News What were the consequences of Israel's attack on the Gaza Aid Flotilla?

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A group of peace advocates attempted to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza via a convoy, which was intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters. The IDF's response resulted in significant injuries and fatalities among the activists, raising accusations of state terrorism against Israel. The incident has sparked intense debate, with some arguing that the activists provoked the confrontation intentionally for media attention, while others condemn Israel's military actions as excessive and unjustified. The Israeli government had previously offered to allow the supplies to be inspected and delivered through its ports, which the convoy organizers refused. The situation has drawn international criticism, particularly regarding the humanitarian impact of Israel's blockade on Gaza, and has heightened tensions, especially with Turkey, which has expressed outrage over the incident. The legality of Israel's actions is contested, with arguments surrounding international law and the enforcement of blockades. The discussion reflects deep divisions over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the complexities of humanitarian efforts in a militarized context.
  • #251
Proton Soup said:
they wanted press and they got it. people will actually pay attention to their concerns, now, because they refuse to be ignored.
But they're getting very bad attention, they're turning a lot of people against them. Each time they do these things, they look worse to the public. People have no sympathy for hostile, irrational groups, like the one on the floatilla.
 
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  • #252
russ_watters said:
The one that is the subject of this thread.

What? There was no mention of a state in "the subject of this thread".
 
  • #253
Evo said:
But they're getting very bad attention, they're turning a lot of people against them. Each time they do these things, they look worse to the public. People have no sympathy for hostile, irrational groups, like the one on the floatilla.

Really? I was under the complete opposite impression. If anything, Israel is losing public support.
 
  • #254
Evo said:
But they're getting very bad attention, they're turning a lot of people against them. Each time they do these things, they look worse to the public. People have no sympathy for hostile, irrational groups, like the one on the floatilla.

i'm not sure i agree. they were defending their ship, and they weren't attacking civilians. of the weapons put on display, you can't really make a case for attempting to supply arms to militant groups in Gaza, only defending the ship. it wasn't even an effective defense.
 
  • #256
Proton Soup said:
i'm not sure i agree. they were defending their ship, and they weren't attacking civilians. of the weapons put on display, you can't really make a case for attempting to supply arms to militant groups in Gaza, only defending the ship. it wasn't even an effective defense.
They weren't defending their ship, they provoked a confrontation. IMO, those people aren't rational. Their type of irrational hostilities don't sit well with most Americans.
 
  • #257
Evo said:
They weren't defending their ship, they provoked a confrontation. IMO, those people aren't rational. Their type of irrational hostilities don't sit well with most Americans.

no, they're perfectly rational. they're just willing to die for their cause. you probably know some people like that.
 
  • #258
Proton Soup said:
no, they're perfectly rational. they're just willing to die for their cause. you probably know some people like that.

But like I said in an earlier post, this conflict goes waaaaay back and as far as we know, it's going to go faaaar into the future.

It's one thing to die for a cause, if your death will change things. The people on that boat, their deaths will mean nothing in the long run. I think that's irrational.
 
  • #259
Proton Soup said:
no, they're perfectly rational. they're just willing to die for their cause. you probably know some people like that.
No, people I know prefer to use their intellect if they have a grievance. That is how you gain respect for your cause. They will not refuse to stop irrational attacks.
 
  • #260
lisab said:
But like I said in an earlier post, this conflict goes waaaaay back and as far as we know, it's going to go faaaar into the future.

It's one thing to die for a cause, if your death will change things. The people on that boat, their deaths will mean nothing in the long run. I think that's irrational.

yeah, could be. i have no idea where it will lead. if history is a guide, then not much will change.
 
  • #261
Werg22 said:
What? There was no mention of a state in "the subject of this thread".
Being intentionally dense/coy is trolling. Stop.
 
  • #263
russ_watters said:
There is no need for hypotheticals. Most developed countries have/have had such menaces:

-The British had the Falklands and the Irish
-The Irish have...the Irish
-The French have Algeria
-The Spanish have the Basques
-The Russians have the Chechens and the Afghans
-The US has the Afghans and the Libyans
-The Chinese have the Tibetans
-The Iraqis have the Kurds
-And everyone has the Somalis

No two are exactly alike, and while some are justified and some not, in all cases the propaganda of the smaller group is that they are oppressed by the bigger country.
Do you mean by this that it is untrue in all these cases, that the smaller group is oppressed by the bigger country?

