Flotilla activist: Israel wanted Irish ship to sink at sea

[Scurrilous]

Owner of Irish ship Saorise presents photos of damaged propeller shaft, which he says was damaged in order sink ship after it had set sail for Gaza. 'Israel only party likely to have carried out this potentially murderous act,' he says

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4089360,00.html

<snip>

"The coordinator of the Irish ship Saoirse, bound for Gaza in an international flotilla, told Ynet Thursday Israel had sabotaged the ship so that it would sink in mid-sail, not in order to prevent it from sailing.

"This was a potentially murderous act," said Dr Fintan Lane, who also owns the vessel.

"If we had not spotted the damage as a result of a short trip in the bay, we would have gone to sea with a dangerously damaged propeller shaft," he said.

"One of the most shocking aspects is the delayed nature of the sabotage. It wasn't designed to stop the ship from leaving its berth; instead, it was intended that the fatal damage to the ship would occur while she was at sea and this could have resulted in the deaths of several of those on board."

The sabotage claims against Israel Wednesday succeeded similar claims made by the operators of the Juliano vessel, a Greek flotilla ship which also requires repair."


Israel has become a society of force and violence

<snip>

"Are we listening to ourselves? Are we still aware of the awful noise coming from here? Have we noticed how the discourse is becoming more and more violent and how the language of force has just about become Israel's only official language?

A group of international activists is slated to sail a flotilla to the shores of the Gaza Strip. Many of them are social activists and fighters for peace and justice, veterans of the struggle against apartheid, colonialism, imperialism, pointless wars and injustice. Just stating that is difficult here, since they have already been described as thugs.

There are intellectuals, Holocaust survivors and people of conscience among them. When they fought against apartheid in South Africa or the war in Vietnam, they won admiration for their actions even here. But to say an admiring word now about these people, some of whom are elderly, who are risking their lives and investing their money and time for a goal they see as just, is considered treason. It's possible that some violent people have intermingled with them, but the vast majority are people of peace, not haters of Israel but those who hate its injustices. They have decided not to remain silent - to challenge the existing order, which is unacceptable to them, which cannot be acceptable to any moral person.

Yes, they want to create a provocation - the only way to remind the world about Gaza's situation, in which no one takes an interest unless Qassam rockets or flotillas are involved. Yes, the situation in Gaza has improved in recent months, in part because of the previous flotilla. But no, Gaza is still not free - far from it. It has no outlet to the sea or air, there are no exports, and its inhabitants are still partially imprisoned. Israelis who freak out if Ben-Gurion International Airport shuts down for two hours should be able to understand what life without a port is like. Gaza is entitled to its freedom, and those aboard the flotilla are entitled to take action in an effort to achieve this. Israel should be allowing them to demonstrate.

But look at how Israel is reacting. The flotilla was described immediately, by everyone, as a security threat; its activists were classified as enemies, and there was no doubt cast on the ridiculous assumptions that defense officials are making and the press has lapped up eagerly. We haven't heard the last of the campaign to demonize the previous flotilla, in which Turkish citizens were killed for no reason, yet the new campaign has already begun. It has all the buzzwords: danger, chemical substances, hand-to-hand combat, Muslims, Turks, Arabs, terrorists and maybe some suicide bombers. Blood and fire and pillars of smoke!"

more

[hack89]

1. What a bunch of nonsense!

A bent or broken shaft will not sink a ship. The shaft is external to the ship - there is no way it will let water inside the hull. And lets not forget the fact that the ship had a perfectly fine 2nd shaft.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. a shaft is powered internally, and the only thing

preventing sinking is the use of heavy duty seals. A broken or bent shaft that damages the seals will sink a ship. Ask any WWII UBoat captain.

[stuwis]

3. So Israel is guilty because some flake says they are?

Hamas shoots rockets that kill Israeli or are certainly intended to kill civilians in Israel. Where is the care for Israelis? Further, according to International Law, blockades are perfectly legal and the ONLY requirement of the blockading power is to allow in sufficient food and water. Israel gets criticized for not allowing in enough cardamon! If Hamas wants its citizens to have cardamon, perhaps they should stop their murderous actions.
Additionally, Egypt controls Gaza's other border. If these 'activists' really cared, they would either bring their supplies into Ashdod Israel, where others have brought supplies, which are checked and then sent on to Gaza, or to Egypt and have them brought that way.
To pretend these 'activists' are anything other than ridiculous 'people in search of a cause' intent on slandering Israel regardless of any facts is absurd. They are intent on violating Insternational Law and are upset they are not being allowed to do so, and like the spoiled children they are, they cry and whine about it.
To pay them heed shames anyone who does so.

