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Post by ninathedog on Jun 1, 2010 21:42:04 GMT 4
US activist loses eye after being shot in face with tear gas canisterPosted on: May 31, 2010 International Solidarity Movement 1 June 2010photo: US citizen Emily Henochowicz was shot directly in the face with a tear gas canister as she non-violently demonstrated against the Flotilla massacreUPDATE 1 June, 8:30PM (GMT+2): Emily is recovering at Hadassah Hospital after two surgeries Monday night. She lost her left eye, three metal plates were inserted into her head/face, and her jaw is wired shut. The bone surrounding her eye socket, cheekbone and jawbone are all fractured. Emily was standing peacefully during a demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint Monday when Border Police fired a large number of tear gas canisters directly at the heads of Emily and another ISM activist. 31 May 2010: An American solidarity activist was shot in the face with a tear gas canister during a demonstration in Qalandiya, today. Emily Henochowicz is currently in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem undergoing surgery to remove her left eye, following the demonstration that was held in protest to Israel’s murder of at least 10 civilians aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters this morning. 21-year old Emily Henochowicz was hit in the face with a tear gas projectile fired directly at her by an Israeli soldier during the demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint today. Israeli occupation forces fired volleys of tear gas at unarmed Palestinian and international protesters, causing mass panic amongst the demonstrators and those queuing at the largest checkpoint separating the West Bank and Israel. “They clearly saw us,” said Sören Johanssen, a Swedish ISM volunteer standing with Henochowicz. “They clearly saw that we were internationals and it really looked as though they were trying to hit us. They fired many canisters at us in rapid succession. One landed on either side of Emily, then the third one hit her in the face.”
Henochowicz is an art student at the prestigious Cooper Union, located in East Village, Manhattan.The demonstration was one of many that took place across the West Bank today in outrage over the Israeli military’s attack on the Gaza freedom flotilla and blatant violation of international law. Demonstrations also took place in inside Israel, Gaza and Jerusalem, with clashes occurring in East Jerusalem and Palestinian shopkeepers in the occupied Old City closing their businesses for the day in protest. photo: Henochowicz lost her left eye after being shot directly in the face with a tear gas canisterTear gas canisters are commonly used against demonstrators in the occupied West Bank. In May 2009, the Israeli State Attorney’s Office ordered Israeli Police to review its guidelines for dispersing demonstrators, following the death of a demonstrator, Bassem Abu Rahmah from Bil’in village, caused by a high velocity tear-gas projectile. Tear-gas canisters are meant to be used as a means of crowd dispersal, to be shot indirectly at demonstrators and from a distance. However, Israeli forces frequently shoot canisters directly at protesters and are not bound by a particular distance from which they can shoot. Israeli occupation forces boarded the Mavi Marmara, one of six ships on the Freedom Flotilla at 5 a.m. this morning, opening fire on the hundreds of unarmed civilians aboard. No-one aboard the ships were carrying weapons of any kind, including for defense against a feared Israeli attack in international waters. At least 9 aid workers aboard the ship have been confirmed dead, with dozens more injured. The assault took place 70 miles off the Gaza coast in international waters, after the flotilla was surrounded by three Israeli warships. The Freedom Flotilla, carrying 700 human rights activists from over 40 countries and 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid, was headed for the besieged and impoverished Gaza Strip. The Israeli blockade on Gaza, combined with the illegal buffer zone, has put a stranglehold on the territory. 42% of Gazans are unemployed, and food insecurity hovers around 60% according to figures from the Palestine Centre for Human Rights. Updated on June 1, 2010
Posted under: Features, Press Releases Tags: Emily Henochowicz, Freedom Flotilla, Gaza, low-flying tear gas, Tear-gas palsolidarity.org/2010/05/12604/>> many thanks to Tom V!
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 1, 2010 21:42:54 GMT 4
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 2, 2010 5:28:45 GMT 4
Israel defiant as more ships head for GazaBy Middle East correspondent Anne Barker, staff Updated 1 hour 14 minutes ago -- June 1, 2010 ABC News (Australia)Israel has vowed to block more aid ships heading for Gaza, despite growing condemnation over a military raid that left nine people dead and dozens injured. Israel has faced a barrage of protest from around the world since soldiers raided a flotilla of aid ships on Monday and began shooting at passengers. The Israeli government is standing its ground against the United Nations, NATO and other world leaders who have condemned its actions, and insists the soldiers acted in self defence after being attacked by the ship's passengers. Aid groups say they are determined to push on with plans for at least two more ships as part of a campaign to break the blockade on Gaza. One ship is now off the coast of Italy and could reach Gaza within a week, but the Israeli government says it will not let any ships through. "We will not let any ships reach Gaza and supply what has become a terrorist base threatening the heart of Israel," deputy defence minister Matan Vilnai told public radio. Free Gaza Movement lawyer Audrey Bomse says a cargo ship called the Rachel Corrie is on the way to the Middle East. "We're planning on continuing to send it into Gaza," Ms Bomse said. "We want to make sure that we try to not get anywhere near Gazan waters or Israeli waters at night so we avoid the chaos." This morning Israel said it would immediately deport hundreds of foreign activists who were seized during the raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was leading the aid convoy. A spokesman for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said all 680 activists held would be freed, including two dozen Israel had earlier threatened to prosecute for allegedly assaulting its troops. Five Australians are among those held, and one of them, 20-year-old Ahmad Luqman, was shot in the leg and has had surgery at a hospital in Tel Aviv. The other four are among hundreds being held in a detention centre at Beersheva in Israel's south. Mr Luqman's wife, Jerry Campbell, who was also on the ship and is being held in Beersheva, told her lawyer that her husband was not armed in any way when he was shot. She said neither her husband nor any passengers on board had any weapons when Israeli forces began shooting. She said she had been denied permission even to phone her husband and had not been told which hospital he is in. Arab-Israeli parliamentarian Hanin Zoabi was also on the Turkish ship when it was boarded by the Israeli commandos. Ms Zoabi has diplomatic immunity from prosecution and was one of the first passengers freed. She said she watched what was happening from below deck and saw no provocation from those on board. "The Israeli soldiers began to shoot before the helicopter, while the helicopter was approaching," Ms Zoabi said. She says that as far as she knows, none of the passengers were armed. "Most of the passengers, 90 per cent were inside their rooms and were terrified," Ms Zoabi