EDIT: Ignore this post.
 
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  • #264
Gokul:
What is it you don't understand about Russ' sentence:
"some are justified and some are not?"

Propaganda is not necessarily lies, but an assemblage of public posturing and determination to get some view disseminated into the media/populace at large.

And, in that respect, Russ' assertion that all such minority propaganda revolves around being oppressed by the majority is fairly well substantiated.
 
  • #265
arildno said:
Gokul:
What is it you don't understand about Russ' sentence:
"some are justified and some are not?"
Oops! Completely read past that - can't imagine how I did it!
 
  • #266
Gokul43201 said:
Oops! Completely read past that - can't imagine how I did it!

None of us are immune from making largely unconscious deletions in anybody of a text. Our brain is also creative in, by skimming through, inserting what is felt to be "probable content".

This perceptual economisation gives, unfortunately, much undeserved credibility to triumphant cries of "selective bias!"

I'm glad you gave a prompt message that you had misread Russ' post.
 
  • #267
Werg22 said:
And what are these neighboring states that are publicly dedicated to Israel's destruction? I'd like to see official government statements to that regard, past 1979's peace treaty.
Seems hard to miss given the 1948 war, the 1967 war, the recent and well publicized attacks/kidnappings/bombings by Hamas from Gaza, by Hezbolah from Lebanon, both funded and sponsored by other Middle Eastern states. But anyway:

Hamas, now the ruling party in Gaza, 1988 Charter
Goals of the HAMAS:
The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinguished Palestinian
movement, whose allegiance is to Allah, and whose way of life is
Islam. It strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of
Palestine.
(Article 6)

On the Destruction of Israel:
-----------------------------
Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will
obliterate it
, just as it obliterated others before it. (Preamble)
[...]

Rejection of a Negotiated Peace Settlement:
-------------------------------------------
'[Peace] initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and
international conferences are in contradiction to the principles of
the Islamic Resistance Movement... Those conferences are no more than
a means to appoint the infidels as arbitrators in the lands of
Islam... There is no solution for the Palestinian problem except by
Jihad.
Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are but a
waste of time, an exercise in futility.' (Article 13)
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/880818a.htm
 
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  • #268
russ_watters said:
There is no need for hypotheticals. Most developed countries have/have had such menaces:

-The British had the Falklands and the Irish
-The Irish have...the Irish
-The French have Algeria
-The Spanish have the Basques
-The Russians have the Chechens and the Afghans
-The US has the Afghans and the Libyans
-The Chinese have the Tibetans
-The Iraqis have the Kurds
-And everyone has the Somalis

No two are exactly alike, and while some are justified and some not, in all cases the propaganda of the smaller group is that they are oppressed by the bigger country.
True these are examples of large, more powerful countries sniped at by drastically smaller ones. Israel is also fairly strong militarily, but it is vastly outnumbered by its foes in terms of population, who are within rock throwing distance, and who don't simply have some unheard grievance or seek religious independence, but publicly seek to destroy the state of Israel.

Those conditions necessarily require Israel to assume a more hair trigger defense posture than seen in the example states above, and in such a posture it should be unsurprising that we sometimes see Israeli Defense Forces respond with regrettable or excessive force, or even in ways against Israel's own best interest. Soldiers are not policemen.
 
  • #269
Not to mention that the Israeli soldiers that tried to board the ship were brutally attacked by the militants on the ship and the soldiers were fighting for their lives.

The "Free Gaza" movement, which organized the flotilla, said the group's goal was to shatter the blockade. Seems to me they just threw some supplies on board so they could try to make people believe they were just a warm hearted charity.
 
  • #270
Where are the cries of protest when Israel is getting bombed? It always seems like even then people are like "Well, that's what you get for oppressing them."
Reading all the articles about this is getting really tiresome. The "Free Gaza" movement has gotten exactly what it wanted from this.

