Sea Sick

The “Freedom Flotilla” whose sole purpose was to create a media event as detrimental to Israel by delivering “humanitarian aid” by challenging the Israeli (naval) blockade on Gaza arrived into Israeli controlled waters early, ~4:30, this morning. What exactly happened after that everything entered into “the fog of war.” While they didn’t get close to the coast of Gaza, the bottom line is they were successful. Israel has now two black eyes and is entering into another difficult period of intensive negative media and international attention. Undoubtedbly, the next week will be a difficult one. The reverberations will last much longer.

At minimum, the facts are, as reported by the VOA:

At least nine passengers were killed, and dozens of others were injured, when Israeli commandos stormed ships bringing aid to the Gaza Strip early Monday. The flotilla, led by a Turkish ship, was in international waters about 60 kilometers off the coast of Israel when it was intercepted.

Israel says seven soldiers also were wounded in the violence.

Before looking at the international fall out, several questions beg to be asked.

1. What was Israel's response and thinking about what would/could and did transpire? What was Israel thinking when it launched its response?
2. It seems clear that the Arabs/Moslems prepared the ground for this operation. Why did Israel allow itself to fall into this trap? Why is it only AFTER the foreign (and specifically the Arab/anti-Israeli) press had the entire morning to itself--there was an Israeli news blackout--that Israel finally responded with press conferences and press releases. Why weren't they prepared in advance? This isn't the first time that Israel has had to deploy its military in a hostile situation. In today's world, as shown in the first Gaza war, people don't have patience to wait for the truth. The pictures and statements--however doctored and perverted--have already made their rounds and impressions.
3. What is about Israel and its government, that it perpetually "shoots itself in the foot" when it comes to framing an issue or executing a "peace" project? Sharon's idea to evacuate Gaza looked great on paper--including the international press coverage--, but years later the former residents are still in limbo. The fall out from the recent Gaza War and the Goldstein Report continue unabated. While it's been said that the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to make peace and have their state, it seems that Israel never misses an opportunity to screw up and control its message proactively.

As I heard on a radio program this afternoon (Monday), the Arab/Moslem elites (governments and actors) have internalized that they are unable to defeat Israel on an actual battle field, but in the diplomatic and PR arenas they can be--and are--more successful. Currently, they are pinning Israel into corner where its legitimacy to both exist as well as to defend its sovereignty is questioned. It can do no right. In such an environment, it's difficult to stay on message (assuming there's actually one) when you're forced to field questions about your legitimacy to exist.

In terms of tactics, see Haim Watzman's South Jerusalem blog about whether naval commandos were the appropriate people to deploy (and the ensuing comments on the blog)

Wouldn't it have been better--as suggested by a neighbor--to have disabled the ships and then assist them by towing them into port (Ashdod) and have a press conference there? Then instead of a humanitarian disaster, Israel could portray itself as a savior and then transfer the safe--no explosive--items to Gaza.

They couldn't claim they didn't know about the flotilla.

• It's been in the Israeli news for the last several weeks and in the international headlines since late last week as they set sail. The "landing" was put off a number of times from Friday evening (after Shabbat) until early this morning.
• Haaretz even published a number of articles and op-ed pieces pro and con the flotilla. Sunday, it was Gideon Levy's turn.
• They publicly announced, if only to an Israeli audience, that plans were being developed involving the Prime Minister, Foreign Ministry and the IDF, to ensure that it was handled quietly and avoid an international backlash.

The fallout from the international media was immediate and negative.

Aljazera in "Outrage over Israel Attack" and "Deadly Israeli raid on aid ship" lists a number of critical comments including the expected mostly from the Arab and Islamic world, as well as Europe--the EU, Germany, Ireland (Eire), Italy and the UK--, different UN bodies and the US.

First is the statement from the Turkish foreign ministry, who were the primary (state) sponsors of the flotilla [as 'confirmed' by Micheal Martin, Irish foreign affairs minister in his statement "I am gravely concerned at the reports emerging of the storming of a Turkish ship this morning by Israeli commandos. My department is seeking to establish the full facts of what has occurred and confirm the safety of the eight Irish nationals who sailed with the Turkish-led flotilla"]:

The interception on the convoy is unacceptable ... Israel will have to bear the consequences of its actions.

We strongly condemn it and await an immediate explanation.

By targeting innocent civilians, Israel has once again clearly displayed that does not value human lives and peaceful initiatives.

We forcefully condemn these inhumane activities by Israel.

The incident that occurred in open sea which is a gross breach of international law, could cause irrevocable consequences for our relations.

We wish to express our condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased, and swift recovery to the wounded.

Then from Hamas (Ismail Haniya, Hamas leader in Gaza) we hear:

The government of Hamas call on Palestinians to carry out a total strike in Gaza and West Bank to show solidarity and protest the Israeli crimes.

We request emergency session for the UN Security Council, Arab League and Islamic Conference and we demand the Palestinian Authority to stop all forms of negotiations.

The government decided to grant those on board Freedom ships the medal of honour.

