"Gaza Island"

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

News today said the 'Audacity of Hope' ship apparently will no longer be taking part in the flotilla. It must remain at port.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

A number of behind-the-scenes efforts are underway to stop the Flotilla from sailing. Turkey already bailed out, after intense political pressure. Currently, Israel is leaning on the Greek government to scotch the launch (as several of the ships have gathered in Greece pre-voyage.)

Specifically in the case of the US ship - The Audacity of Hope - a "private complaint" was lodged with the Greek government, claiming the ship is not seaworthy and requires a detailed inspection.

But it's entirely possible that no ships will sail at this time.

Nothing frightens the Israeli government more than peaceful protest. Humanitarians and their..... letters !..... are very very threatening to Israel's security, and must be stopped at all costs.

Here is Matt Lee of the AP trying to get answers from the State Department spokesman:

"Does the U.S. perceive the blockade as legal ?"

"What right does Israel have to defend itself against 'humanitarian aid'" ?

"Do you believe that Israel is within its rights to defend itself to take on or to prevent ships from going into international waters?"

http://video.state.gov/en/video/1020891811001

Poor thing doesn't know what to say... "I don't have anything on legality here." "I'm not a Law of the Sea expert here"

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

A number of behind-the-scenes efforts are underway to stop the Flotilla from sailing. Turkey already bailed out, after intense political pressure. Currently, Israel is leaning on the Greek government to scotch the launch (as several of the ships have gathered in Greece pre-voyage.)

Specifically in the case of the US ship - The Audacity of Hope - a "private complaint" was lodged with the Greek government, claiming the ship is not seaworthy and requires a detailed inspection.

But it's entirely possible that no ships will sail at this time.

Nothing frightens the Israeli government more than peaceful protest. Humanitarians and their..... letters !..... are very very threatening to Israel's security, and must be stopped at all costs.

Here is Matt Lee of the AP trying to get answers from the State Department spokesman:

"Does the U.S. perceive the blockade as legal ?"

"What right does Israel have to defend itself against 'humanitarian aid'" ?

"Do you believe that Israel is within its rights to defend itself to take on or to prevent ships from going into international waters?"

http://video.state.gov/en/video/1020891811001

Poor thing doesn't know what to say... "I don't have anything on legality here." "I'm not a Law of the Sea expert here"

Not sure how letters can be humanitarian aid, unless they are used to start fires?

[ready4ONE 5,400]

The mission of the vessel isn't aid, it is to provoke Israel. The ship won't be carrying aid if it goes at all.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The mission of the vessel isn't aid, it is to provoke Israel. The ship won't be carrying aid if it goes at all.

Why should it provoke Israel, unless the folks in Gaza are being held under siege? How can you have an equal partner for peace, unless they are "equal" in autonomy?

[mawilson 2,133]

The Audacity of Hope - a "private complaint" was lodged with the Greek government, claiming the ship is not seaworthy and requires a detailed inspection.

Not to mention the infringement on Obama's intellectual property rights

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Why should it provoke Israel, unless the folks in Gaza are being held under siege? How can you have an equal partner for peace, unless they are "equal" in autonomy?

I stated before ending the blockade is one of many steps Israel will need to take. however the blockade stands for now, and the Audacity of Hope won't be carrying aid, thus the purpose of their voyage appears fairly to be labeled provocation.

[mawilson 2,133]

I stated before ending the blockade is one of many steps Israel will need to take. however the blockade stands for now, and the Audacity of Hope won't be carrying aid, thus the purpose of their voyage appears fairly to be labeled provocation.

Keep 'em coming, Shayetet 13 are ready for you.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

Not to mention the infringement on Obama's intellectual property rights

maybe that's why it's not seaworthy, they are sailing a copy of obama's book.

[mawilson 2,133]

maybe that's why it's not seaworthy, they are sailing a copy of obama's book.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

New information coming out about the "complaint."