said. Paintball gunsEarlier, NATO joined growing international demands for the activists to be released, while the United Nations issued a statement condemning Israel's actions and demanding a full inquiry. But Israel is standing by its armed forces, saying they had no choice but to defend their lives against violent attacks from those on board. Overnight the Israeli military admitted it had made mistakes during the raid, saying some of the commandos had been issued with paintball guns for crowd control duties. The Israeli military puts the blame for the deaths on the organisers of the aid flotilla, saying its soldiers were attacked by a lynch mob, some of whom were armed with clubs and knives. One soldier, who was wounded in the fight, spoke to Israeli media. "There were dozens of people, 95 per cent of them armed with knives and clubs," he said. "They simply fell on our forces, using all of those things to attack us." Mr Netanyahu has defended his forces to the hilt. "Our soldiers had to defend themselves, defend their lives or they would have been killed," he said. "And regrettably in this exchange at least 10 people died. We regret this loss of life." Tags: world-politics, law-crime-and-justice, international-law, unrest-conflict-and-war, israel, palestinian-territories
First posted 1 hour 15 minutes ago * Video: Push to open Gaza border (ABC News) * Video: Palestinian activists slam Israeli action (Lateline) * Video: Israel uses raid video as defence (Lateline) * Video: Growing condemnation of Flotilla violence (7.30 Report) * Audio: Pat Geraghty tells 891 ABC she is relieved her daughter, Kate, is safe (Local Radio) * Audio: International calls for Israel to explain (AM) * Audio: Detained activist's lawyer speaks out (AM) * Related Story: Israel pressured to lift Gaza blockade * Related Story: Israel says commandos carried paintball guns * Related Story: UN joins condemnation of flotilla bloodshed * Related Story: Rudd condemns aid flotilla violence * Related Story: Israel's reputation to 'deteriorate' after bloodshed * Related Story: Israel to deport flotilla activists www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/02/2915852.htm
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 2, 2010 5:52:08 GMT 4
Israel, Egypt ease Gaza blockade after deadly raidBy Josef Federman, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 38 mins ago June 1, 2010JERUSALEM – Israel and Egypt signaled a temporary easing of the Gaza Strip blockade Tuesday following harsh international condemnation of the deadly Israeli raid on an aid flotilla en route to the sealed-off Palestinian territory. Egypt said it was freely opening its border with Gaza for the first time in more than a year to allow in humanitarian aid, setting off a mad rush to the crossing by thousands of residents, while an Israeli official said there is an "ongoing dialogue" with the international community on how to expand the amount of goods entering the area. At the same time, Israel began expelling some of the nearly 700 activists it rounded up in the naval raid, and strongly rejected criticism that its tactics were heavy-handed. The government said late Tuesday it would deport almost all of them within the next two days, but about 50 would be held for investigation into their part in the violence at sea. Israel pledged to halt a new attempt by pro-Palestinian groups to sail more ships into Gaza, and claimed some of the arrested activists carried weapons and large quantities of cash, raising questions about whether they were mercenaries. Worldwide condemnation has been flooding in since Israeli naval commandos halted the aid flotilla in international waters overnight Monday, setting off a melee that left nine activists dead and dozens wounded. Turkey, an unofficial backer of the flotilla, has led the criticism, accusing Israel of committing a "massacre," and the U.N. Security Council demanded an impartial investigation. There were signs, however, that the long-term strategic partnership between Israel and Turkey — the Jewish state's most important Muslim ally — would endure. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak spoke to his Turkish counterpart Tuesday, and they agreed the raid wouldn't affect weapons deals, defense officials said. Among them is the planned delivery to Turkey of $183 million in Israeli drones this summer. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing sensitive military ties. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton supported a Security Council statement that condemned the "acts" that cost the lives of the pro-Palestinian activists off the Gaza coast. But U.S. officials did not say whether they blamed Israel or the activists for the bloodshed. In remarks to reporters at the State Department, Clinton did not call for an end to the blockade, but she pressed Israel to allow greater access for humanitarian relief supplies, "including reconstruction and building supplies." In a jab at Israel, Clinton said the situation in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas and under an Israeli blockade, is "unsustainable and unacceptable." The flotilla was meant to draw attention to the Israeli and Egyptian blockade of Gaza, imposed three years ago after Hamas militants violently seized power. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas, which has fired thousands of rockets into the Jewish state, from building up its arsenal. Critics note the closure has failed to hurt Hamas, while damaging Gaza's already weak economy. Late Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected world criticism, telling top security officials that Israel must prevent Gaza's militant Hamas rulers from rearming. "In Gaza, there is a terrorist state under Iranian sponsorship," he said. "Opening a sea route to Gaza would present a grave danger to our citizens. Therefore we are maintaining our policy of a naval blockade." A new confrontation appeared to be brewing. Greta Berlin said the Free Gaza Movement, which organized the flotilla, would not be deterred and that another cargo vessel was off the coast of Italy en route to Gaza. A second boat carrying about three dozen passengers is expected to join it, with both arriving in the region late this week or early next week, she said. "This initiative is not going to stop," she said from the group's base in Cyprus. Despite the rising tension, Netanyahu's spokesman, Mark Regev, indicated Israel would consider ways to ease the blockade to allow more goods into Gaza — a policy that has been quietly under way in recent months. "We have been expanding the assistance that has been going into the Gaza Strip — both the volume and the variety of goods — and we have ongoing dialogue with the international community," he said. Egypt, which has cool relations with Hamas, announced the opening of the border to allow aid in what it called a humanitarian gesture. It was unclear, however, when Gaza's Hamas rulers would allow people to cross into Egypt and how long they would be permitted to pass. The Rafah border crossing in Egypt is the main gateway for Gazans to leave. Egypt has kept it largely shuttered since a devastating Israeli military offensive in early 2009, periodically opening the crossing to allow aid shipments and humanitarian cases to pass through. Several thousand Gazans — some in cars with suitcases piled on their roofs, others on foot — rushed to the Egyptian border, hoping to take advantage of a rare chance to escape. After milling about for several hours, they were sent home by Hamas security forces.The Hamas Interior Ministry said police were not prepared to open the crossing and did not say when they would do so. Amid the tensions, the