We appeal to the UN to withdraw from the Quartet.

The government has decided to name the May 31 "the freedom day". We demand the Arab League to carry out all decisions to stop the siege of Gaza.

We say to those heroes that the essence of your honourable blood has reached us before the aids you are carrying to us.

We salute everyone on board the Freedom ships.

The Arab League released the following statement:

Secretary General Amr Moussa has called for an emergency meeting at the League's headquarters in Cairo on June 1.

The attack clearly shows Israel's aggressive nature and its disrespect to international and humanitarian rules and laws.

We call on the international community to take immediate steps against Israel, a rogue state that practices all forms of terrorism and piracy, and instigates tension and instability in the region and in the middle of the Mediterranean sea.

In addition to the UN Security Council press release, there were also two comments from UN human rights workers:

a) Navi Pillay, UN high commissioner for human rights

I am shocked by reports that humanitarian aid was met with violence early this morning reportedly causing death and injury as the boat convoy approached the Gaza coast.

The blockade keeps undermining human rights on a daily basis.

The current situation falls far short of what is necessary for the population to lead normal and dignified lives.

I condemn once again the indiscriminate firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel.

(b) The UN Relief and Works Agency

We are shocked by reports of killings and injuries of people on board boats carrying supplies for Gaza, apparently in international waters.

Such tragedies are entirely avoidable if Israel heeds the repeated calls of the international community to end its counterproductive and unacceptable blockade of Gaza

Lastly, there's a statement from the White House

US President Barack Obama "expressed deep regret at the loss of life in today's incident, and concern for the wounded" in a phone call to Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister.

"The president also expressed the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances around this morning's tragic events as soon as possible."

Another thoughtful response came from the International Crisis Group,

Flotilla Attack the Deadly Symptom of a Failed Policy

Brussels/Washington/Jerusalem
31 May 2010

The International Crisis Group condemns Israel’s assault on a flotilla of humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, which resulted in a tragic loss of life.

At the same time, the incident is an indictment of a much broader policy toward Gaza for which Israel does not bear sole responsibility.

For years, many in the international community have been complicit in a policy that aimed at isolating Gaza in the hope of weakening Hamas. This policy is morally appalling and politically self-defeating. It has harmed the people of Gaza without loosening Hamas's control. Yet it has persisted regardless of evident failure.

“The flotilla assault is but a symptom of an approach that has been implicitly endorsed by many”, says Robert Malley, Director of Crisis Group’s Middle East Program. “It is yet another stark illustration of the belated need for a comprehensive change in policy toward Gaza.”

International condemnation and calls for an inquiry will come easily, but many who will issue them must acknowledge their own role in the deplorable treatment of Gaza that formed the backdrop to today’s events. The policy of isolating Gaza, seeking to turn its population against Hamas, and endorsing a "West Bank first" approach was not an exclusively Israeli one. To focus on this recent tragedy alone is to miss the much wider and more important political lessons.

The policy toward Gaza is in need of thorough re-examination. The US, EU and Quartet as a whole have been calling for relaxing the siege on Gaza. That is welcome, but opening the humanitarian tap is not an appropriate answer to a policy whose fundamental premise is morally callous and politically counter-productive. Instead, Gaza should be open to normal commercial traffic with adequate international end-use monitoring.

“Today, we have witnessed the sad outgrowth of a failed and dangerous policy”, says Louise Arbour, Crisis Group President. “One hopes it can provide an opportunity for a long-overdue course correction.”

While governments were 'forced' to issue statements, there were also statements from anti-war groups. Britain's Stop The War Coalition expressed what I fear is the typical statement,

The action should see Israel condemned under international law.

Israel has repeatedly flouted law and public opinion worldwide in its treatment of the Palestinians.

The decision by Israel to attack the flotilla with such loss of human life shows it is arrogant and deadly intent in opposing any aid to the Palestinians.

I heard pretty much the same thing this morning during a radio interview  on Israeli radio (Reshet Bet) with a/the Flotilla spokesperson, Greta Berlin.

• How the flotilla and its participants are unarmed civilians just wanting to bring needed 'humanitarian' supplies to the poor innocent Palestinians of Gaza.
• How the boats were outfitted with cameras (I assume webcams) recording all the events.
• How the Israeli commandos dropped from a helicopter and immediately upon setting foot on the boot, began firing their weapons.
• How Israel again is lying about its commitment to deliver the supplies (see below).

All of this is, of course, expected since Israel is used to shooting and killing innocent Palestinians they'll also have no compunction about shooting other innocent civilians.

Somehow missing or minimized were:

• That Israeli soldiers were injured by both hot (guns) and cold (knives and daggers) weapons carried on board. See the IDF You Tube clip of their "non-violent" welcome on the lead boat Mavi Marmara.
• The supplies weren't typical humanitarian items like food, medicines and clothes, but were instead Israeli 'contraband' (on their prohibited list) items like cement, paper and water filtration systems...

An unmitigated PR disaster.