(Honestly, what is Ireland going to do If they end up losing someone in the same way these other guys did. I don't recall hearing much about their huge swing in the UN or their Navy's prowess on the high seas. Why don't we have flotillas of people trying to bring aid to Tibet(I know Tibet is land-locked).)
 
  • #271
Why don't we have flotillas of people trying to bring aid to Tibet(
Because the Chinese are actually dangerous, whereas every leftist knows that Jews are not.

You-know-who the most dangerous culture is, and that is why leftists go out of their way to please them.

They won't be able to do so, and will only earn contempt&tyranny as their reward.
 
  • #272
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26562617/" an appropriate naval delivery of humanitarian aid to a country beleaguered by a hostile power, despite military dominance of the hostile power in the surrounding waters.
September 5 said:
The flagship of the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, the USS Mount Whitney, arrived at the Georgian port of Poti on Friday with humanitarian supplies.
USS Mount Whitney in the Black Sea.
8993fa7f-4d2c-4fa8-b79a-fb4cc579f068.hmedium.jpg

The in-your-face anchorage at Poti came as Vice President Dick Cheney visited nearby Ukraine, another former Soviet republic that feels threatened by Moscow's military maneuverings.
 
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  • #273
mheslep said:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26562617/" an appropriate naval delivery of humanitarian aid to a country beleaguered by a hostile power, despite military dominance of the hostile power in the surrounding waters.

USS Mount Whitney in the Black Sea.
Had Russia announced a naval blockade?
 
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  • #274
arildno said:
You-know-who the most dangerous culture is, and that is why leftists go out of their way to please them.

They won't be able to do so, and will only earn contempt&tyranny as their reward.
Who/what is the most dangerous culture? You mean religious/nationalist fanaticism of any and all stripes? Or do you have someone in particular in mind?

More generally I don't get why the left would be trying to appease someone just because they are dangerous. Are the lefties afraid? Are they buying time? Do they have some ulterior motive?

Your general line of discussion under this thread has been informative and at times illuminating. But your last post makes absolutely no sense to me. Should I be afraid?
 
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  • #275
EnumaElish said:
Or do you have someone in particular in mind?
Of course.
 
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  • #276
EnumaElish said:
Who/what is the most dangerous culture? You mean religious/nationalist fanaticism of any and all stripes? Or do you have someone in particular in mind?

He's got to be referring to Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church. I mean, no one else claims to be the "only righteous man left on Earth".
 
  • #277
arildno said:
Of course.

The others don't even come close. Not even the Nazis or Aztecs.

Wow. Tell me, would you rather be hanged/executed and meet a quick death or forced to wear a pink triangle and die a miserable death in a concentration camp? There is one that is noticeably more sadistic than the other, I think.

And what culture are you talking about exactly? Lebanese? Moroccan? Egyptian? Persian? Berber? Turkish?
 
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  • #278
As for, for example, religious discriminatory badges, these go back to the Pact of Umar in the 8th century.

The Catholic Church didn't start with that prior than in the Lateran Council of 1215.

I couldn't care less about what faint hopes you've got, due to your state of blissful ignorance.
 
  • #279
Extremism is the most dangerous culture by any standard and throughout human history. Followed closely by a lifestyle of perpetual ignorance.
 
  • #280
EnumaElish said:
Had Russia announced a naval blockade?
[STRIKE]No, but t[/STRIKE]The Russians have an http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sea_Fleet" based out of the Black Sea, and I posit that they would have (were?) harassed (ing) other vessels bringing aid to Georgia in that period.

Edit: Hmm, appears I was wrong, Russia did more than harass, they did indeed set up a Black Sea blockade of Georgia per press accounts:

August 10 said:
Russia also sent a naval squadron to blockade Georgia's Black Sea coast. Ukraine, where the ships were based, warned Russia in response that it has the right to bar the ships from coming back to port because of their mission.
http://www.nysun.com/foreign/georgia-russia-conflict-moves-to-the-black-sea/83533/

August 8 said:
Warships from Russia's Black Sea fleet by Sunday morning had clamped down a naval blockade on Georgia's coastline, turning back "several civilian ships," said Aleksander Lomaia, Georgia's National Security Council Chief, in a statement.
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,3551100,00.html

MOSCOW, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russian warships had arrived at Georgian Black Sea coast to prevent weapons from landing by sea, Interfax news agency quoted a Russian navy source as saying Sunday.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/10/content_9138604.htm#prof
 
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  • #281
I am forced to wonder... If these ships taking aid to Gaza were from the United States government instead of an organization, would they be permitted through without search?
 