Israeli military said it carried out an airstrike in Gaza on Tuesday, killing three militants who fired rockets into Israel. Two militants infiltrating into Israel from Gaza were killed in a separate incident Tuesday, the military said. An American lost her eye when she was hit in the face by a tear gas canister shot by an Israeli border policeman during a demonstration in Jerusalem against the naval raid, officials and a witness said. Emily Henochowicz, 21, of Maryland, underwent surgery after suffering the injury, said hospital spokeswoman Yael Bossem-Levy. Witness Jonathan Pollak said Palestinian youths were hurling rocks, but Henochowicz didn't participate in any violence and was standing at a distance. A sister told The Associated Press in a Facebook message that the family would have no comment. The pro-Palestinian flotilla was headed to Gaza with 10,000 tons of aid that Israel bans from Gaza. After days of warnings, Israel intercepted the flotilla under the cover of darkness early Monday, setting off the violent clashes. Most of the dead were believed to be Turks, and the wounded included seven Israeli soldiers, two of whom were apparently shot with weapons taken from soldiers by the activists. Three Israeli helicopters dropped 45 commandos on the largest ship, the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, to face more than 500 activists on board. Israel said Tuesday about 50 of them were deployed for battle, armed with knives and clubs, some wearing gas masks. In all, about 700 Israeli troops took part in the takeover of the six ships, sailing in more than 20 Israeli vessels. The 700 included surveillance and support troops alongside those who boarded the ships."Our soldiers had to defend themselves, defend their lives or they would have been killed," Netanyahu said. -- the-goldenthread.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=43&page=22#11593 -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an outspoken critic of Israel, told lawmakers the Israeli raid was a "bloody massacre." Turkey's Foreign Ministry said four Turkish citizens were confirmed slain by Israeli commandos and five others were also believed to be Turks. Israeli authorities were trying to confirm their nationalities. Within Israel, the raid sparked intense debate over the military operation, which the daily Maariv, in a front-page headline, called a "debacle." Analysts criticized the poor preparations. Israel sent the commandos onto the six ships after mission organizers ignored government calls to bring the cargo to an Israeli port. After inspection, some of the aid was transferred to Gaza over land on Tuesday. In most cases, the passengers quickly surrendered. But on the Marmara, the forces encountered unexpected resistance. Video released by the army showed commandos dropping onto the ships on ropes from a helicopter and being attacked by angry activists with metal rods and firebombs. One soldier was thrown overboard and others jumped in the water to escape. Israeli authorities said they were attacked by knives, clubs and live fire from the two pistols wrested from soldiers. The soldiers said they were armed with paint guns — normally used as a non-lethal crowd-control tactic — and were ordered to use pistols only as a last resort. Israel has accused the Istanbul-based Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief, which helped organize the flotilla, of fomenting the violence. Israel has outlawed the group, claiming it has close ties with Hamas — a charge the charity denies. In a meeting with Netanyahu, Israel's naval commander, Adm. Eliezer Marum, called the incident a premeditated ambush, raising the possibility that some of the activists were hired mercenaries, according to a meeting participant. Marum said about 40 men were armed with military-style gear and carrying large sums of money. The participant spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was closed. Israel said 679 people were arrested, and about 50 of those had left the country voluntarily. Hundreds who refused to cooperate remained jailed, although the Israeli government said Tuesday night that it would deport all but 50 of the remaining activists, probably within 48 hours. Those who remain would be investigated by police for their roles in the violence aboard the ship. The Al-Jazeera satellite TV channel said four of its reporters were among those detained. Israeli Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sabine Haddad said more than half of those arrested were from Turkey, with others coming from more than 30 other countries, including Britain, Algeria, Jordan, Kuwait, Germany and the U.S. Haddad said 124 people from countries with no diplomatic ties with Israel would be transferred to Jordan overnight. Israeli police said four Arab Israeli citizens would face criminal charges. Israel did not allow access to the activists, but a handful who were deported arrived home Tuesday, including a Turkish woman and her 1-year-old son, six Greeks and three German lawmakers. "There was a massacre on board," said the woman, Nilufer Cetin, whose husband, Ekrem, is the Marmara's engineer and remained in Israeli custody. "The ship turned into a lake of blood." Norman Paech, a former member of Germany's Left Party who was aboard the Marmara, said he only saw three activists resisting. "They had no knives, no axes, only sticks that they used to defend themselves," Paech told reporters in Berlin after he and four other Germans returned from Tel Aviv. He said he could "not rule out" that others used weapons somewhere else on the boat. The raid has set off a legal debate over whether Israel acted illegally by venturing into international waters. Israel's Justice Ministry issued a statement saying the actions were permissible under international law since the vessels were clearly headed toward a hostile territory. Joe Powderly, an international law researcher at the T.M.C. Asser Institute in the Netherlands, rejected claims by some critics that Israel committed an act of piracy. But he said "the usual mantra of disproportionate response applies here," Powderly said. "It seems to have been disproportionate use of force." ___ Associated Press writers Karin Laub, Grant Slater and Matti Friedman in Jerusalem; Rizek Abdel Jawad in Rafah, Gaza Strip; Ashraf Sweilam in Sinai, Egypt; Selcan Hacaoglu and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; and Mike Corder in The Hague contributed to this report.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100601/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestiniansrelated: * Slideshow: Israeli flotilla raid sparks global protests * Video: UN chief urges Israel to lift Gaza blockade AFP * Video: Outrage Over Israeli Raid Grows ABC News
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 2, 2010 18:09:55 GMT 4
"Our soldiers had to defend themselves, defend their lives or they would have been killed," Netanyahu said. -- the-goldenthread.proboards.com/in....3&page=22#11593 -- This photo provided by the Israeli Defense Forces shows items, including knives, metal tools, rods, chains, and computer discs said to have been found on a flotilla of boats headed to the Gaza Strip, laid out after the boats were intercepted and brought to the port of Ashdod, Israel on May 31. Photo credit: Christian Science Monitorwhat do we see here....KITCHEN KNIVES? TOOLS? Give us a break! ISRAEL YOU ARE TRULY PATHETIC and your commandos must be a bunch of babies to be fearing for their lives while armed to the teeth against sticks, which is the only actual "weapon" that I see here. Wake up soon, Israel, the world stands against you. WE SEE YOU.I am sending love and peace, Jen.
