In a news report on the Israeli military’s investigation of its own deadly raid on the Gaza aid flotilla, the Wall Street Journal (7/13/10) passes off as fact, with no qualifier, the Israeli government’s claim that members of IHH, a Turkish humanitarian organization, “attacked the Israeli soldiers as they boarded the ship.”
While it’s true that activists on board the Mavi Marmara tried to defend themselves against Israeli naval commandos and fought with the Israelis (War in Context, 6/6/10), the Journal‘s framing of the incident gets what happened on board the ship backwards, implying that it was the activists who first started the clash.
Regardless of who initiated the violence on board the ship first—and witnesses claim that soldiers started shooting even before they landed on the Turkish ship (Common Dreams, 6/5/10)—when heavily armed commandos invade a ship in international waters without legal authorization to do so, that in itself constitutes an attack. The Israeli navy attacked the boat in international waters even as it was moving away from Gaza’s coast (Ali Abunimah, 6/7/10).
The Wall Street Journal‘s reporting is the latest in a pattern of U.S. corporate media reporting the Israeli assault through Israel’s eyes (FAIR Media Advisory, 6/1/10). What Israel says goes, it seems—what actually happened during the flotilla raid is apparently of little interest.
Wow has anyone writing for fair actually read the witness affadavits?Not really in line with your assumptions….or the film…..or the world bodies investigation.Playing fast and loose with facts guys
I’m not sure what “witness affidavits” Michael E might have in mind. Film can be faked or taken out of context. I have heard some of the leading figures on the Mavi Marmara speak in London. They are decent men, and the story they had to tell was horrific. The fact is that the men on the ship overpowered several of Israel’s “elite” commandos, but didn’t kill them or, to my knowledge, badly injure them; whereas the Israelis shot nine people dead – some in the back, some from almost point-blank range. And all, as Fair points out, in international waters. So, the Wall Street Journal is defending bloody lawlessness and naked piracy on the high seas.
But the world now knows that Israel was innocent of any wrongdoing in that incident. Israel herself has said so, after doing its own investigation. And if Israel says so, it IS so. Almost anybody in the US government will agree. Even AIPAC will agree.
It was a big mistake to have the UN home in US territory, as New York. Washington controls the UN besides having all facilities to spy on foreign delegates to the UN. A large percentage of world population had expected Obama be fair to the US relations to Israel. Just a few months of Obama’s residing in the White House had shown no change in the US-Israel relations, Israel is free to act, with full Washington’s approval. The Flotilla case is clearly violation of international law, as the Insraeli’ Gaza territorial waters blockade. An international investigation is urgent.
What’s the difference between the WSJ, ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC or any other Meanstream Media outlet?
Who’s The Boss?
http://ow.ly/29ILR
Well there is a lot of twisting and playing free and loose with the facts here with the goal being all the blame being put on Israel.The reason your hearing so little is do to the fact that several International inquires are coming up with the same scenario of what happened.And it simply is not what you want to hear.Lets face it,if there were no films- most of the folks on these blogs would be arguing that no-one attacked Israeli soldiers AT ALL!.We would be hearing it was really a cruise ship attacked while they danced the cha cha.Your simply willing to believe anything (facts be damned) in your quest to hate jews
As usual, michael e, you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about–you’re just pulling hysterical lies and craven bullshit directly out of your lying ass. Pointing out the truth of what happened on that ship doesn’t mean that everybody to the left of G.W. Bush “hates the Jews.” Please name a couple of the “International inquires” (sic) and do find us some of those “witness affadavits” (sic) that you think somehow prove that all we sensible folks are “willing to believe anything (facts be damned) in your quest to hate jews”. (sic) Hannity and Beck, your fellow truth-tellers, are callin’ your name, son–you best bound over to them and star lickin’ their feet.
