Israel's murderous 22-day offensive last December/January left more than 50,000 homes, 800 industrial properties, 200 schools, 39 mosques and two churches damaged or destroyed. The International Committee of the Red Cross says the 1.5 million Palestinians living in Gaza are "trapped in despair", unable to rebuild their lives because Israel, having wantonly wrecked their civil society and infrastructure, is blocking efforts to bring in the necessary repair materials. Those on board the 'Spirit of Humanity' were acting in accord with donors' pledges of $4.5 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation and US President Obama's request to Israel to let those supplies pass.
The mercy ship sailed from Larnaca, Cyprus, with a crew of 21 human rights activists, humanitarian workers and journalists from 11 different countries, including Nobel laureate Mairead Maguire and former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. In the early hours of Tuesday morning Israeli warships surrounded it and threatened to open fire if the crew didn’t turn back. When they refused to be intimidated, the Israelis jammed their instrumentation and blocked their GPS, radar, and navigation systems, putting all lives at risk.
The ship had been searched and given security clearance by the Port Authorities in Cyprus before sailing, and posed no threat.
Richard Falk, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights, says the seizing of the ‘Spirit of Humanity’ is unlawful and the continuing blockade of Gaza a crime against humanity. Yes, yes, Mr. Falk. But the question as always is, what is your paralytic, useless organization doing about it? Or is hand-wringing all it’s good for?
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- Politics, World News
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- Politics, World News, Israel, Palestine + add
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- recommended by:
- Vierotchka
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- Nader123
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Well, it could be worse. Israel could have blown up London's subway and killed multiple people for no reason what-so-ever. Sound familiar, Nadar?
Gear your complaints towards your own people first. Ask the Hamas' leaders to stop using their own people (your people) as human shields.
Israel has to defend itself. Perhaps you can lead your people to find a home in the 20 Islamic nations that surround Israel?
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- kjoknoswazzup
- 4 months ago
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the hell with hamas, I don't support extremism on either side. we know the zionists are the source of all this evil, you do something about it.
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get educated & open your mind!!!
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Nader, I do not hate the Palestinians. I spent a month at Bethlehem University and made a lot of friendships. But I don't think it's in their best interest to rid of the Israelis because setting aside that some killing is inevitable in this particular situation, they do help out the Palestinians a lot financially and to be honest, I wouldn't want to leave your people alone with Hamas or any other terrorist group for that matter.
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- kjoknoswazzup
- 4 months ago
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I would really like to see young leaders like you take charge of your people, as is done in all cultures. Right now all I see are the crazies rising up as terrorists. What about you, Nader? I've been reading about Islam and I just learned about the Muslim sect that calls themselves the "traditionalists" who would bring back all Muslims to the Koran and live by what it says. I.e. Freedom for women and no needless killing like suicide bombs. Have you heard of this group? If so, do you agree with them?
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- kjoknoswazzup
- 4 months ago
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open your mind
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"Right now all I see are the crazies rising up as terrorists"
not true at all, but there is ignorance I do believe that, and violence breads violence it's an ugly cycle. That's why I say the hell with them both, give the other side (peaceful jews & arabs) a chance, allow their voices to be heard, stand by them, and by that I mean the world leadership, the solution can only come from real leadership. we're kidding ourselves if we think extremism will find a solution. I say it's time to cut'em off, but zionism has grown so powerful, especially here in the states, that it's extremely difficult to contain
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I have not heard of the "Traditionalists", where is this from?
I do know and I believe Islam has been suffering from religious freedom for a very long time. I support freedom of thought, and separation of "church & state". Extremism has to end forever!!!