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 2, 2010 18:43:54 GMT 4
US activist loses eye after being shot in face with tear gas canisterPosted on: May 31, 2010 International Solidarity Movement 1 June 2010photo: US citizen Emily Henochowicz was shot directly in the face with a tear gas canister as she non-violently demonstrated against the Flotilla massacreUPDATE 1 June, 8:30PM (GMT+2): Emily is recovering at Hadassah Hospital after two surgeries Monday night. She lost her left eye, three metal plates were inserted into her head/face, and her jaw is wired shut. The bone surrounding her eye socket, cheekbone and jawbone are all fractured. Emily was standing peacefully during a demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint Monday when Border Police fired a large number of tear gas canisters directly at the heads of Emily and another ISM activist. 31 May 2010: An American solidarity activist was shot in the face with a tear gas canister during a demonstration in Qalandiya, today. Emily Henochowicz is currently in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem undergoing surgery to remove her left eye, following the demonstration that was held in protest to Israel’s murder of at least 10 civilians aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters this morning. 21-year old Emily Henochowicz was hit in the face with a tear gas projectile fired directly at her by an Israeli soldier during the demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint today. Israeli occupation forces fired volleys of tear gas at unarmed Palestinian and international protesters, causing mass panic amongst the demonstrators and those queuing at the largest checkpoint separating the West Bank and Israel. “They clearly saw us,” said Sören Johanssen, a Swedish ISM volunteer standing with Henochowicz. “They clearly saw that we were internationals and it really looked as though they were trying to hit us. They fired many canisters at us in rapid succession. One landed on either side of Emily, then the third one hit her in the face.”
Henochowicz is an art student at the prestigious Cooper Union, located in East Village, Manhattan.The demonstration was one of many that took place across the West Bank today in outrage over the Israeli military’s attack on the Gaza freedom flotilla and blatant violation of international law. Demonstrations also took place in inside Israel, Gaza and Jerusalem, with clashes occurring in East Jerusalem and Palestinian shopkeepers in the occupied Old City closing their businesses for the day in protest. photo: Henochowicz lost her left eye after being shot directly in the face with a tear gas canisterTear gas canisters are commonly used against demonstrators in the occupied West Bank. In May 2009, the Israeli State Attorney’s Office ordered Israeli Police to review its guidelines for dispersing demonstrators, following the death of a demonstrator, Bassem Abu Rahmah from Bil’in village, caused by a high velocity tear-gas projectile. Tear-gas canisters are meant to be used as a means of crowd dispersal, to be shot indirectly at demonstrators and from a distance. However, Israeli forces frequently shoot canisters directly at protesters and are not bound by a particular distance from which they can shoot. Israeli occupation forces boarded the Mavi Marmara, one of six ships on the Freedom Flotilla at 5 a.m. this morning, opening fire on the hundreds of unarmed civilians aboard. No-one aboard the ships were carrying weapons of any kind, including for defense against a feared Israeli attack in international waters. At least 9 aid workers aboard the ship have been confirmed dead, with dozens more injured. The assault took place 70 miles off the Gaza coast in international waters, after the flotilla was surrounded by three Israeli warships. The Freedom Flotilla, carrying 700 human rights activists from over 40 countries and 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid, was headed for the besieged and impoverished Gaza Strip. The Israeli blockade on Gaza, combined with the illegal buffer zone, has put a stranglehold on the territory. 42% of Gazans are unemployed, and food insecurity hovers around 60% according to figures from the Palestine Centre for Human Rights. Updated on June 1, 2010
Posted under: Features, Press Releases Tags: Emily Henochowicz, Freedom Flotilla, Gaza, low-flying tear gas, Tear-gas palsolidarity.org/2010/05/12604/>> many thanks to Tom V!
Democracy Now! — American activist shot in face with Israeli army tear gas canister in the West Bank
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmLuBLsnFbs
"This is now an open war that Israel has launched on foreigners...There should be travel warnings issued now to all foreigners trying to enter Israel or the Occupied Territories. You are targeted by Israel."
LlBERATION — June 01, 2010 — 31 May 2010: An American solidarity activist was shot in the face with a tear gas canister during a demonstration in Qalandiya, today. Emily Henochowicz had surgery in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem to remove her left eye, following the demonstration that was held in protest to Israel's murder of at least 10 civilians aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters this morning.
21-year old Emily Henochowicz was hit in the face with a tear gas projectile fired directly at her by an Israeli soldier during the demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint today. Israeli occupation forces fired volleys of tear gas at unarmed Palestinian and international protesters, causing mass panic amongst the demonstrators and those queuing at the largest checkpoint separating the West Bank and Israel.
"They clearly saw us," said Sören Johanssen, a Swedish ISM volunteer standing with Henochowicz. "They clearly saw that we were internationals and it really looked as though they were trying to hit us. They fired many canisters at us in rapid succession. One landed on either side of Emily, then the third one hit her in the face."
Henochowicz is an art student at the prestigious Cooper Union, located in East Village, Manhattan.
The demonstration was one of many that took place across the West Bank today in outrage over the Israeli military's attack on the Gaza freedom flotilla and blatant violation of international law. Demonstrations also took place in inside Israel, Gaza and Jerusalem, with clashes occurring in East Jerusalem and Palestinian shopkeepers in the occupied Old City closing their businesses for the day in protest.
Category: News & Politics Tags: American woman has lost her eye during demonstration in Jerusalem against Israel naval raid www icyvideo com
(many thanks to Tom V)
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 2, 2010 18:54:23 GMT 4
American eyewitness to the Israeli attack on Gaza aid convoy www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_xGTGT_YuwLlBERATION — June 01, 2010 — Eyewitness account from the Challenger1 which was commandeered by Israel during it's deadly assualt on the Gaza aid convoy.
Huwaida Arraf, one of the Free Gaza Movement organizers, told CNN Israeli troops roughed her up when they responded aggressively to her ship, a smaller one in the flotilla that was near the Turkish vessel where the casualties occurred.