The Wall Street Journal is no exception. Many major U.S. magazines and papers are controlled– if not owned– by persons who have Zionist leanings. So the unthinking U.S. public is brainwashed into believing the lie that Jews remain victims, while the state of Israel is a vicious victimizer of Palestinians. – G. Beres
Tim N
Ya gotta admit that FAIR seems to be running 99% against Israel in this story.And in the face of evidence given to the world body investigation committee.Yeah yeah I know Israel lied, and fabricated ,and shot those shots in a studio in Hollywood.And bought off everybody,and shot the rest.And you cant find any of the facts as supplied by the non part world commission.And all the investigations are corrupted(except the ones held by the saintly Arab news services) Yet “FAIR” folk always are so sure.The stream of blogs flowing only one way.So sure it is all those evil Israelis fault.Kinda strange in any publication.I mean 50/50 at least right?What is this amazing astounding ability to find like minded folks?Im smelling a rat.
You know Im always told that Libs are kind,caring people.So Open minded.Hey and by the way thanks for all those personal attacks Tim.You seem nasty as cat piss, so Im wagering you are a what …..a Tea party dude?Those unproven by any evidence …but convicted racists.Also Sounds like you listen to Beck and Hannity and that they are more on my side of the coin on this.Well good for them.Though I don’t think there will be any feet kissing on either side thanx.
A few things.You want ME to send YOU all the info to date on the international bi lateral commission on this trag.If I thought for one moment you would read it with an open mind I would.But my guess is it is a waste of breath.So do your own legwork.Its all there.I especially love the recruitment papers in the terrorist networks 6 weeks Before the ships departure.Offering training to attack and repel(and kill)Israeli defense forces.This is not hidden.There are many of those involved who are proud as peacocks that they trained…were prepared …and did immediately attack IDF forces when confronted.They think they deserve a medal.They were hoping to be martyrs.Hey they tried and thats what matters.This is all so blithering mind numbingly stupid.Round and round and round we go.Let’s argue stuff like- did the mass extermination of the Jews even happen?
And you win the esteemed award of clarity of thought for making it through 40 some words with out mentioning BUSH.Never fails.
Perhaps it’s time for a democratic and secular, one state solution in Israel-Palestine, in part because of all the Israeli-Jewish settletments in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Perhaps using the Swiss model of cantons for French, German, and Italians.
Or like America, with states,….
See Dr, B. Mazin Qumsiyeh’s “Sharing the Land of Canaan, Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle.”
Onward to peace with justice,
Joe Mustich, Justice of the Peace,
Washington, Connecticut, USA.
michael e Says:
July 16th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Wow has anyone writing for fair actually read the witness affadavits?Not really in line with your assumptionsâ┚¬Ã‚¦.or the filmâ┚¬Ã‚¦..or the world bodies investigation.Playing fast and loose with facts guys
——————————————–
No doubt, the “witness affavits” are ‘affadavits’ by the IDF, the commandos, etc, the same ones that were responsible for the ‘evidence’ on video, correct?
While tracking disinformation is crucial, it cannot be disconnected from the mercenary corporate-financial-weapons-empire machinations that control the world’s resources. How is it that this ruling elite has become so impenetrable and unaccountable? Ruthless, primal, aggressive intimidation? Let’s face it, the biosphere will be victimized as long as the conscientious among us refuse to identify aggression as psychopathology and take unprecedented, holistic, INSTITUTIONALIZED measures to eliminate its self-destructive, criminal activity from the repertoire of human behavior. It is a painful paradox that our impulse for self-preservation is readily and historically permutated into violent abuse. Those who have learned to profit from engineering domination, exploitation and death must be guided out of short-sighted cruelty by those with visionary, ethical wisdom who provide opportunities for the cultural engineering of mutualistic, cooperative relationships. This is the central paradox that must be resolved by political, artistic, scientific, spiritual, technological leaders if there is to be any hope for a healthier future. Beatify the Bullies!!
Joanna
You had the word “institutionalized” italicized .By whom I would ask?Your words sound beautiful but what they come down to is you believe people should be ruled- not governed.Ruled by those who you class as the “conscientious among us”.You want these golden haired Gods who walk among us to” take unprecedented measures to remove a repertoire of human behavior’?A repertoire you disagree with?Sounds like the same old lib-speak that rings in the halls of Harvard daily.I had my belly full years ago
Joanna the world is an ugly place sometimes loaded with a lot of less than perfect people.Wanna make it worse?Give a government, any Government, power over them.Leave the “visionary,ethical wisdoms……Artistic,scientific,spiritual abilities” to the individual. The alternative is leaders who will tell you they are” visionaries full of ethical wisdom who say they will provide opportunities for the cultural engineering of mutualistic cooperative relationships”.That and a bag of chips.”Kinda like the chuckle head we have in there now.See the road to hell is paved with Liberal good intentions.Speaking in such lofty erudite tones is not in the end speaking OVER people.It is sliding it past them.Just say what you mean and mean what you say.Will you lay it on the line and tell us who you feel these leaders, these saviors are?
