Turkey Demands Israel Apology: Israel Says Get Over it

Remember the terror flotilla filled with anti-Israel activists that Turkey tried to send to Gaza? As Turkey grows closer and closer to Iran and Syria, they were aware of Israel's legal blockade, but sent the hostile flotilla anyway. People aboard the Mavi Mamara died after video clearly shows the flotilla activists attacking Israeli forces. Now Turkey wants an apology. Israel says there will be none.

Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish prime minister, Erdogan, said his country will cut all ties to Israel if the apology isn't issued. Turkey is relying on another UN report sanctioning Israel, the most UN-sanctioned country in the history of the dictatorial, Muslim-dominated body. Sanctioning Israel is routine in the United Nations - certainly nothing new, and Israel has dug-in.

Israel and Turkey forged a "friendship" of sorts in past years, and shared military operations and intelligence. Turkey knows and must understand the life-saving blockade, so why test Israel with the terror flotilla? Maybe this is the reason:

Turkey has improved relations with neighbours such as Iran and Syria in recent years and Erdogan became a popular figure among Muslim countries for championing the Palestinian cause. 

Israel believes Turkey may vote against harsher sanctioning of Iran in the UN.

An interesting side-story is two well-known Muslim journalists, Magdi Khalil and Abdallah al-Hadlaq, taking Israel's side in the flotilla search, saying they had every right to do so, and the flotilla was intended to be hostile and was armed.  Read that story here.

Related and Background:
Reuters Crops Terrorist Knife, Hides IDF Soldier's Blood - Photos

Israel Protests Right to Search Ships Bound for Gaza - IDF video

The Intolerable Misery in Gaza - video

The Gaza You Didn't Think Existed - video


Young Jewish Man Carries Israeli Flag in LA Muslim Street Protest (Video)

Gaza Flotilla Terror Choir: We Con the World (Video)

Furkan Dogan American Dead on Gaza Flotilla

Hamas Flotilla Aid Refused

Gaza Flotilla - al Qaeda Members Aboard

Susan Rice, American UN Ambassador Skips Terror Flotilla Discussions at UN

Flotilla War Atmosphere before Israel Boarded - Martyrdom or Gaza Shores



Why Support Israel? Here are my answers:

The Angst of Supporting Israel
Who and What are Palestinians?
Rupert Murdock: U.S., European Survival Without Israel
Without Support, What Happens to Israel?
Golda Meir: War and Wisdom
About that Two-State Solution
How the Gaza Tunnels into Egypt Work
Discovering Kryptonite, Disabling Superman
United Nations Condemns Hamas - Gotcha!
United Nations Seal Condemnation of Israel

Women Filling Next Free Gaza Flotilla: Women are the Secret Weapon

Organizers of the next Free Gaza Flotilla are filling at least the first boat with women, because the "thieving enemy" [Israel] won't use arms against woman. Women are the "secret weapon." That, in stark contrast to the habit of Hamas in Gaza habitually using women and children as human shields. Stay with this because the news has changed many times in the last 24 hours.

Women the Secret Weapon

The Turkish organizers have been added to Israel's terror watch list, known as The Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Aid (IHH).

A Lebanese lawyer, Samar Alhaj is also a female activist with ties to Hizbollah, is heading the group of female floaters. She says her ship Mariam, named after the Virgin Mary will transport her secret weapons. Alhaj did not mention that an Arab newspapers are quoting Lebanese sources saying it is illegal for a ship leaving Lebanon to dock in an Israeli port.

This time the boats will have more Christians (infidels) than Muslims, and it floats out of Lebanon, a country hostile to Israel:

Asked on Radio A-Shams by Zohair Bahloul why the ship, Mariam, would only be carrying women, she said, “We are women in order not to give the thieving enemy an excuse to use arms against the ship.” She said the ship would be carrying cancer medication for children, and women suffering from breast cancer and cancer of the uterus due to “chemical bombs” dropped on Gaza by Israel...

Speaking of Israel, she said, “the entity that was not defeated will be defeated by women that will come on the boat. Our weapon is cancer medication. 

Alhaj said that the boat will have some 50 women, “more Christians than Muslims,” and will be coming from Lebanon, the US, France, Britain, Japan, Kuwait and Egypt. 

But now we hear Israel may allow aid ships directly into the port of Gaza after inspection, rather than Israel transporting the cargo.