"They started coming after our ship," she told CNN, "so we took off and they charged us also. Eventually, they overtook our ship and they used concussion grenades, sound bombs and pellets."
She said the people on her ship tried to keep them off. She said they were told the vessel was American and the people aboard were unarmed.
But, she said "they started beating people. My head was smashed against the ground and they stepped on my head. They later cuffed me and put a bag over my head. They did that to everybody."Category: News & Politics Tags: Eyewitness and victim recounts Israeli flotilla attack on an American boat crew (Thanks, Tom!)
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 2, 2010 22:50:42 GMT 4
Press TV reporter missing after attackWed, 02 Jun 2010 09:07:38 GMT Press TVThree days after the deadly Israeli attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, the fate of Press TV's British national correspondent onboard the humanitarian convoy remains unknown. All contact with Press TV's Hassan Ghani was lost soon after Israeli commandos intercepted the Freedom Flotilla in international waters, some 150km (90 miles) off the coast of Gaza. A short video obtained by Press TV shows Ghani on board a ship that was coming under attack by Israeli commandos on Monday. Hassan Ghani last report for Press TV from Flotilla Gaza While Israel Navy started killing Freedom activists in International Waters www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR5Wzxnuf8QHis father, Haq Ghani, says the British Foreign Office has not provided him with much information on the whereabouts of his son. "I haven't been able to learn much from the Foreign Office in the British government, whose job is to inform us about British subjects who have been caught in these sorts of situations," concerned Haq told Press TV on Wednesday. Families of other activists travelling on board the flotilla are facing the same anxious wait to hear about their loved ones. This is while, British Foreign Secretary William Hague announced on Tuesday that the 41 Britons held in Israel's southern Beersheba prison were expected to be deported "very quickly." One British activist has already been deported. According to officials, no British national was among the 20 people dead in the brutal attack. However, one is said to have received medical attention for injuries. Following the attack on the humanitarian convoy, protests were held across Britain in London, Bristol, Manchester and Glasgow. The protesters expressed their shock and outrage over the incident, calling on their government to sever ties with Tel Aviv. Britain was among the few countries that refused to join the global condemnation of the Israeli attack with British Prime Minister David Cameron only saying that he "deplored the heavy loss of life." FF/CS/HRFwww.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=128755(many thanks to Tom V)
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 3, 2010 19:22:56 GMT 4
(I'm feeling overwhelmed, I'll finish this post later -- it's missing links.)Freed eyewitnesses begin to speak outFrom: Washington Report on Middle East Affairs <info@wrmea.com> Washington Report 1902 18th St NW • Washington, DC 20009 (800) 368-5788 • Fax: (202) 265-4574 ACTION ALERTJune 3, 2010 Contact: newseditor@wrmea.com[/b] Freed Eyewitnesses Begin to Speak OutGaza Freedom Flotilla eyewitness accounts contradict Israeli reports that its navy commando units used paintball guns and stun grenades only in “self defense” during their brutal assault on the international aid flotilla on May 31. Israeli troops killed at least 9 people, but the names of the victims and numbers are still unclear. Israel is deporting more than 600 activists detained during the attack in response to the UN Security Council’s call for the immediate release of ships and civilians held by the country. A press release from the Free Gaza Movement reports that four Arab-Israeli political leaders are still detained and face charges on several serious criminal offenses for their participation in the peaceful attempt to break the Israeli blockade.Crew from the Irish ship Rachel Corrie, named after an American peace activist who was crushed by a bulldozer as she attempted to protect a Palestinian home from being demolished, say they are determined to finish their journey to Gaza, despite the Israeli attack earlier this week. The ship carries 15 activists, including Máiread Corrigan (Maguire), a Northern Irish peace activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and Denis Halliday, who ran U.N. humanitarian aid programs in Iraq in 1997-98 before resigning in protest at economic sanctions against the country. An American ship is also expected to arrive at approximately the same time next week. Egypt has eased its blockade and opened the Rafah border crossing as a result of the assault, and hundreds of Palestinians have been able to leave Gaza to buy badly needed supplies. Urgently needed humanitarian aid, including blankets, tents, and power generators are now reaching Gaza through Rafah.The Israeli government has actively used Youtube and other social media to release new, heavily edited footage from Monday’s raid to try to support their disputed reports amid staunch worldwide criticism of their deadly operation. For more information please watch the Youtube clips, listen to the radio shows and read the reports below. Video Clips Retired U.S. Ambassador Edward Peck describes his ordeal on the flotilla at the protest rally in front of the White House on June 1, 2010. “In Somalia,we call that ‘piracy.’” Recording by William Hugheswww.youtube.com/watch?v=zqn_ce1XMLgAmbassador Peck talks to ABC News after being deported from Israel.abcnews.go.com/politics/video/exclusive-amb-peck-returns-home-10798350Israel’s Explanation for Deadly Gaza Aid Attack is as “Full of Holes as a Window Screen”–Ambassador Peck during his interview on Democracy Now.www.democracynow.org/2010/6/2/israels_explanation_for_deadly_gaza_aid(interview posted below)International condemnation and protests follow a deadly confrontation between Israel and Gaza-bound aid ships. Guest host Frank Sesno and other panelists explore what the crisis could mean for U.S. relations with Israel and other allies.- The Diane Rehm Show thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-06-02/israel-and-aid-ships-gaza“Voices Raised in Protest at White House Rally”- William Hughes vimeo.com/12219648Democracy Now interviews with Adam Shapiro, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement and a board member of the Free Gaza Movement, Ali Abunimah, co-founder of The Electronic Intifada and author of One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse, Richard Falk, United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, and Amira Hass, columnist with Israel’s Ha’aretz newspaper and the only Israeli journalist to have spent several years living in and reporting from Gaza and the West Bank. Articles “Calling on both the international community and Israel citizens to respond to the 'bloody massacre' against a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the event is 'a turning point in history.'”- Hurriyet Daily News “Rights organization condemns detention of political leaders after flotilla raid”- Adalah - The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel on 2 June 2010. “As a matter of practice, Israel prevents the entry of hundreds of items into the Gaza Strip,…These restrictions constitute collective punishment under international humanitarian law, because they are designed to punish civilians in the Gaza Strip for acts they did not commit.”- Gish News Release “Hanin Zuabi, the Arab MK who was aboard the Mavi Marmara, says ‘scale of forces’ not intended to merely block boat.”- The Jerusalem Post ----------------------------------
