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Israel raids ships carrying aid to Gaza, killings civilians


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(CNN) -- The United Nations said it is shocked at the loss of life during the Israeli military pre-dawn raid on a flotilla of six ships carrying aid for the Palestinian territory of Gaza.

The U.N. has urged Israel to take no further steps that could endanger civilian lives.

"We wish to make clear that such tragedies are entirely avoidable if Israel heeds the repeated calls of the international community to end its counterproductive and unacceptable blockade of Gaza," said a joint statement from Robert Serry, U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Filippo Grandi, Commissioner-General of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency.

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http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/05/31/israel.raid.gaza.reaction/index.html?hpt=T1

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Given the stunning amounts of weapons that get smuggled into the Palestinians, I can certainly see that Israel has a horse in the race.

OTOH, a big part of me says that the next aid convoy should be on US ships. (And the message should be quietly delivered that if those ships get stopped, then the next convoy will be escorted by the US Navy.)

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Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in Canada, was set to travel to Washington to meet with President Barack Obama on Tuesday. But his office says he decided to return home early after Monday’s commando raid. Possibly another crisis brewing.

It does appear that this could be a spark to something bigger. Everyone seems pissed about it. This doesn't look good for the Middle East.

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Everyone keeps saying Turkey is changing?

The same Turkey that wouldn't let us use there border to go through Iraq and change our routes? I spent a year there in Sinop in 88. We were told to say we were Germans going to Istanbul university when off the base.

There needs to be better video:

The Turks had no business breaking the Israel line without thinking

The Israeli's should have HD cameras on each member...

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Given the stunning amounts of weapons that get smuggled into the Palestinians, I can certainly see that Israel has a horse in the race.

OTOH, a big part of me says that the next aid convoy should be on US ships. (And the message should be quietly delivered that if those ships get stopped, then the next convoy will be escorted by the US Navy.)

I'm all for it. Besides, chances are if they are on US ships esp. escorted by the Navy said weapons won't be on them and there will be incentive for Israel to attack the ships.

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There are times when I fantasize about the possibility of the Palestenians permitting the US to build a military base in their territory.

This base would have it's own power, water and sewage treatment. These utilities would be grossly oversized, and the excess capacity would be provided to the Palestinians. Giving them utilities which are not under Israeli control. As with all military bases, it will have a large hospital which (hopefully) won't be used at anywhere near capacity. Allowing it to provide medical care to the natives.

The base would be located on one of their borders, and the US will serve as customs inspectors. Preventing weapons from crossing the border, but also giving the Palestinians a "port" for international shipments which aren't under Israeli control.

Yeah, it means US troops being stationed somewhere overseas. On an open-ended mission. But to me, if it could lend some stability to that area, it would be the best money we've ever spent.

In my fantasy world everybody wins. The US gains a lot of "cred" for being more neutral. The US gains a base in an area where we'll probably need them for a long time. The Palestinians gain some reliable utilities. Maybe they can build some permanent housing, even. The Israelis get some Palestinians who might decide that hey, this peace thing is kind of nice.

Probably never work.

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The ship convoy was mostly a big PR move to challenge the gaza blockade, Congress members from Sweden, Finland, Germany etc. EU parliament politicians and a handful of left leaning celebrities of various stature were on the boats so I doubt they were smuggling guns. They big issue seems be that Israel struck before the boats reached Israeli waters which I guess technically is illegal and obviously the use of deadly force.

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The ship convoy was mostly a big PR move to challenge the gaza blockade, Congress members from Sweden, Finland, Germany etc. EU parliament politicians and a handful of left leaning celebrities of various stature were on the boats so I doubt they were smuggling guns. They big issue seems be that Israel struck before the boats reached Israeli waters which I guess technically is illegal and obviously the use of deadly force.

This is a perfect PR move, and one that I've been waiting for someone to make for a long time, in one move what this move does is it puts Israel on the side against those bringing medical aid to the Palestinians; and Israel used its paranoia to play perfectly in the PR move with their use of force, because now they are the one's who just shot 9 people who were bringing humanitarian aid to an impoverished people.

I know that this story is still developing but the organizers of this flotilla had better be 110% positive that there were ZERO weapons or military aid on those ships.

Now, if they seized these ships in international waters then they stormed the ship then Israel has a whole other situation to deal with in the violation of international maritime law.

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Civilians who intentionally put themselves in harms way are no longer civilians, just as civilians who attack soldiers are no longer civilians. according to CNN they couldnt verify that the activists hadnt attcked the Israelis who boarded the ships. and btw when a country states its BLOCKADING another country to prosecute an embargo its not exactly rocket science to expect them to follow through. unlike the US and the UN Israel rarely makes a threat without backing up with action.

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My guess is that Israel will use that as the excuse for the raid that killed 9 people.

What other reason would they have for doing it? Do you think they randomly choose ships to blow up because they just like killing people?

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What other reason would they have for doing it? Do you think they randomly choose ships to blow up because they just like killing people?

oh I see, it's all about intent. nothing to see here folks, move along. Israel is innocent.

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