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Diplomacy: Israel 0 – 1 Iran over flotilla
May 31, 2010 · 19 Comments
JERUSALEM (Somalilandpress) — Israel could pay a heavy price — including damage to peace efforts with the Palestinians — over the killing of 10 international activists on a Turkish ship trying to break a blockade of Gaza.
Foreign anger at the boarding of the pro-Palestinian flotilla was loud even among Israel’s allies and may drown out its argument that such action was needed to keep Gaza’s Hamas rulers isolated and peacemaking efforts afloat.
Islamist Hamas’s rival for Palestinian loyalties, secular president Mahmoud Abbas, was quick to condemn the naval attack as a “massacre” — an ill omen for the U.S.-mediated negotiations with Israel on which he embarked three weeks ago.
President Barack Obama will have to balance relations with Turkey and other Muslim allies of the United States against Washington’s ties with Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on a visit to Canada when the Israeli raid took place, canceled a planned White House meeting with Obama on Tuesday and would leave later on Monday for home, Israeli officials said.
The relationship between the two leaders has already been strained by Israel’s settlement policy in the West Bank — where Palestinians also seek statehood — and Obama has urged Netanyahu to ease access to Gaza’s 1.5 million residents.
Netanyahu’s White House invitation was widely seen in Israel as an attempt by Obama to mend fences — and shore up U.S. Jewish support for Democratic candidates in a November mid-term election — after a frosty Oval office meeting in March.
But Oussama Safa of the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies predicted Obama might “ante up the pressure against the Israelis” to accommodate Palestinian demands — though the Netanyahu government has said the Gaza blockade will remain.
Another delay in negotiations that have been stop-start for almost two decades would hold little real impact. Abbas, with his truncated West Bank mandate, is too beholden to Israel and the United States to close the door on rapprochement.
But the possibility of a fallout with Turkey, whose flag was flown on the flotilla and which recalled its Tel Aviv envoy in protest at the naval raid, could deepen Israel’s own isolation even as it tries to present Iran as the main regional threat.
FOR HAMAS, HEROES
Turkey, a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, said it would seek a resolution against Israel — a poke in the eye for Israel and the United States, which would prefer to see the Council sanction Iran for its nuclear programme.
Rising Iranian power has stirred concern among many Arabs, to Israel’s advantage. But the Palestinian crisis makes such sympathies fickle, as Israeli Trade Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer discovered while on a official visit to Qatar.
“I see all the looks that I’m getting,” Ben-Eliezer told Israel’s Army Radio by telephone.
Hamas, which has largely fallen from world headlines since its war with Israel some 18 months ago, welcomed what it described as a win-win situation from the violence at sea.
Hamas government head Ismail Haniyeh said of the activists: “You were heroes, whether you reached (Gaza) or not.”
Israel insisted its commandos opened fire when they were attacked by gun- and knife-wielding activists aboard one of the flotilla’s six vessels. At least seven marines were wounded.
But, as with its crackdowns against a Palestinian uprising in the early years of the past decade, Israel will face tough questions abroad about the wisdom of using military force for what are essentially policing missions — especially when the nationalities of the dead are made public.
Nahman Shai, a former Israeli military spokesman turned opposition lawmaker, likened the confrontation to the police killing of a dozen Arab citizens of Israel who demonstrated in solidarity with the Palestinians in late 2000.
“The difference is that this time foreigners are involved, which means a much wider impact,” Shai told Israel Radio.
(Additional reporting by Mohammed Assadi in Ramallah, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza and Yara Bayoumy in Beirut; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)
Source: Reuters | Tuesday, June 1, 2010
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Tags: flotilla, Israel, Military, Palestine
Readers Comments (19)
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Massacre in the international water of the Mediterranean Sea – tells a lot about Israeli’s behavior and state of mind. If the soldiers in the Israeli naval force were human being, then the people in the freedom ships must have been some sort of animals that were – pain in the neck and should be dealt with swift, tough, harsh and their lives worth zero and nothing !!!. But, we are 100% sure that the people in the freedom ships were and are genuine human being who had the courage and overwhelming compassion to deliver food, medicine and toys to the children of Gaza. In this case, the Israeli soldiers must be something else, some other being which happen to be in human form, or look like human being. They lack compassion, human feeling and rational. Can you imagine the incident occurred in the international water where Israel has no legal jurisdiction!!!!!. This really merits academic study to understand their mindset and then put them in the proper perspective.
It looks to me you are confused. Somaliland has no diplomatic relation with Israel and Insha’Allah it will never have one. Second, Somaliland is not occupying Sool, Sanaag and Cayn but it owns them and they are part of its territory, and it has legal jurisdiction over them. What you are preaching will create fitna and bloodshed- tell me how will you benefit from that? That looks like Shabab mentality. —– The hope for Somalia is to follow Somaliland model- peace, reconciliation among its communities, liberty and freedom, advance education and free economy. Please think – peace and prosperity, not fitna, war and bloodshed.
Israel is Israel so there isn't a need to discuss them. Their corruption is well known. As for you South Somalis you aren't that much better it my eyes. They kill innocent people and so do you, very simple. In fact, they actually don't rape, but your people do. So please stop using the jews as an excuse to justify your animosity towards Somaliland. We can all see through this. As for SSC then its 50/50. Some of the Dhulbhante want to separate simply because they are Darod and for no other reason. The other half are pro Somaliland. Also, there are some Isaaq who have claim over some areas such as my tribe so get your facts straight.