More Gaza Flotilla Detainees Released; Larudee Badly Beaten But Now Headed to Greece
Retired diplomat Ed Peck, USS Liberty vet Joe Meadors reach home and speak out; other US detainees reportedly leaving IsraelEl Cerrito, CA – Dr. Paul Larudee, a passenger on the Freedom Flotilla that was attacked by Israel before it could deliver its cargo of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, was badly beaten and tasered during the Memorial Day commando raid, but according to latest reports he was released from detention late Wednesday night and is now in flight to Greece. Larudee, a resident of Richmond, CA, participated in the international flotilla as part of a delegation from the Free Palestine Movement (FPM), a California-based non-profit. Two other members of the FPM group - Ambassador Ed Peck of Chevy Chase, MD, a retired US diplomat, and Joe Meadors of Corpus Christi, TX, a USS Liberty veteran (hence now a survivor of two unprovoked Israeli attacks on the high seas) - have returned home safely and are now speaking out about their ordeal. As of Wednesday afternoon California time, two other members of the group - Gene St. Onge and Janet Kobren, both of Oakland, CA - have been held up for the last 12 hours at Israel's international airport near Tel Aviv. but are expected to board a flight to Istanbul soon, before proceeding home to the US. Gayle McLaughlin, Mayor of Richmond, said "I have worked with Paul on local housing issues in Richmond, and I know he has a track record of commitment to nonviolence in standing up against the oppression of Palestinians. I condemn the Israeli assault on this humanitarian flotilla and join others in calling for an end to the blockade of Gaza." Ambassador Peck this morning described the Israeli commando raid on the Sfendoni, the Freedom Flotilla ship he and other FPM delegates were aboard: "The first thing we knew was the sound of footsteps, and my eyelids flicked open, and there they were, heavily armed. The Israeli government keeps referring to the paint guns, but the paint guns were attached to the automatic weapons and the stun grenades and the pepper spray and the tasers and everything else that these guys carry. ... And it was all over in the inside of the ship, where I was. But up on the upper deck, where some people had been sitting and sleeping, they made an effort to peacefully prevent the Israelis from taking over the wheelhouse, and we had a number of people injured in that. Nothing of a critical nature, but we had people on crutches and people with bandages and peoples with their arms in slings, and the captain had his neck in a brace." "I was deported for having violated Israeli law," Peck added. "I asked [the Israeli official processing his deportation], 'What law have I violated?' He said, 'You have illegally entered Israel.' I said, 'Well, now, wait. Our ship was taken over by armed commandos. I was brought here at gunpoint against my will, and you call that illegally entering Israel?'" To Navy vet Joe Meadors, “There is no doubt that the Israelis were committing piracy on the high seas against the Freedom Flotilla and used deadly force against unarmed humanitarians whose only crime was defending themselves against a sea and airborne invasion by heavily armed aggressors." "As a survivor of the June 8, 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty," Meadors said, "I am fully aware of the tactics the Israelis are capable of and willing to use with impunity and without remorse. That time they fired machine guns, cannon, rockets, napalm, and torpedoes on us, then deliberately machine-gunned life rafts we had dropped over the side in anticipation of abandoning ship. And the only response from the American government was to impose a gag order on the crew of the USS Liberty.""This time, too," Meadors continued, "the Israelis have shown no remorse, and I fear that the US government is again granting them impunity." As to the other FPM detainees, St. Onge suffered a gash on his head when kicked by an Israeli soldier as he tried to protect a fellow passenger whom the commandos were beating on the deck of the Sfendoni, he told his wife Jan St. Onge. Kobren was allowed to make a brief phone call to the US from a women's prison unit in Beersheba, Israel, yesterday and reported that she is good health, but all the prisoners' belongings had been taken from them. Larudee, 64, is a longtime activist in the struggle for justice for Palestine: he and Kobren co-founded the FPM in 2009, and he previously co-founded the Free Gaza Movement, the organization that first broke the Israeli blockade of Gaza from the sea in 2008, and the International Solidarity Movement, a group that has sent hundred of Americans and other internationals to support non-violent Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation. Paul holds a Ph.D. in linguistics and makes his living as a piano tuner. At least seven other US citizens took part in the Freedom Flotilla under the auspices of other organizations. One, Huwaida Arraf, chair of the Free Gaza Movement, was released Tuesday. The FPM has no confirmed information about the status of the other six: Iara Lee, a filmmaker from San Francisco; Kathy Sheetz, a retired nurse from Richmond, CA, and Woods Hole, MA; Ann Wright, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and a U.S. diplomat until she resigned in opposition to the Iraq war; David Schermerhorn, a film producer from Deer Harbor, WA; Fatima Mohammadi, a longtime activist from Chicago; and Khalid Turaani, who was founder and executive director of the former American Muslims for Jerusalem and now lives in Dubai.For more information about the Free Palestine Movement, see www.freepalestinemovement.org <http://www.freepalestinemovement.org> . For information on other groups that played major roles in the Freedom Flotilla, see savegaza.eu/eng/ <http://savegaza.eu/eng/> (the European Campaign to End the Siege of Gaza), www.freegaza.org/ <http://www.freegaza.org/> (the Free Gaza Movement), and www.ihh.org.tr/filistin/en/ <http://www.ihh.org.tr/filistin/en/> (The Foundation For Human Rights And Freedoms And Humanitarian Relief of Turkey - IHH). ------------------------------------------ ### The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, PO Box 53062, Washington DC 20009. Phone: (202) 939-6050, Fax: (202) 265-4574, Toll Free: (800) 368-5788, www.wrmea.com Published by the American Educational Trust, a non-profit foundation incorporated in Washington, DC to provide the American public with balanced and accurate information concerning U.S. relations with Middle Eastern states. Material from the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs may be printed with out charge with attribution to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. wrmea.org/
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 3, 2010 19:45:02 GMT 4
