Just a few shocking updates, for those of you hungry for more news since my last column on the Gaza flotilla situation.
How Peace-Loving!
Flotilla Peace Activists Told IDF Soldiers to “Go Back to Auschwitz”
Audio of the “conversation” between the Israeli Navy and the “peace activists” of the flotilla has just been released in all its glory. And man, is it remarkable!
After being warned by the Israeli Navy that they are approaching an area of Naval blockade, the “peace activists” respond with:
“Go back to Auschwitz” and
“Don’t forget 9/11, guys”
How lovely. And so remarkably peace-seeking. It just blows my mind. You can hear the full (and shocking) recording for yourselves here.
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Turkish Daily Publishes Photos of Bleeding, Beaten IDF Soldiers
The Turkish daily Hurriyet has published photos of the IDF soldiers on the Mavi Marmara, showing them bleeding, badly beaten, dragged across the floor, thrown down stairs, and other savory images (and someone was sick enough to take them!)
If you ever wanted pictorial proof of why the IDF boys had to shoot to defend their lives, you can see all the photos for yourself right here. (They are not very pleasant. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.)
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Weapons Found on Board “Peace Activists'” Ship
Reports have been coming in on the weapons found on the peaceful, humanitarian, every-man-my-brother ship, the Mavi Marmara.
The weapons found so far include: knives, metal bars, slingshots, smoke bombs, bulletproof vests, gas masks, wrenches, clubs and rocks. In addition, gun sights and rifle cartridges incompatible with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) firearms were discovered, suggesting passengers may have had guns but threw them overboard.
That’s quite an arsenal for some peace-loving, supply-delivering pacifists. I’d take them into a mob riot or lynch mob any day! (Oh, wait…)
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Vice President Joe Biden
Vice President Biden Responds to Gaza Flotilla Brouhaha
In an interview with Charlie Rose last Wednesday, Vice President Joe Biden said,
You can argue whether Israel should have dropped people onto that ship or not … but the truth of the matter is, Israel has a right to know — they’re at war with Hamas — has a right to know whether or not arms are being smuggled in.
Biden also added:
I think Israel has an absolute right to deal with its security interest.
We all know that Vice President Biden is rather well known for often speaking the truth without mind for the consequences. I guess this is one time when if you want the truth, you gotta go to the guy who speaks it – public opinion be damned.
Thank you, Mr. Vice President.
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Your Daily Moment of Trivia
We keep hearing about the crisis in Gaza, so I just wanted to share this small tidbit of food of thought.
Life expectancy in Gaza is currently 73.6 years.
That’s higher than such poor, downtrodden countries as Hungary, Bulgaria, and Lithuania (ALL members of the European Union). So could we get the humanitarian aid flotillas to go there next time, instead?
As a bonus, here is a link to a translated Danish report on the supposed “shortages” in Gaza, and what Danish reporter Steffen Jensen really saw when he went to Gaza to see for himself last week. (Spoiler: apparently, even gasoline is not rationed in Gaza, and Mr. Jensen describes mountains of fruit and vegetables in the markets, many of them from Israel itself. But I guess being a Dane, he must be just a biased Zionist sympathizer, after all.)
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Spanish Politician & Journalist Pilar Rahola
Final Bonus Link
Click here for a translation of a terrific article by left-wing Spanish politician and journalist Pilar Rahola in support of Israel, and against modern European Antisemitism.
Another great speech by Pilar Rahola on European Antisemitism and the accepted demonization of Israel among European intellectuals is here.
At times like these, it’s nice to know we still have some friends left in Europe.
Thank you, Señora Rahola.
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[Photos: dronir, peixes loucos, Wikimedia, Wikimedia, Pilar Rahola]
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The relatively short pieces by Pilar Rahola really are worth reading. She is eloquent, passionate, and insightful.
Jenna-
Thank you for so capably gathering all these important pieces together in one spot. I would ask why the mainstream media does not print any of the pictures, but we all know the answer to that. Keep up the good work!
I find it very interesting that the Turkish press attacks Israel for their right to protect its citizens but Turkey constantly breaks into Iraq, Cyprus, etc. in its pursuit of Kurdish rebels.
Jenna,
I am surprised that you would mention the “Auschwitz” a day after the NYT wrote about how it was doctored. The doctored version was released and tweeted by @IDFSpokesperson while the whole world watched anxiously to see what would happen with the MV Rachel Corrie.
It was discovered almost immediately by Max Blumenthal that it was a doctored version of what had been released days earlier, without any Auschwitz or 9/11 taunts anywwhere in the transmissions.
http://maxblumenthal.com/2010/06/ny-times-lede-blog-surveys-idfs-sea-of-lies/