So, we'll see how that works out for Israel. This from the man who funds the flotillas:

He said he had a message for Israelis: ‘Get on the ships we are sending you and go back to your lands. Don’t let the moderate Arab leaders delude you, [you] cannot make peace with us. Our children will return to Palestine, you have no reason for coexistence. Even if our leaders will sign a peace agreement, we will not sign.’”

On Lebanese television, he also referred to Israelis as "Europe's refuse."

Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister says there is no need of an "aid flotilla."Israel is opening the way for use of legitimate existing land crossings." Nevertheless, Israel has continued their warnings, saying they will "use all necessary means to stop the vessels, so in light of all this, someone made an executive decision and decided to float the boat to Cyprus. And now - more decisions, the flotilla may not float at all.

Free Palestine Blockades Oakland, CA Port

That's right, Free Palestine blockades a ship from Zim Lines, which has its headquarters in Israel. The goal was to shutdown the docks where the Israeli ship is docked for 24 hours. See the list of participants below,  courtesy of Pajamas Media: Islamists and communists, with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union voting to not cross the picket line! Do you get that? Islamists have shut down an Oakland, California dock and the Union allowed it.

Oakland Blockade - take a look at the Turkish and Palestinian flags!

From Pajamas Media:

Keep in mind that the Port of Oakland is not some minor, backwater city-owned port: it is in fact the fourth busiest port in the country and a major linchpin in the economy of California and the West, serving as the gateway for much of the materials coming from Asia into the United States. A threat to the proper functioning of the Port of Oakland can effect the economy nationwide. It’s not a good sign that fringe groups can dictate which countries get to ship goods into the US. What if someone protested at the port against China’s human rights record? Would the longshoremen stop unloading Chinese ships and bring most West Coast imports to a halt? Obviously not. Pragmatism dictates that you can bully a small trading partner, but not a big one.

Pajamas Media - who, what when and where:

The planned protest and blockade were organized by The Free Palestine Movement (one of the same groups which organized the Gaza “flotilla” in the first place) as well as a rogues’ gallery of nearly every communist, anti-Israel and radical Islamist group in the Bay Area:

Oakland, CA: Join the Labor and Community Picket of an Israeli Zim Lines Ship

Sunday, June 20, 5:30am

Port of Oakland,Berth 57, Middle Harbor Rd.

Protest Israel’s Attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla!

Boycott Israeli Ships and Goods!

Lift the Blockade NOW – Let Gaza Live!

Bring Down Israel’s Apartheid Wall!

We call on everyone who stands for justice and against occupation and apartheid to join the June 20 picket at the Port of Oakland. This is a moment of great opportunity. In San Francisco in 1984, a picket line and refusal to unload cargo of a ship carrying South African cargo was a key event in mobilizing the anti-apartheid movement worldwide.

Sponsored by: Labor / Community Committee in Solidarity with the People of Palestine: 

Arab American Union Members Council, ANSWER- Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, Palestine Youth Network, US Palestine Community Network, Al Awda- Right to Return Coalition, Arab Youth Organization, MECA-Middle East Children’s Alliance, Students for Justice in Palestine, Arab Resource and Organizing Center, International Solidarity Movement, San Jose Peace and Justice Center, International Socialist Organization, Peace and Freedom Party – SF, Transport Workers Solidarity Committee and many labor activists in the Bay Area

Read the details about our labor unions and their participation, and see a video at Pajamas Media.

Flotilla War Atmosphere before Israel Boarded: Al-Jazeera: Martyrdom or Gaza Shores

The Muqata website is following the terrorist "Flotilla" news closely. You will find ongoing updates there. A couple of things from the website that you won't read elsewhere:

There is nothing humanitarian about Palestine's hate for Israel

The Muquata:

PMW reports: On the day before the Gaza flotilla confronted the Israeli navy, Al-Jazeera TV documented the pre-battle atmosphere created by men on board the flotilla, chanting a well known Islamic battle cry invoking the killing and defeat of Jews in battle:

"[Remember] Khaibar, Khaibar, oh Jews! The army of Muhammad will return!"

The flotilla's goal:

Al-Jazeera also interviewed a woman who said that the flotilla participants' goal was "one of two happy endings: either Martyrdom or reaching Gaza."

Read the background on this story here, and remember, the Oslo Accords grants Israel the right to blockade, and the right to stop-and-or-search ships for weapons bound for Palestine.