Witnesses describe shootings on Gaza-bound ship Thu Jun 3, 2010 1:47pm BST ReutersISTANBUL (Reuters) - Witnesses aboard a Gaza-bound aid ship gave graphic accounts of people being shot dead after Israeli commandos stormed aboard, but denied activists opened fire with pistols snatched from the boarding party. Canadian Farooq Burney described watching an elderly man bleed to death, while the head of a Turkish charity that organised the aid flotilla said an Indonesian doctor was shot in the stomach and a photographer in the forehead.Nine activists were killed in the raid on a convoy of ships heading for Gaza Monday. Israel said its commandos fired in self-defence after they were clubbed, stabbed and fired upon by activists who had snatched the marines' pistols. But Burney and Bulent Yildirim, chairman of the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH), said activists aboard the Mavi Marmara never opened fire with weapons wrested from Israelis lowered aboard from helicopters. "They were trying to land on the boat. So obviously there was this hand-to-hand combat and during that process the people on the boat were basically able to disarm some of the soldiers because they did have guns with them," Burney told Reuters. "So they basically took the guns away from them and took the cartridges out and threw them away." Asked if anyone had used the guns against the Israeli commandos, he said: "No, not at all." Yildirim also denied the Israeli account about use of pistols by activists aboard the flotilla of ships intended to break a blockade Israel has imposed on the Gaza strip. "Yes, we took their guns. It would be self defence even if we fired their guns," Yildirim said. "We told our friends on board: "We will die, become martyrs, but never let us be shown... as the ones who used guns," he said, adding that people shouted that the weapons should not be used."By this decision, our friends accepted death, and we threw all the guns we took from them into the sea."PLEA TO TREAT WOUNDEDBurney, director of a Qatari educational initiative, said the commandos waited more than an hour before treating the wounded, even though activists made a makeshift sign reading: "S.O.S. .. Please provide medical assistance." The 37-year-old Canadian said he witnessed one elderly man being shot with what, from the wound, appeared to have been a live round."He just passed out in front of us and we couldn't see where he was hit so we opened up his lifejacket and we could clearly see that he was hit in the chest, he was losing a lot of blood," said Burney. "It was on .. the right, just close to his chest and there was blood coming out from there. He passed away."Yildirim said at Istanbul airport after returning from Israel, where he said he had been detained and questioned for three days, that some missing activists were unaccounted for.
"We were handed 9 dead bodies, but we have a longer list of missing people," he said. Yildirim said an Indonesian doctor was shot in the stomach as he helped a wounded Israeli soldier."As the clash was going on upstairs on the deck, we were taking care of Israelis downstairs, as we gave them water, we were informed that our friends died there," Yildirim said. "We told the Indonesian doctor to take the soldier back. He took his patient back, and as he was going back, they shot him five times in the stomach," he said. He also described how a photographer was shot in the forehead from a distance of a metre, though it was unclear whether he witnessed it personally. Another activist was shot as he was surrendering, he said. "I took off my shirt and waved it, as a white flag. We thought they would stop after seeing the white flag, but they continued killing people," Yildirim said. "A friend of ours saw two dead bodies in a toilet," he added. One of the dead was 19-year-old old boy Furkan Dogan, a Turkish citizen with an American passport. State-run Anatolia news agency said he was hit by four bullets in the head and one in the chest.
Anatolia reported that the body of a national taekwando athlete, Cetin Topcuoglu, had also been identified.Yildirim said his charity would continue to organise aid convoys until Israel was forced to end the blockade of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza. (Additional reporting by Christian Lowe in Algiers; Editing by Charles Dick)uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKTRE6522OV20100603
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 3, 2010 19:50:20 GMT 4
U.S. Citizen Killed in Israeli Raid With Four Bullets to the HeadJune 3, 2010 ChattahBox.com
(ChattahBox)—This news today is sure to have repercussions. One of the nine activists killed by Israel commandos in a botched raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla is a naturalized American citizen originally from Turkey. He was shot five-times, with bullets in his head. According to the Anatolia news agency, as reported by Fox News, the American citizen has been identified as a 19-year-old: “An official from the Turkish Islamic charity that spearheaded the campaign to bust the blockade on Gaza identified the U.S. citizen as 19-year-old Furkan Dogan, originally from the central Turkish town of Kayseri.” “Dogan, who held a U.S. passport, had four bullet wounds to the head and one to the chest, Omer Yagmur of the Foundation of Humanitarian Relief (IHH), told Anatolia.” Israel has insisted the activists on the humanitarian aid ship attacked the commandos, as they boarded the ship and they shot their weapons in self defense. But the activists claim the commandos fired first on unarmed civilians. Israel is defending its right to use force to preserve its blockade of Gaza. But the United Nations is calling on Israel to end it. “I have repeatedly made it quite clear to Israel’s leaders that the Israeli policy of closure is not sustainable and that it’s wrong. It causes unacceptable sufferings,” said UN chief Ban Ki-moon. A new humanitarian aid ship bound for Gaza is due to arrive in the region on Friday or Saturday, setting off a new confrontation with Israel forces.chattahbox.com/world/2010/06/03/u-s-citizen-killed-in-israeli-raid-with-four-bullets-to-the-head/
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 3, 2010 20:47:36 GMT 4
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 3, 2010 21:16:56 GMT 4
Israeli raid on Gaza Freedom Flotilla killed US citizen Furkan DoganFurkan Dogan – one of the activists killed in an Israeli raid on the Gaza 'Freedom Flotilla' and buried in Turkey today – was a US citizen. A friend, who had been on board the same ship, said Dogan was shot by five bullets.By Scott Peterson, Staff writer: Christian Science Monitor / June 3, 2010 Istanbul, TurkeyAn American-Turkish dual citizen killed during an Israeli commando raid on a humanitarian aid flotilla was among activists buried in Turkey on Thursday. Furkan Dogan was struck by five bullets shortly before dawn on Monday while atop the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara ship, according to friends who were on board at the time of the Israeli raid and attended the funeral for eight of the nine Turks who died. The website of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan – who called the Israeli raid a "bloody massacre" and threatened to sever ties with Israel – listed Mr. Dogan's nationality as American. A State Department spokesman confirmed a dual US-Turkish citizen was killed and said the embassy in Turkey had offered consular services to the family. Dogan’s death and his US citizenship were spoken of at the funeral. “Furkan was my friend,” said Ali Yunusoalu, who went with Dogan for pre-dawn prayers on the top deck of the Mavi Marmar on Monday. Israeli naval boats soon approached the ship, he said, and then commandos dropped from helicopters. “The soldiers started shooting and