If you truly believe in Allah(swt) then should stop hate mongering. You should also look at the Islam your people are practicing. They grow big beards and wear long tobs/kamis then they go and preach suicide bombing to their followers. What a JOKE !
i don’t know what to say about this but i can understand that 1 marks has increased on the foolness of muslim states and leaders who can compete with israel(jewish)state.
but let me remember you that less than 30 years later the whole jewish people would be massacred and killed in groups with the hands of the new muslim generation insha allaaah
Arabs are the ones to be blamed for this. They are all giving Israel a lap dance because they scared of their fellow Muslims – Iranians.
I respect Iran and Turkey, nothing can break down those two Muslim nations.
Jews just want someone to take out on their frustrations for what Hitler did them. They beg the world with the holocaust card that never happened yet they kill any civilian.
Just like they lie about eating civilians in Palestine, the whole holocaust was a big fat lie.
The world should be outraged about this incident. Isreal is getting over their heads and out of control. Because of what happened to them should have shown more compassion towards other people and think twice before they pull the trigger on unarmed people.
As for the Arabs, they were watching the dead and destruction of Palestine and the bleeding of the people of Palestine on the sideline and looking the other way for more than 50 years now.
The International Community should hold Israel accountable unarmed innocent civilians arrogantly killed on International Waters. Why in the world that American is so quiet about this heinous crime?
To Somaliland Press …yesturday i expressed how i felt about you not covering this in the comment section of your story about Ibrahim Abdi Elmi's release.
My intention was not to make you guys feel bad, I wanted you to take it as constructive criticism, not as a bashing or insult as some might have taken it. I may have come off a little strong in my words and I appologize if i made you guys feel bad.
I have strong feelings about this situation just like the situation in South Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan. I want you to know I respect your site and will continue to check it out for the latest news on Somaliland inshallah.
I don't know why people are getting upset and all that…… Israel has been killing innocent Muslim more then decades so it is not like this is the first time they have done something like this…what happend last year when they killed all these people in their homes. Please people this is not going to make differences they don't give a f……. about the Muslim people or western powers they are bullies. And they know it…..
Should people not be upset about this?..should we just accept these crimes everytime? I dont understand what you are trying to say.
You are right, they have killed Palestinians trying to bringin aid by the tunnels along Egypt, BUT this time they did it in International water, where they have no jurisdiction! . Just like the hit in Dubai against Hamas.
IF you don't understand why people are getting "upset and all that"…imagine that was your family, your neighbors trying to bring in food for you in occupied land where they say PENCILS and BOOKS and TOYS are luxury…i suggest you do some research on this topic before you say something as shallow and vain as that.
To Anisa ——–> watch "Occupation 101" on You Tube…you will understand why people are upset…..i guarentee you will not be confused why people especially Muslims are upset.
I feel like at the end of the day Israel will get away with this act as it has for all the inhuman things they do the Gaza people for the past decades .. I don't understand why people are crying wolf now like it is going to help. The end of the day Israel will continue to kill and dehumanizes the Muslim people, because we are not unity.
you're talking in such a "matter of fact way", as if we shouldnt even blink and eye for what israel has done, what the the heck do you suggest? that we take a seat back and do absoloutely nothing? although the muslim nations are weak they should atleast express their anger and disgust as well as their solidarity with th people of gaza. if you cant grasp the importance of that as the brother explains then you're extreamely insensitive and shallow, these are your people your fellow muslims, at this very day you should be in some sort of shock or anger like the rest of us, not sit there and make baseless statement that our outcry is unimportant.
Aftre this massacre committed by Israel, others will be legaly justified to kill Israel civilians. Because they have lost immunity under the international law, by the action of their government.
It a time world leaders to open their eyes that something like this can no longer be ignored. The boat was crying citizens all over the world including Turkey, American and Canadian. This kind of incident can't be Muslim problem but rathr than world problems. I think its the time world leaders may close attention what Israel government is going.
The incident take place international water and if the United Nation want countries to be respected U.N present it maybe time to act and stop this kind go things happens without consequences for who did it.
free palestine bring hitler back
ahahahahahaaha U fools make me laugh..let me take you back in time these arabs neva gave a F wen we the somalilander's were been killed or wen we were all hungry,forget that,the only thing these arabs want is somalilander's dead at any cost and i guess only few know this but its a fact which is hard to digest. But here's another fact a Gaal …a Kafir who had nothing to do with somaliland helped us insted of our muslims brother's ..dont foget we even fought ther wars but insted of helping us they chose to lay back and Watch us get killed and die in Hunger,so F the Arabs i support Israel coz i think they doing all this to keep there people safe.why cry over someone who doe's not even know that you exist …. try asking a arab if he know's a country called somaliland in which we got 100% sunni population staying ……now imply that on a Ethiopian and he"ll get you to the somaliland's border stright safe and sound….
"Somaliland can Nave be a friend of a Arab nation Untill we see Mohammed Al-medhi "
Viva somaliland babe
yes there is a fact that israelis want to station in berbera because it is a strategic point. there is a fact as well that somaliland doesnt want any involvement with israel. In sool ,sanaag and cayn yes there is a people from dhulbahante clan and as well habar jecloand habar yonis from issaq. the fact is we are all brothers and sisters. we have to shoulder somaliland and puntland because it is the only places left for somali refugees to go .
let me tell arabs are not cowards . we have the government and the population in arab countries. the leaders are mainly ditators and dont give a jack abt who is dying and who will but the people are different their hearts is burning and they are crying for their brothers. they are giving everything for their sake. in jerusalem an arab man was given 36 millions if he sell his 2 bdrooms house but he refused coz they know he will sell his religion . this is what is happning and arabs are very brave . insha allah their leaders will fall and new generation will breed so no worries it is strenghtening their believe. so please abstent from insulting a lot of your brothers for one reason or another