Strange bedfellows indeed..

If Iran makes good on it’s threat to escort blockade runners into Gaza, it will make for an interesting conflict amongst the Israel bashers around here.

Do they side with Israel, who they obviously hate?? Or do they side with Iran who makes executing gays a public policy??

It’s also relevant to mention that Hamas has killed twice as many Palestinians as Israel has… Never see that little factoid mentioned when people espouse the “honor” and sincerity of Hamas, eh??

Michale…..

i tried to post more, but for some reason the blog would not allow me to, so i had to cut my comments

but you have hit all the salient points…the points which “progressives” choose to ignore

its funny….were it not for israel, these same progressives would be attacking the hamas regime for its regressive policies…like killing gays

a British passenger who witnessed the deadly pre-dawn encounter in international waters said that some of the more peaceful activists on board had tried to protect captured Israeli soldiers being set upon by a hardcore of passengers, most of them believed to be Turks linked to an Islamic charity accused by Israel of having links to extremists.

As {the Israeli soldier} landed on the ship’s top deck, he said he saw three of his superior officers who had landed ahead of him lying wounded, one with a bullet wound to the stomach, another shot in the knee and the third beaten unconscious.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7144099.ece

So, by all means.. Please tell me again about the “peaceful and innocent activists”??

Tell me how this is not a clear case of self defense..

Michale32086

DOH!!!!

Color me embarrassed..

When you said, “Mike”, I thought you were referring to me..

Had I actually READ your comment more closely, rather than just assuming that you were disagreeing with me, I would have saw that, apparently, you and I are of the same opinion when it comes to Hamas.

My bust.. And my sincerest apologies..

Michale32086

Hamas

The Gaza blockade could end today, right this second, if the Palestinians really wanted to..

It’s quite simple. Three easy steps.

1. Hamas must release Cpl Schalit, a soldier who was illegally kidnapped and is being illegally held in violation of the Geneva Conventions. Incidentally, those are the same Conventions that Israel bashers routinely (and incorrectly) throw in Israel’s face.

2. Hamas must end all terrorist missile attacks on innocent Israeli civilians. If Hamas wants to fire missiles at military targets, by all means. Have a ball.. But terrorism against innocent civilians (I know, it’s redundant) must stop..

3. Hamas must concede Israel’s right to exist.

Now, look at those steps. Are ANY of them wrong?? Are ANY of them uncivilized, brutal or illogical??

No… All three steps are completely logical, rational and above all else, the right thing to do.

The biggest obstacle to peace in Gaza is Hamas. During the last Gaza conflict, the Israeli IDF cared more for the safety of innocent Palestinian civilians than Hamas did. This is documented fact.

There is an old “joke” amongst CT operators in the region.

When an air raid siren sounds in Israel, the Israeli government rushes it’s civilians down into shelters.

When an air raid siren sounds in Gaza, Hamas rushes it’s civilians to the target.

This is the sad reality of Gaza. Hamas could live in peace next to Israel if it would just be content to live in peace next to Israel.

Due to Hamas’ constant and unending terrorist attacks against innocent Israeli civilians, Israel will always have the legal, ethical and moral high ground. Israel will always have nearly carte-blanche in dealing with Hamas and the Palestinians.

This is not to say that Israel is utterly blameless and mistake free. Israel has made some bone head moves and initiated some real PR disasters..

However, it is clear that, in all their mistakes, that it was dealing with Hamas that precipitated these errors in judgment on the part of Israel. In other words, if there was no Hamas to deal with, there wouldn’t have been any mistakes from Israel on this particular issue.

This illustrates exactly why Hamas is the biggest obstacle to peace in Gaza.

Michale32086

I can assure you that I have not only researched the situation vis a vis Israel vs Gaza, I have seen it first hand..

Allow me to lay some “research” on you…

The question of whether or not the Israeli Navy had the authority to board the Mavi Marmara is rather clear cut.

But it can only be addressed by first addressing the question;

Is the blockade of Gaza by Israel legal?