  • #282
I see that my posts have been deleted. I guess I'm interfering in an otherwise perfect orgy. Slowly but surely, I can see the moderation culture of this forum. Peace.
 
  • #283
Did they kill the activists by paintball? What am I missing?
Really? I never got the impression that peace was in Israel's interests, nor did I think they didn't realize it.
As for posters making silly irrelevancies as the above, they are hereby ignored.
 
  • #284
arildno said:
Of course.
I honestly want to know why you prefer to make a backhanded comment like this one.

As you are the champion of relevance, how is this line of comments relevant to this thread? How is that different from saying "you-know-who have been leeches on any society or geography they stuck themselves on"? I would oppose that statement and protest it exactly as I did your statement.

I understand why my previous post was deleted, but I don't understand why werg's was.

My personal philosophy is to ignore irrelevant posts -- but never a poster.
 
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  • #285
EnumaElish said:
I honestly want to know why you prefer to make a backhanded comment like this one.

As you are the champion of relevance, how is this line of comments relevant to this thread? How is that different from saying "you-know-who have been leeches on any society or geography they stuck themselves on"? I would oppose that statement and protest it exactly as I did your statement.

I understand why my previous post was deleted, but I don't understand why werg's was.

My personal philosophy is to ignore irrelevant posts -- but never a poster.
Werg's post was deleted because they were previously warned it was trolling by another mentor, and they repeated it, and they were also sent a message when it was deleted. They know why.

Also, please try to address the content of a post and not attack the member.
 
  • #286
What I meant to say was "My personal philosophy is to ignore irrelevant posts -- but never a poster, even when I find it convenient to do so."
 
  • #288
arildno said:
Perhaps somebody feels sympathy for the members of this mob in LA. Note in particular their message at 0:12

Personally, my sympathy goes to to the lone boy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABjE_7uwA0I&feature=player_embedded
Bless the kid. I wasn't in that mob. I see myself a muslim. So don't give me any of that.
 
  • #289
arildno said:
Perhaps somebody feels sympathy for the members of this mob in LA. Note in particular their message at 0:12

Personally, my sympathy goes to to the lone boy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABjE_7uwA0I&feature=player_embedded

How exactly does this post fit into this thread? You are trying to appeal to ours emotions and incite sympathy towards Israel with an event completely removed from the parties involved in the matter at hand. You are insinuating that the contrast between this mob and the lone Israeli supporter has a bearing on who we should side with on this issue. Do you realize how dishonest this is?
 
  • #290
Werg22 said:
How exactly does this post fit into this thread? You are trying to appeal to ours emotions and incite sympathy towards Israel with an event completely removed from the parties involved in the matter at hand. You are insinuating that the contrast between this mob and the lone Israeli supporter has a bearing on who we should side with on this issue. Do you realize how dishonest this is?
It's a demonstration of supporters of the illegal flotila.
 
  • #291
Evo said:
It's a demonstration of supporters of the illegal flotila.

Don't tell me arildno wasn't making a tacit remark by posting this.
 
  • #292
I like how the one lady in the video screams at the boy... "you killed my family" as if the kid personally did it. The kid was pretty stupid for doing that tho imo. Protests are fairly lame imo anyhow.
 
  • #293
magpies said:
I like how the one lady in the video screams at the boy... "you killed my family" as if the kid personally did it. The kid was pretty stupid for doing that tho imo. Protests are fairly lame imo anyhow.

This video is full of funny moments. The guy with the Palestinian flag towards the end struggling for words to finally say "Germany... or whatever" made me chuckle. The journalist making a rebuttal to his claim against Israel's legitimacy by mentioning scripture and king Solomon is another.
 
  • #294
These people don't even realize that the more they show their nastiness, the more normal people are turning against them.
 
