United Nations » Israel faced heavy criticism in an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council on Monday in response to its deadly attack on an aid flotilla trying to breach the Gaza blockade, but attempts to issue a formal statement stalled after the United States rejected the strong condemnation sought by Turkey.
Turkey proposed a statement that would condemn Israel for violating international law, demand a U.N. investigation and demand that Israel prosecute those responsible for the raid and pay compensation to the victims. It also called for the end of the blockade.
The Obama administration refused to endorse a statement that singled out Israel, and proposed a broader condemnation of the violence that would include the assault of the Israeli commandos as they landed on the deck of the ship.
New Yorkers join worldwide chorus of condemnation over Israeli attack on flotilla
ReplyDeleteShocked and furious New Yorkers took to the streets of Midtown Manhattan and joined thousands of others globally in unequivocally denouncing the Israeli naval attack on a ship carrying civilians and humanitarian aid that was trying to break the siege of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli raid on the “Freedom Flotilla” killed at least 9 people and injured dozens more.
<img></img>
Chanting “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes,” while holding signs condemning what protesters called Israeli “piracy,” at least 1,000 people gathered in Times Square this afternoon and marched to the Israeli Consulate building. The demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. aid to Israel—which amounts to about $3 billion a year—and accountability for Israeli violations of international law like the attack on the flotilla.
"I was talking overnight to friends in the UK Mission to the United Nations in New York who were personally sickened by the US role in negotiations. The US threatened to veto any statement which named Israel as the attacker. There is not even a mention of Israel in the security council statement. My friend in New York described the attitude of the American negotiators under Obama as even more aggressively and openly pro-Israel than under Bush." (Craig Murray)
ReplyDelete"In brief, if Israel and Turkey are not at war, then it is Turkish law which is applicable to what happened on the ship. It is for Turkey, not Israel, to carry out any inquiry or investigation into events and to initiate any prosecutions. Israel is obliged to hand over indicted personnel for prosecution." (Same fellow)
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/index.html
Is anyone surprised? I would be very much surprised if President Obama is not personally disgusted by Israel's actions, but the President is placing domestic politics over doing what is right.
ReplyDeleteInteresting from angryarab:
ReplyDeletei was not pleased to see evidence of heavy Turkish propaganda: some spontaneous and some clearly provided by embassy. I feel that Turkey is on a campaign to win Arab public opinion.
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2010/06/blogging.html
"Israel is hoping that this will blow over, and, sadly, it probably will."
ReplyDeleteReporter Bill Neeley on ITN Evening News (UK) tonight.
They brazened out the USS Liberty outrage; Sabra-Shatila; Cast Lead. This too will pass, with US connivance.
Maybe so but fewer people are buying it, at least on a worldwide basis. From my personal experience, Americans are not really interested. Their immediate shortterm interests trump everything, even a cataclysmic environmental event and a brazen war crime. However, others around the world are hip to what is happening and more and more, they are the relevant force.
ReplyDelete