The answer to that question, according to the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea, is clearly, “YES”…

Once it is established that the blockade of Gaza is legal, then other portions of the San Remo Manual come into play.

Towhit, Israel is well within it’s rights to board any vessel attempting or intending to run it’s blockade in international waters anywhere in the world. Meaning that Israel could have legally boarded the Mavi Marmara as soon as they cleared Cyprus territorial waters as intent to blockade run was well established by that time.

This is what international law says….

You can read the San Remo Manual here:

http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/385ec082b509e76c41256739003e636d/7694fe2016f347e1c125641f002d49ce

As the San Remo Manual clearly shows, the blockade of Gaza is completely legal and lawful. Therefore, any vessel found to be running the blockade or when intent to run blockade is established then said vessel can be legally boarded, seized and, if the blockading party deems it necessary, attacked and sunk.

If the blockade is legal and lawful, then any and all actions that were taken by Israel in this incident are also legal and lawful.

Of course, conversely, if the blockade is an illegal blockade, then it becomes clear that Israel is legally in the wrong..

There is only one part of the San Remo Manual that could, repeat *COULD* make the Gaza blockade illegal..

PART IV, SECTION II, Paragraph 102:
The declaration or establishment of a blockade is prohibited if:
(a) it has the sole purpose of starving the civilian population or denying it other objects essential for its survival; or
(b) the damage to the civilian population is, or may be expected to be, excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated from the blockade.

Subsection (a) does not apply, because it is clear that sole purpose of the blockade is NOT the starvation of Gaza but rather to stop weapons from reaching Hamas. This is evidenced by the fact that Israel imports thousands of tons of aid into Gaza every month. So, obviously starving the population is not the goal.

Subsection (b) would be the only section that one could hang their hat on, as far as illegality goes..

According to the subsection, a blockade would be illegal if the damage to the civilian population is excessive in relation to the direct military advantage that said blockade would provide.

The damage to the civilian population is clear. However, it IS mitigated to a great extent by the humanitarian aid that flows into Gaza from Israel on a daily basis..

So, while there IS damage to the civilian population, it is not excessive by any stretch of the imagination.

Now, let’s look at the direct military advantage that the blockade provides to Israel.

This is abundantly and crystal clear. The ability of Hamas to obtain weapons that would, in turn, be used against innocent Israeli civilians is severely curtailed.

Therefore, the damage to the civilian population of Gaza is not sufficiently excessive to out weigh the very real military advantage afforded Israel by way of keeping an excessive amount of weaponry out of Hamas’ hands.

I am also constrained to point out that Hamas STILL can smuggle in weapons thru secret tunnels at the Gaza/Egyptian border. The fact that Hamas chooses to smuggle in weapons and explosives rather than foodstuffs and medicines makes it abundantly clear that Hamas is more interested in killing Israelis than they are in taking care of their own citizens.

Further, I must also point out that many countries in the region, INCLUDING Turkey and Egypt signed off on the blockade as perfectly legal. Up until yesterday, Egypt actually participated in the blockade, coordinating their efforts with Israel.

All of these facts support the opinion that the Israeli Blockade of Gaze is perfectly legal and in accordance with international law.

And, as I stated at the beginning. If the blockade is legal, then the IHH Flotilla incident that flowed from that blockade is also legal.

Next, I will address the REAL problem in Gaza…

Michale32086

i know you to be an intelligent and informed person.

please do not be like the rest of the faux progressives when it comes to the middle east.

why does greenwald act like a normal progressive on every other issue, then goes out of his way to be an apologist for hamas?

there will be no investigation into rachel corrie, cuz she committed suicide. yes, that is what you call someone who decides to play chicken with an up armored tractor.

the girl who lost her eye yesterday is just another stooge for the terrorist front group known as the ism.

there is no humanitarian crisis in gaza…do some research.

and those people on board that ship were not murdered…you cannot commit murder when acting in self defense

It’s really THAT simple.

As for the blockade, I suggest you read the San Remo Manual of 1994. Israel’s blockade of Gaza is perfectly in accordance with international law.

Michale32086