[Mugweed]

4. Flakes, huh?

Who do you think sabotaged the ships, Palestinians? I don't think I can actually respond without hurling insults at you, so I'll just sigh at your ignorance.

[Rageneau]

6. I think maybe NOBODY sabotaged the ships.

All we know is what we've heard from people who seem to be aching to get to be victims of the Israelis. Such people may exaggerate or prevaricate.

[holdencaufield]

7. Who sabotaged the ships?

My money is on the Methodists

[stuwis]

9. Yes flake

That some person on the flotilla accused Israel of sabotage does NOT mean the ship was sabotaged.
But since you want to hate regardless of any facts, you will believe Israel guilty.

As one who has spent a great deal of time on the ocean, there are hundreds and thousands of things that can and do go wrong all the time.But blame Israel. After all, its their fault if it a Palestinian gets a hang nail.

[Scurrilous]

5. An Open Letter to Illinois Senator Mark Kirk

An Open Letter to Illinois Senator Mark Kirk from three constituents responding to his call for U.S. Special Forces to attack a flotilla of ships that will sail to Gaza

Senator Mark Kirk

Washington, DC
524 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510

June 29th, 2011

Dear Senator Kirk,

We are Illinois residents writing to you from Athens, Greece. Just before leaving the United States, we wrote to inform your office about our intent to sail on “The Audacity of Hope,” as part of the US Boat to Gaza project. In our letters, we explained why we were traveling to Gaza. We told you of our previous experiences living among Palestinians who lack access to basic necessities, such as clean water, because of the blockade. Referring to Gaza as the world’s largest open-air prison, we mentioned how hard it has been for people to rebuild after previous lethal assaults, especially the Operation Cast Lead attack which ended, after 22 days, on January 18, 2009. According to B’tselem, the foremost Israeli Human Rights Organization, Operation Cast Lead caused the deaths of 1,389 Palestinians in Gaza. Of those, 344 were children. Of the 13 Israelis who were killed, four were soldiers killed by friendly fire.

Knowing that you and your staff care deeply about the consequences of unemployment, poor education and dangerously limited health care delivery, we pointed out related statistics affecting people in Gaza where 45% of the population is unemployed and hospital administrators are sounding the alarm because they are running out of crucial medicines. Half of Gaza’s 1.6 million people are under age 18.

As you’ve recently noted, a flotilla of ships plans to arrive in Gaza. Our ship will carry 3,000 letters addressed to Gazan children and families. Other boats are carrying humanitarian assistance.

Greek authorities have been checking into various complaints which have stalled the flotilla’s progress. In our case, a complaint was lodged by the Israel Law Center, located in Tel Aviv, suggesting that our boat is not seaworthy. Two of the boats have been sabotaged while docked in the harbor, causing further delays.

A website, www.military.com, reports that you said the United States should “make available all necessary special operations and naval support to the Israeli Navy to effectively disable flotilla vessels before they can pose a threat to Israeli coastal security or put Israeli lives at risk.”

You have an unusual opportunity to demonstrate thoughtful reconsideration of your earlier decision. Op-ed pieces have appeared in Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, encouraging the Israeli government to let the flotilla pass.

“There is nearly nothing which more effectively delegitimizes Israel - and makes Israel look more like an uncaring blockhead state - than does the siege of Gaza,” wrote Bradley Burston, Senior Editor of Haaretz and a former Israeli Defense Force medic. “The siege benefits Hamas in a thousand ways and Israel in none. But there is one thing that does the work of delegitimization even better: attacking civilians in order to protect the siege. Enter the 21st century. Before it’s too late. You’re not young commandos anymore… Do your nation a favor - act your age. The flotilla is not a terrorist fleet. It is not an arms shipment. The flotilla is, however, a statement about Israel, a judgment of its policies, and, in the end, the verdict will come directly from you.”

Senator Kirk, we are your constituents. It’s not too late for you to acknowledge that your earlier call for military action against us jeopardizes our safety and to reverse your claim which insinuates that we are dangerous people. We write with utmost respect for our collective responsibility to secure a better world, breaking the irrational cycle of military aggression and upholding basic human rights of all people.

Sincerely, Max Suchan, Chicago IL Kathy Kelly, Chicago IL Robert Naiman, Champaign-Urbana

http://vcnv.org/an-open-letter-to-illinois-senator-mark-kirk

[azurnoir]

8. Seems 'odd' that this boat would be sabatoged when indeed if as Israel claims

it is the Dutch ship that is just chock a block with Hamas members and supporters and it is Hamas Israel claims to be worried about