Obama’s ‘Tepid’ Response to Israeli Crime
June 02,2010 
Robert Scheer slams Obama for his failure to call Israel out on its blatant crime against the aid flotilla in international waters:
There is no subject on which American
journalists so disgrace themselves by embracing a double standard or
about which our politicians are permitted the kind of hypocritical
cop-out once again demonstrated by the tepid response of the Obama
administration.
If nothing else, this assault on decency by
the Israeli government was clearly intended to derail the peace talks
that President Barack Obama has encouraged. But instead of calling
Israel on its savagery, the U.S. is virtually alone in the world in its
embarrassingly mild rebuke. The politicians cave so shamelessly because
they know that media will be obsequiously tolerant of such immoral
equivocation.
The arguments coming from the pro Israel crowd are so silly it's hard to take any of them seriously. The notion that armed marines could illegally board an aid ship in international water and force them to turn around is absurd, yet the US political and media system has efficiently changed the narrative to make Israel the victim. The story now goes that the aid flotilla was a Hamas backed terrorist assault on Israel, and everything was done to try and avoid the conflict before it happened. The truth of course, is anything but. The flotilla was delivering much needed aid to an area destroyed and humiliated by Israel on a daily basis. According to the BBC, 'The ships were carrying 10,000 tonnes of goods, including school
supplies, building materials and two large electricity generators.'
Not exactly a threat to the nuclear armed and US backed Israeli super military.
Andrew Sullivan believes the Israeli doctrine has no interest in peace, only subjugation and humiliation:
When you end up killing civilians to prevent access to toys and
wheelchairs, you have lost any desire to win the war of ideas and have
retreated instead to the logic of force. The Bush-Cheney administration
is, in other words, alive and well … and in Jerusalem.
Again, the only way to stop this insanity and prevent Israel from destroying itself and its neighbors in the process is for the US to apply real pressure on the government. While Netanyahu and his gang of thugs will kick, scream and shout, they know where the money comes from, and they will do as they are told if they think it might be cut off.
Robert Scheer slams Obama for his failure to call Israel out on its blatant crime against the aid flotilla in international waters:
There is no subject on which American
journalists so disgrace themselves by embracing a double standard or
about which our politicians are permitted the kind of hypocritical
cop-out once again demonstrated by the tepid response of the Obama
administration.If nothing else, this assault on decency by
the Israeli government was clearly intended to derail the peace talks
that President Barack Obama has encouraged. But instead of calling
Israel on its savagery, the U.S. is virtually alone in the world in its
embarrassingly mild rebuke. The politicians cave so shamelessly because
they know that media will be obsequiously tolerant of such immoral
equivocation.
The arguments coming from the pro Israel crowd are so silly it's hard to take any of them seriously. The notion that armed marines could illegally board an aid ship in international water and force them to turn around is absurd, yet the US political and media system has efficiently changed the narrative to make Israel the victim. The story now goes that the aid flotilla was a Hamas backed terrorist assault on Israel, and everything was done to try and avoid the conflict before it happened. The truth of course, is anything but. The flotilla was delivering much needed aid to an area destroyed and humiliated by Israel on a daily basis. According to the BBC, 'The ships were carrying 10,000 tonnes of goods, including school
supplies, building materials and two large electricity generators.'
Not exactly a threat to the nuclear armed and US backed Israeli super military.
Andrew Sullivan believes the Israeli doctrine has no interest in peace, only subjugation and humiliation:
When you end up killing civilians to prevent access to toys and
wheelchairs, you have lost any desire to win the war of ideas and have
retreated instead to the logic of force. The Bush-Cheney administration
is, in other words, alive and well … and in Jerusalem.
Again, the only way to stop this insanity and prevent Israel from destroying itself and its neighbors in the process is for the US to apply real pressure on the government. While Netanyahu and his gang of thugs will kick, scream and shout, they know where the money comes from, and they will do as they are told if they think it might be cut off.
There are three issues here.
1. Is the Israeli blockade of Gaza legal according to international law.
2. Is it legal for Israel to board a ship that is intending to run the blockade, in international waters.
3. Is it legal for Israel to use deadly force to enforce the blockade.
Now, 1 and 2 are somewhat tied together. If 1 is “YES” then 2 must be “YES” as well.
It is clear that it IS legal for Israel to blockade Gaza.
According to the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea (est 12 June 1994) Israel has international law on it’s side. You can read the San Remo Manual here: http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/385ec082b509e76c41256739003e636d/7694fe2016f347e1c125641f002d49ce
According to the same manual, Israel is well within it’s rights to board any vessel attempting or intending to run it’s blockade in international waters anywhere in the world. Meaning that Israel could have boarded the Marmara as soon as they cleared Cyprus territorial waters.
This is what the law says….
Finally, the third issue. The use of deadly force. It is clear from the video evidence that IDF boarding parties were attacked, even before they boarded the Marmara. Videos taken FROM THE MARMARA itself shows activists armed with chains and metal poles and bats attacking IDF soldiers while they were still in their own launch. From other video evidence, it is clear that the IDF boarding party showed remarkable restraint and only employed deadly force when they themselves were fired upon.
While the loss of life is regrettable, it is clear that Israel has acted within the bounds of international law.
Michale32086
If the aid was “much needed” then why wasn’t it distributed thru proper channels??
And why was it refused by Hamas when it finally WAS delivered??
Doesn’t sound much like the aid was needed at all, let alone MUCH needed, eh??
Michale32086