bombing” with bullets and percussion grenades, said Mr. Yunusoalu. “It was a big sound – you can’t hear a thing because of the noise.” Dogan ran “everywhere” before he was killed, recalled Yunusoalu. “We were very afraid.”Repercussions?Though Dogan’s ongoing American ties appear to be limited, the death of a US citizen will make it harder for the Obama administration to side-step a diplomatic confrontation with Israel.So far, the US public and government response has been more muted than those in Europe or the Middle East, with the administration caught between a powerful pro-Israel constituency at home, on the one hand, and growing anger among other allies, on the other. But the death of a US citizen by violence usually prompts a response from the federal government and politicians.After American activist Rachel Corrie was killed by an Israeli military bulldozer as she tried to stop it from destroying a Palestinian home in Gaza in 2003, senior US officials demanded a full investigation of the incident. The results of the Israeli investigation into her death was that it was accidental, which drew charges of a whitewash from her supporters and her family, which this year sued the Israeli military over the incident. An Irish-owned humanitarian boat that is steaming towards Gaza and could challenge Israel’s blockade as soon as Saturday was named in her honor: the MV Rachel Corrie. Dogan was not the only American casualty of Monday’s events. Shortly after Israel's raid on the flotilla, US college student Emily Henochowicz was struck by an Israeli tear gas canister and lost her eye while attending a pro-Palestinian protest at the Kalandia crossing, along the fence Israel erected between Jerusalem and the West Bank. How they died?Turkish media reported that initial examinations of the dead Turkish activists show they all had been killed by bullets, some fired at close range. A funeral for the ninth Turkish citizen killed was due on Friday. Dogan’s apparent dual citizenship was not the only American connection weighing on some of several thousands mourners at the service at Istanbul’s Fatih mosque, where eight coffins draped with Turkish and Palestinian flags were lifted overhead to chants of “God is great!” A few Turks also shouted: “Murderous United States of America.” “No thanks to the Americans for supplying all arms to [the Israelis],” said Sakir Yildirim, a UK-British dual national who was also on the Mavi Marmara ship. He said he witnessed three or four deaths of activists within a few yards of him—one of the men shot in the forehead when the red light of a laser rifle sight alighted there. “All that stuff is American made.” Staff writer Dan Murphy contributed from Boston.www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2010/0603/Israeli-raid-on-Gaza-Freedom-Flotilla-killed-US-citizen-Furkan-Dogan
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 3, 2010 21:34:20 GMT 4
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Post by ninathedog on Jun 3, 2010 21:52:13 GMT 4
Israel Must Release the Full Raid Tapesby Cenk Uygur, The Huffington Post Posted: June 2, 2010 03:22 PMEvery news outlet in the world has been running the tape of the Israeli commando raid on Free Gaza Flotilla released by the Israeli Defense Forces. It lasts about a minute and clearly shows the commandos being attacked by the people on board as they rappel down from their helicopters. I don't argue with that portion of the tape at all. You can see the sticks and rods clearly. The passengers do hit the commandos boarding their ship. To argue otherwise is ludicrous. But what we don't see is what happened before and after that one minute of tape that was released. Eyewitnesses say that the Israeli forces had already used live fire on the ship before they attempted to board it. Is that true? I have no idea. Could the people on board have thought they were defending themselves against people who were already shooting at them? Sure. But could the Israelis have used tear gas or non-live fire in reality and it was mistaken for live fire? That's also definitely possible. It'd be great to see the tape to see if we can make a determination about that one way or another. Perhaps even more importantly, what happened after the moment in time captured by the tape? When did the commandos start firing on the passengers? When did they stop firing? In the tapes made on board, you can clearly hear that the ship has surrendered and the captain has put up the white flag - and there is still gunfire in the background. I can speak Turkish, so having watched all the tapes, I can tell you that over the loud speaker the people in charge of the ship are saying, "We have surrendered, the white flag is up, people are lying on the ground and they are still firing." And you still hear the gunfire as they are saying this on tape. When did the commandos start shooting and, maybe even more importantly, when did they stop shooting? Was it all in the heat of an active confrontation or were there any shootings after people had already laid down and surrendered completely? That would seem to be a critical question. Without the full tapes there is no way of knowing. Are there tapes of what happened after the one minute we have seen? Of course there are. There is no reason why they would have stopped taping at that point in time. They have selectively released only the portion of the tape that they think helps their cause. So, it is incumbent upon Israel to release the full tapes immediately. There is no reason, other than propaganda and spin, not to release the tapes. If they show you were right in using force, then that helps to make your case. I am completely open to that possibility. We shouldn't jump to conclusions. The full tapes might vindicate the IDF entirely. But if the IDF does not release the rest of the tapes, then it seems to be a fair assumption that the tapes do not help their case. It's also very important that news organizations that run the tape released by the IDF note that this is only a very small fraction of what happened in this incident. And that the IDF refuses to release the tapes that would show the rest of the picture. If you're a news organization, you should be in the business of going after the whole truth, demanding as much information as possible and giving your viewers a full context of the story. I would hope that they would do that going forward. If the Israeli government is convinced they took the appropriate action in this case, they can go a long way toward proving that by giving us the whole tape. If not, we have to assume they're hiding something. That opens them up to justifiable speculation as to what they really did on board that ship. In the end, nine passengers were killed and dozens more shot and wounded. How did that happen? Was it in any way justifiable? There's only one way to know. Release the tapes. UPDATE: Israel has just released another one minute tape of the flotilla attack. This goes to my point exactly -- they have so many more tapes of what happened on board, both from the IDF perspective and video shot on board the ship from the passengers' perspective. Until they release all of these, these pre-selected propaganda pieces should only raise more questions about what they are not showing us. Follow Cenk Uygur on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheYoungTurkswww.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/israel-must-release-the-f_b_598116.html
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