Two Attacks and The Gaza Flotilla
Two terrible attacks occurred last week, one took place in the Mediterranean and one is taking place on the international arena. Israel is the victim in both of these attacks, being ripped apart, beaten with metal rods and knives, pulverized and stabbed with condemnations and political beatings.
Israeli troops boarded the Mavi Marmara ship armed with paintball guns and with holstered pistols as they sought to take control of this ship which was violating Israeli law by attempting to supply goods to the terrorist group Hamas.
Anyone who cares to know the truth can clearly see in the videos and photos the way this episode unraveled and the brutal manner in which the Israeli Soldiers were attacked as they came on board. As each soldier landed he was attacked, thrown to the ground or even off the deck, beaten with metal rods and knives and even some shots were fired at them. At one point the mob of "humanitarian activists", who several days earlier were captured on video singing a song about "killing the Jews", had overpowered several soldiers who had been severely beaten and had dragged them down into the ship.
So what was the choice? Either the first fifteen soldiers were going to allow themselves to be butchered alive and save Israel some public relations damage or should their lives be saved? Thus, the result was the unfortunate deaths of nine of the attackers and numerous others injured.
If Hamas and their international supporters want to end the blockade and want Israel to start allowing in metal and other similar supplies it takes only one simple solution and that is for Hamas to renounce violence. On the day that this happens there will be no need for a blockade and metal and other such supplies will be allowed to pass into Gaza once again as it will be used for purposes other than for manufacturing weapons.
It is important to point out that the blockade is fully legal by international law as Hamas is in a state of war with Israel and launches daily attacks on Israeli military targets and civilian population centers. The Israeli government is committed to stopping the import of weapons, missiles, and materials for weapons manufacturing so that its citizens will be safe and not be attacked. Humanitarian supplies to the tune of fifteen thousand tons each month which includes all basic needs such as food, medicine, clothing, machinery, and vital supplies enter the Gaza Strip.
Interestingly, Hamas, which is supposedly so desperate for help has refused to take even one item from the thousands of tons of the Gaza Flotilla shipment. Another important point is that Israel made every effort to avoid a clash and offered the flotilla organizers the opportunity to unload in an Israeli port and have the supplies transported by land to the Gaza Strip in the same way as supplies enter through Israel and Egypt, but instead sought confrontation and were not interested in Israel transferring the goods in the usual way.
The second attack by the media and by many governments around the world. This is just as bad as the physical attack . . . perhaps a lot worse as it will directly lead to much more of the very same violence it supposedly wants to stop. Once again, many governments, media outlets, and organizations are failing to condemn the source of terror, the Hamas Movement, the violent mob that initiated the attack on the soldiers and the governments that stood behind this fiasco. Instead they are focusing their efforts on the victim and yelling at him “for heaven’s sake, why did you defend yourselves”.
It is precisely this warped sense of justice and the fake cry of justice and peace that will encourage more of the same violence and will harm others again and again. World reaction and that of the media are directly responsible for yet more flotillas which are already being planned by extremist elements. Israel cannot afford to let supplies through without being checked for weapons or terrorist elements.
I am sure that the vast majority of most groups, religions and countries are moderate and seek peaceful coexistence with each other just as we see here in our own communities. In fact until recently this was indeed the longstanding relationship between Israel and Turkey. It is truly a shame that so few people can cause such worldwide strife and bring so many countries to the brink.
Living in New England, we may be thousands of miles away from where these episodes are playing out and thankfully all the communities and religions live in harmony, peace and understanding of each other. Yet at the same time it is vital and a moral imperative to make sure that wrongs are recognized for what they are and the victim is not labeled the aggressor. When cartoons are depicted of Israeli’s playing target practice on the Gaza Flotilla in our own local media, it is deliberately creating the misconception of what this story is about and is directly playing into the hands of the radical extremists who seek to ferment terror and instability across the Middle East.
I end off with the hope and wish for peaceful and productive coexistence between all nations and religions and for a time when we can all utilize each other’s unique talents and abilities to make the world a better place for all mankind regardless of race, religion, or color.