaza aid convoy [AFP]
Thousands of Turkish protesters tried to storm the Israeli consulate in Istanbul soon after the news of the operation broke. The protesters shouted "Damn Israel" as police blocked them.

"(The interception on the convoy) is unacceptable ... Israel will have to endure the consequences of this behaviour," the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement.

Ismail Haniya, the Hamas leader in Gaza, has also dubbed the Israeli action as "barbaric".

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists, including a Nobel laureate and several European legislators, were with the flotilla, aiming to reach Gaza in defiance of an Israeli embargo.

The convoy came from the UK, Ireland, Algeria, Kuwait, Greece and Turkey, and was comprised of about 700 people from 50 nationalities.

But Israel had said it would not allow the flotilla to reach the Gaza Strip and vowed to stop the six ships from reaching the coastal Palestinian territory.

The flotilla had set sail from a port in Cyprus on Sunday and aimed to reach Gaza by Monday morning.

Israel said the boats were embarking on "an act of provocation" against the Israeli military, rather than providing aid, and that it had issued warrants to prohibit their entrance to Gaza.

It asserted that the flotilla would be breaking international law by landing in Gaza, a claim the organisers rejected.

[Trudy]

And that is how the Chosen Ones handle Human Rights :(

[Trudy]

I hope from the depths of my soul, that there are large global economic pressure on Israel will be executed.
Enough is enough, these barbarians must be stopped.

[Trudy]

Patricia yes it's always wonder what hidden agenda behind it may be. Obama has shown little or no commitment to the Palestinians . Israel still continues to build its wall.
Simone I share your view, indeed there are very positive people on both sides to find who just want peace. But those positive people are not in the government of Israel.
Thank You both for your comments ... it is in my believe that justice will triumph, always and ever... but meanwhile the people in Gaza have no medicins, not enough fresh water , and are seriously affected by the unfair embargo from Israel...

[Trudy]

Hahahahaha hahahahahaha I can't stop laughing, oh my god PaTricia your Light shines girl, thank you thank you deep my dear hahahahaha I LOVE YOU

[ian]

when is this madness going to stop :/body>

[Trudy]

But then again after seeing this vid you've posted my mood is diving in deep depth ...

[Trudy]

Thank You dear Nickolas Macen Thank you for giving me the opportunity to forgive you ...

Nickolas Macen said:

LOL you guys are a bunch of Hypocrites, You all speak of light and love and how you have to show love to the world and surpass the negativity. Your all commenting on a story that is nothing but negative and saying negative things. I HATE THESE PEOPLE, THEY ARE BARBARIANS, FUCKING BASTARDS.

Even I have the common sense to understand that your going against everything that you say you stand for. Your dwelling in negativity instead of moving beyond it to something better. Your judging them on being bad Isrealites instead of being bad PEOPLE (which just shows more your own true colors on race) and worst of all you all like this.

This is what is sad about you all its that you all have this deep down craving for any kind of Drama you can find. Your sitting here dwelling on thoughts of war and oil and pain and suffering when you should be doing what is taught. MOVE PAST IT AND SEEK HIGHER IDEALS. If you refuse to see where your wrong in this then your just as blind as you are Hypocrites.

[Simmy]

Nickolas,
The reason of posting this kind of headlines in here is that this is very relevant to spiritual progression. How can we dream to live in a peaceful word, where everybody is equal, when things like this happen?
We all want to focus on the positive side of life but we cannot just close our eyes on the negativity that is happening all the time.

Now, about what happened in this attack. This soldiers behaved disgustingly and I completely condemn what they did, but lets not portrait the turkish extremists in that flotilla as saints. They were beating the cr** out of the soldiers with iron bars, and I'm sure that if they had guns they wouldn't be shy to use them. I'm not PRO nor ANTI semitic or muslim and I really think religion is the biggest humanity divider there is.


Nickolas Macen said:

Forgive me? No, I have nothing to be forgiven for thank you though. I am just showing you what your missing and that is the fact your going against everything you say you stand for. If you can give me one reason why this post is relevant to spiritual progression and not a way for people to bask in the Drama and Negativity of the world then I will accept it. Other then that all I can say and continue to say is that you are all blind to your own actions which is what causes self destruction in the first place.

[Simmy]

[Simmy]

Ok Nickolas...how can you judge someone without having a clue about their personal circumstances?
How can you say I don't get get up and do anything? Yes, I could do more. But at the moment, because of my personal circumstances, this would bring chaos to my family life. I do what I can without disrupting anyone else's lives. Remember that not everyone share our views and trying to impose them on others can bring a lot of disharmony.
So I have time to come here and discuss about subjects I'm interested in. What's so wrong with that???? This is the only place I can come and talk about these subjects without fear of being judged or called a "nutter".
But here you are, judging us and saying you're better than us because you organize work with your community. This is great of you, but don't say I'm "worse" than you because I don't have the oportunity (and freedom) to do the same.
By the way...I never blame anyone else but me for my current circumstances. About the state of the world...I blame no one (or everyone, depending on the point of view...)
p.s.: No one here calls themselves "ascended ones". Not that I know of.

Nickolas Macen said:

Thats great so what do you plan on doing about the worlds problems besides debate and meditate? You see you and everyone on this site are what we call IDEALIST they have this idea of what they want but they refuse to take a course of action on how to get there. Too many of you live in a state of mind where the people on top prevent the people on the bottom from doing anything other then breed and spend money which is BS. Its just a way for all of you to shift blame away from yourselves. The only way to go forward is by taking action and trying to help the world to change to what you wish it to be. Sitting here and talking about how horrible this was for the Isrealies to do is nonesense and a waste of energy. If anyone on this site actually gave a crap they would be organizing instead of sitting at a computer and talking about stuff their minds cant possibly fathom in the first place. Take it from me, I organize and work with my community is it a lot? No but I at least try unlike most of the ASCENDED ONES here who rather sit around smoking weed and channeling voices that exist nowhere else but in their own minds.
You talk about waking up, HOW ABOUT GETTING UP

[Trudy]

Let me be clear: there is never, never a justification for war. The Palestinians are already suppressed for 65 years . Life in Gaza is no picnic. There is little or no international rate achieved, the Jews do what they want despite worldwide protests. The Jews hold four years Gaza locked since Hamas kidnapped an Israeli soldier. This is heavy fault of Hamas. But Hamas is an honest elected party, but again not taken seriously by Israel.
Settlements are getting more built on Palestinian territory. The wall around Jerusalem is a fact. The Americans,do not go against the Jews. Why. For placing a military territory into the middle-east area? So that they can progress monitoring the '' terrorists '' ???. Do not make me laugh, the biggest terrorist is still to find under the name of Bush in America. It is high time that we act against the Jewish oppressors.
Again enough is enough.
And believe me, dear Nickolas, my Light doesn't shine any less as I stance hard toward the violence of Israel. Consciousness does remain that you stay close to yourself, believe in unconditional love for all living things and keep yourself open to outside influences for your balance in good and right. Keep an eye on your ego and rely more on your intuition.
Nickolas let me tell you how things work ... Last night during my meditation I asked forgiveness for the soldiers and their violence. I turn all my love and energy for improvement of Israel and Palestine. I ask our largest awareness the Creator of the Universe for forgiveness so that we all eventually come together in Oneness.

In Lak'ech

[Trudy]

Just at the news: The Security Council has finished the session on the violence of Israel. Now comes the biggest hoot: The U.S.A. wants that Irael leads the inquiry !!!!!
What I wonder is this ... How much more can the world look at the U.S.A. and recitals this as a humane country that seeks for world peace !!!!!