The facts remain: Israel can do no wrong and the Palestinians can do no right. Recently the mayor of Jerusalem condemned 22 Palestinian homes to make way for expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank despite United Nations’ Resolution 242 calling for Israel’s return to 1967 borders. Israel ignores all UN Resolutions except the first that created the Frankenstein monster: Israel.
When I learned the Nazis tortured, exiled, ghettoized, and murdered Jews–I was consummed with outrage and anger; when I hear that Jews torture, exile, ghettoize, and murder Palestinians I am consummed with outrage and anger.
Prior to World War II, approximately 1,000,000 Arabs and 500,000 Jews lived in Palestine in relative peace until 1948 when Jews demanded they be given Palestine. After the United Nations’ decision, Arabs were ethnically cleaned for the most part, villages razed, villagers provided “escape” passages (leave or die was the word). After all, God–so the Jewish mantra goes–“gave” Palestine to the Jews.
If Israel to refuses to acknowledge the authority that created it (the UN), I say it’s time for America to stop enabling the Jewish state with unlimited arms, funds, and UN vetoes. America’s constitution provided no legitimacy for a theocracy: why are we supporting one in Palestine? I say not one penny of my tax dollars to support any theocracy, especially one in the Middle East.
Johnalene your kidding right? Once a liar always a liar and it doesn’t matter who you are. The “governments” and Israel (in this case) have been caught in many, many lies before, especially when it comes to Gaza, that’s why I figured you must be joking with your comment, your so innocent if your not kidding, and pardon me, if you are kidding!
Now I’m not pro Israelis or pro Palestinians, I’m simply pro truth no matter who you are!
Israel should not have been allowed to do their own investigation, come on, that’s like giving Hitler the right to do his own investigation, or Stalin, or any other guilty party! And I’m sure Israel wouldn’t let Hitler investigate himself as to what he’s done! I mean like Israel is really going to find a problem that they will take fault for, they haven’t even admitted that they were showing the world the wrong boat being attacked, and that the attack they showed was just their soldiers practicing take overs, or what ever else you want to call them? Anyhow maybe do a little more research (not on a government site), and certainly do not believe what you hear on TV news, investigate, investigate, investigate and it will lead you to the truth, a truth you may not want to hear, follow the money trail!
Leslie there are more than 16 investigations by their respective governments on this.And many more just under tha radar.Plus of course the Un and the world body.Away from the radical Arab view most are arriving at the same conclusion.Most are walking away grumbling and so it is dying.Israel is miffed that most are agreeing with their investigation but are not trumpeting it to the world.So they are.Bad form ..yes.But if no one will speak for them they must speak for themselves.
Did i hear you say the film was fake?You better report that to the worlds investigating committee.Come on Lez lets get real
I must say that I’m really disappointed in “fair.org.” I went to this subject because I actually know more about it than some others. I was expecting a two-sighted point and counterpoint, explaining what was “wrong” or a ‘lie” on the Israeli side and what was “wrong” or a “lie” on the Palestinian side. Instead, I find the same kind of one-sidedness and slant that we fight against from FOX news and the like. (Here though, it is the opposite from FOX, everything is Israel’s fault and the Palestinians are just innocent victims and sitting ducks! Poor little duffers!) When someone disagrees, especially if they have a good point, then we refer to name-calling. This site is the same bore as all the others… it just has a “liberal” slant instead of a “conservative” slant. There is nothing “unbiased” nor “fair” about it!! (I am actually a very liberal, Progressive… before anyone calls me a tea-bagger!) I’d just like fair and unbiased news so I can make up my own mind. Without it we really have no information at all!!!
There are a few in every generation, but they are marginalized or assassinated by the alpha-predators (currently the mercenaries of neocon/zionist corporate tyranny).