Related and Background:
American Emily Henochowicz Loses Eye in Terror Flotilla Protest

Young Jewish Man Carries Israeli Flag in LA Muslim Street Protest (Video)

Gaza Flotilla Terror Choir: We Con the World (Video)

Furkan Dogan American Dead on Gaza Flotilla

Hamas Flotilla Aid Refused

Gaza Flotilla - al Qaeda Members Aboard

Susan Rice, American UN Ambassador Skips Terror Flotilla Discussions at UN

Flotilla War Atmosphere before Israel Boarded - Martyrdom or Gaza Shores


The Angst of Supporting Israel
Who and What are Palestinians?
Rupert Murdock: U.S., European Survival Without Israel

Without Support, What Happens to Israel?
Golda Meir: War and Wisdom
About that Two-State Solution
How the Gaza Tunnels into Egypt Work
Discovering Kryptonite, Disabling Superman
United Nations Condemns Hamas - Gotcha!
United Nations Seal Condemnation of Israel

In a class of its own:
Gaza Flotilla Terror Choir: We Con the World Video

Linked by Reaganite Republican in Netanyahu Strongly Defends IDF Actions

The Truth About Gaza

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

Is the fancy restaurants and Olympic-size pools kept hidden from the West!

Yes that is the truth. Some Concentration Camp!  That is what the Main Stream Media and the pro-Palestinian anti-Semites in the Free Gaza Movement call Gaza: The World's Largest Concentration Camp!

What they (The Main Stream Media) won’t tell you about are the fancy new restaurants and swimming pools of Gaza, or about the wind surfing competitions on Gaza beaches, or the Strip’s crowded shops and markets. Many Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza live a middle class (and in some cases an upper class) lifestyle that western journalists refuse to report on because it doesn’t fit with the simplistic story they were sent to write.

Here, courtesy of the Palestinian Ma’an news agency, is a report on Gaza’s new Olympic-sized swimming pool . (Most Israeli towns don’t have Olympic-size swimming pools. One wonders how an area that claims to be starved of water and building materials and depends on humanitarian aid builds an Olympic size swimming pool and creates a luxury lifestyle for some while others are forced to live in abject poverty as political pawn refugees?)

If you pop into the Roots Club in Gaza, according to the Lonely Planet guidebook, you can “dine on steak au poivre and chicken cordon bleu”.

The restaurant’s website in Arabic gives a window into middle class dining and the lifestyle of Hamas officials in Gaza. And here it is in English, for all the journalists, UN types and NGO staff who regularly frequent this and other nice Gaza restaurants (but don’t tell their readers about them).

And here is a promotional video of the club restaurant . In case anyone doubts the authenticity of this video, I just called the club in Gaza City and had a nice chat with the manager who proudly confirmed business is booming and many Palestinians and international guests are dining there.

In a piece for The Wall Street Journal last year, I documented the “after effects” of a previous “emergency Gaza boat flotilla,” when the arrivals were seen afterwards purchasing souvenirs in well-stocked shops. (You can also scroll down here for more pictures of Gaza’s “impoverished” shops.)

But the mainstream liberal international media won’t report on any of this. Playing the manipulative game of the BBC is easy: if we had their vast taxpayer funded resources, we too could produce reports about parts of London, Manchester and Glasgow and make it look as though there is a humanitarian catastrophe throughout the UK. We could produce the same effect by selectively filming seedy parts of Paris and Rome and New York and Los Angeles too.

Of course there is poverty in Gaza. There is poverty in parts of Israel too. (When was the last time a foreign journalist based in Israel left the pampered lounge bars and restaurants of the King David and American Colony hotels in Jerusalem and went to check out the slum-like areas of southern Tel Aviv? Or the hard-hit Negev towns of Netivot or Rahat?)

But the way that many prominent Western news media are deliberately misleading global audiences and systematically creating the false impression that people are somehow starving in Gaza, and that it is all Israel’s fault, can only serve to increase hatred for the Jewish state – which one suspects was the goal of many of the editors and reporters involved in the first place.

Read it all here.

Olympic-sized swimming pools and fancy gourmet restaurants just like the type that Auschwitz and Dachau had.  And what about those starving children?

These children look starved, malnourished, and depressed!

Depression really has taken hold on these children of  Gaza.

Compare those pictures to these of actual starving children.

These children starved to death. There have been no reports of massive starvation or malnutrition coming out of Gaza. If anyone can show me reputable source (None Palestinian or Free Gaza loonies.  WHO, or International Red Cross is acceptable.) I will post a retraction.  But they don't
acknowledge any incidents.

Before one condemns, one should learn all the facts.