An IDF soldier beaten by Turkish humanitarians on board the Mavi Marmara (this photo was chosen as Turkish 'picture of the year')
UPDATE: SOUTHERN ISRAEL REMAINS ON THE HIGHEST LEVEL ALERT TODAY BASED ON INTEL THAT REVEALS THAT A HAMAS SPONSORED ISLAMIC JIHAD CELL HAS INFILTRATED ISRAEL TO COMMIT A MAJOR TERRORIST ATTACK.
It appears that the publication of the United Nations’ Palmer Commission findings on the Mavi Marmara flotilla incident that occurred on May 31, 2010 will finally be published on Friday. The publication of the report has been repeatedly delayed by U.N. General Secretary Ban Ki Moon on the basis that Israel and Turkey have been working toward some accommodation that would render the Report unnecessary.
It has now become clear that no such accommodation will take place.
You will recall that Turkish PM Erdogan has been demanding that Israel apologize for the incident. That demand has now been expanded into a laundry list including compensation for Turkish families whose supposed ‘loved’ ones were killed, and removal of the sea barricade around Gaza.
For its part Israel agreed to compensation months ago, but, to PM Netanyahu’s everlasting credit (and despite the outrageous urging of many on the ‘left’ in Israel most notably Ehud Barak), Israel has steadfastly refused to apologize or lift the barricade. That is where the matter stands now.
Here is what the Report apparently concludes:
1. Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza was legal, as was the interception of vessels trying to break the blockade.
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2. The IHH activists behind the flotilla were looking for a violent provocation.
3. Turkey had a role with the IHH in the flotilla setting sail.
4. The IDF soldiers defended themselves after coming up against premeditated violence by those on the ship.
5. The IDF soldiers used excessive force.
In terms of the United Nations, this may seem like a remarkably balanced report. However, in placing the ultimate responsibility for the deaths of the nine IHH terrorists on the IDF for use of ‘excessive force’, the Report has ridiculously devolved into sheer relativist fantasy.
Lest we forget what actually happened, your humble servant would like for you, dear reader, to put yourself in the place of the those IDF soldiers. Attacked viciously upon boarding the vessel with knives, iron poles, and other weapons; watching as two of their comrades were thrown off the uppermost deck of the ship to one of the lower decks (one of them headfirst) and another was thrown overboard into the sea; encountering live fire from at least one weapon taken from one of those soldiers; watching as other fellow soldiers were being beaten into unconsciousness to the point of death–what would you have done? What would anybody have done?
And remember, most of the deaths occurred when a single heroic IDF soldier saw what was taking place, dragged his fallen comrades to a position where he could defend them, and then fought off the IHH barbarians who were attempting to finish them off. To say that this soldier, or any other IDF soldier, used ‘excessive force’ is absurd in the extreme.
A student from Malawi, who had worked with an Israeli health volunteer in his country battling AIDS, came up to us as we walked down the street in the UC-Davis Picnic Day Parade and wanted to carry the Israeli flag.