  • #295
I'm not sure about that evo from what I'v seen people tend to worship anyone whos nastie.
 
  • #296
Geigerclick said:
I'm guessing he makes the same point that the makers of South Park, Salman Rushdie, Theo van Gogh and others would make. Hell man, I've seen less hatred when black people protest a "Klan" rally. I think his point is that there is an intimidation and media assault by a particular group that few others in history have managed.

That said, I'm not sure how that really relates to this issue, which is not just a matter of Islamic extremists, but also people who think peace can be won through deceptions and simply drowning out single voices.

Oh wait, that video DOES make that point. :rolleyes:

I think the overarching issue is that the world condemned Israel's actions, as always, not because "if you're not a Zionist, you must be an anti-Semite", but because these movements are filled with ideological and religious lunatics.

This bull**** outrage over an attempt to break a blockade, the nature of these protests and how they rapidly become witch-hunts, and so forth.


Edited by Evo - Let's all keep this calm, please.

The video by itself makes no point at all. The title is "Jewish apathy towards counter-protesting, leaves 15-yr old "Daniel" to fight the lion's den", hardly something that is related to this discussion. arildno sets his post to invite us to choose a side between the mob and the boy. Why? Sure, the point you outlined is a very good one, and it might have been part of the purpose of his post, it's the extra innuendo that bothers me.
 
  • #297
Geigerclick said:
I cannot speak for Arildno, I can only share what I took from the video as it relates to this discussion. I am not saying that you're wrong either, but to be fair, I think that Arildno has been clear for pages now that he indeed, sees there is a side to be chosen.

I agree, and he should have continued to make that point by using rational arguments to win our minds, rather he chooses to make an emotional appeal.
 
  • #298
Werg22 said:
The video by itself makes no point at all. The title is "Jewish apathy towards counter-protesting, leaves 15-yr old "Daniel" to fight the lion's den", hardly something that is related to this discussion. arildno sets his post to invite us to choose a side between the mob and the boy. Why? Sure, the point you outlined is a very good one, and it might have been part of the purpose of his post, it's the extra innuendo that bothers me.
I agree the title is leading. I will see if I can find one without a title. Honestly, I didn't even read the title.

Werg22 said:
I agree, and he should have continued to make that point by using rational arguments to win our minds, rather he chooses to make an emotional appeal.
The thing is, IMO, the entire problem is Palestinians and their supporters creating an emotional uproar and blaming the wrong people to boot. If they had been a passive humanitarian shipment, they would have been lead to the correct port and the supplies delivered.

We now know that the "humanitarian shipment" was a disguise for the militant Free Gaza organization.
 
  • #299
mheslep said:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26562617/" an appropriate naval delivery of humanitarian aid to a country beleaguered by a hostile power, despite military dominance of the hostile power in the surrounding waters.

Originally Posted by September 5, 2008

The flagship of the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, the USS Mount Whitney, arrived at the Georgian port of Poti on Friday with humanitarian supplies.

USS Mount Whitney in the Black Sea.
8993fa7f-4d2c-4fa8-b79a-fb4cc579f068.hmedium.jpg

You guys need to stop stalking my myfacebookspace posts...


Om's alterjazeera ego said:
So if you were an Israeli upper mucky muck, how would you deal with the situation? How should the US deal with it?

I think a show of heavy handed compassion is in order.
25 May at 18:59

Now then, I say we get the 6th fleet involved, along with the Admiral Kuznetsov to float up to Tel Aviv a few days before the flotilla arrives, and load up about 10,000 residents. Have the two carriers escort the flotilla to Gaza, and have the volunteers unload all the supplies.

Whoever throws the first rock to break up the kumbayas, gets nuked. Deal?
26 May at 22:02
 
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  • #300
I will double check these facts later. It would appear that plenty of supplies are coming via Israel already.

Despite the maritime and land blockade, one should not rush to the judgment that Gaza is under siege. Every week, about 15,000 tons of humanitarian aid and other essential goods are transferred by Israel to the people of Gaza. Since January 2009, more than a million tons of food, medicine, and goods have been delivered to Gazans - about a ton for every woman, man and child.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Israel+actions+self+defence/3109496/story.html
 
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