Max Blumenthal has uncovered some very interesting details:

...the Israel Law Center, Shurat Hadin, accepted responsibility for the complaint, which was essentially a baseless but startlingly successful exercise in legal harassment. Who is Shurat Hadin, and what is their agenda? According to the group’s website, Shurat Hadin is a Tel Aviv-based law center that specializes in lawsuits against “terrorists.” Its founder, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, describes herself in her bio as a “human rights activist.”

...

...a major donor to Shurat Hadin is the homophobic far-right Pastor John Hagee. In March 2010, I reported that Hagee appeared beside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a major rally in Jerusalem to denounce the two state solution and announce the financial contributions he and his supporters were making to Israeli organizations. Among the organizations Hagee said he had bankrolled was Shurat Hadin.

Israel Law Center behind harassment of flotilla funded by homophobic End Timer Pastor John Hagee

Also, in another incident (according to Ha'aretz):

One of the ships due to participate in the Gaza flotilla was deliberately tampered with while it was docked in Greece’s Piraeus port, Gaza flotilla activists told Haaretz on Monday.

The ship, due to carry Greek, Norwegian, and Swedish passengers to Gaza, was found with its propeller shaft broken, the ship’s spokesman Israeli activist Dror Feiler told Haaretz.

Gaza flotilla activists: One of our ships was sabotaged

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Republican Senator John McCain repudiated Hagee’s endorsement as soon as Hagee’s statements describing the Holocaust as a fulfillment of divine prophecy came to light. Hagee has also asserted his belief that the anti-Christ was “partially Jewish, as was Adolph Hitler.” As the researcher and reporter Bruce Wilson has documented, Hagee preaches that the Jewish Rothschild family controls the US economy through the Federal Reserve and conspires to attack the American middle class by devaluing the dollar. In his 2006 book Jerusalem Countdown, Hagee claimed that a lineage of “half-breed Jews,” descended from Esau and which included Adolf Hitler, have persecuted full-blooded Jews throughout history. Hagee prophesied that God intended to exterminate that “half-breed Jew” line.

These statements — and countless more demonizing gays, Muslims, and anyone else Hagee deems to be allied with “the Enemy” – have been widely reported. However, nothing Hagee says or does seems to deter the “human rights activist” Darshan-Leitner and Shurat Hadin from embracing him and benefiting from his riches.

Israel Law Center behind harassment of flotilla funded by homophobic End Timer Pastor John Hagee

Edited June 27, 2011 by wife_of_mahmoud

[mawilson 2,133]

So a nutjob is paying a bunch of other nutjobs to stop a nutty flotilla.

How is this pastor affiliated with the Israeli government which you constantly vilify?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

So a nutjob is paying a bunch of other nutjobs to stop a nutty flotilla.

How is this pastor affiliated with the Israeli government which you constantly vilify?

So you think that Nitsana and her Israeli Law Center are nutjobs. OK then !

Actually, I never said Hagee was "affiliated" with the Israeli government. However, as Blumenthal notes:

Hagee appeared beside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a major rally in Jerusalem to denounce the two state solution and announce the financial contributions he and his supporters were making to Israeli organizations.

You don't get invited to appear with Bibi at a rally if you're just some random guy.

There is definitely an ongoing relationship. Hagee has been to Israel 22 times, all expenses paid, and met with every Prime Minister since Begin. Apparently the suitcases of money he delivers - and the political support of his Christians United For Israel - are more than enough to get a pass for his anti-Semitic beliefs.

[mawilson 2,133]

You don't get invited to appear with Bibi at a rally if you're just some random guy.

There is definitely an ongoing relationship. Hagee has been to Israel 22 times, all expenses paid, and met with every Prime Minister since Begin. Apparently the suitcases of money he delivers - and the political support of his Christians United For Israel - are more than enough to get a pass for his anti-Semitic beliefs.

Politics as usual. A politician would do anything for a suitcase of cash.