A global pogrom in the making
Some more thoughts about the Turkish terrorist flotilla attack.
The debacle poses urgent questions about the quality of Israel’s intelligence. The sight of those naval commandoes rappelling from their helicopter into the murderous arms of an Islamist lynch-mob was shocking to behold. As I have already noted, the commanders of this operation – including Defence Minister Ehud Barak – clearly believed the flotilla was merely full of anarchists, leftists and other useful idiots. How can it possibly have happened that they didn’t know the Turkish terrorist IHH were involved? And if they did, how can they have made such a dreadful error of military judgment?
Next, the line being peddled that one of the casualties of this debacle is Turkey’s hitherto close tie to Israel demonstrates once again the ostrich-like ignorance of Britain’s political and media class which refuses to grasp the reality of the global Islamic jihad. Turkey, which indeed was once an ally of Israel and the west, has been steadily morphing from its secular traditions into an Islamist regime -- which is turning it into an enemy of the west (and also places it at odds with those secular Turks who are rightly horrified by the prospective loss of their freedoms).
Only last month, after all, Turkey agreed to take 1200 grams of Iran’s ‘surplus’ uranium for enrichment – thus providing the fig leaf for Iran’s genocide bomb. The IHH are Turkish terrorists linked to al Qaeda. Turkey is now threatening to up the ante by providing a Turkish naval escort for the next Gaza flotilla. Go figure.
Further evidence that the Marmara flotillistas were not your average humanitarian soup-kitchen run has apparently been aired on Israel TV news, which has reported that after interrogation 40 to 60 of these men have been revealed to be members of several units, each with its own commander and assignments. The men had no official papers, and each carried a large amount of cash. Some were equipped with night vision equipment and ceramic vests, and there appears to have been a military-style command structure on board.
Meanwhile, as the IAEA reports that Iran has now amassed enough nuclear fuel to make two nuclear bombs and Turkish Islamists provide the pretext for UN bodies to make a frenzied attack upon Iran’s principal designated victim, Israel, to force it to cave in to Hamas, Obama has joined in the auto-da-fe. As Anne Bayefsky reports, America has for the first time chosen not to stop the political lynch-mob in the Security Council from tabling an Israel-bashing presidential statement and the ‘Human Rights’ Council from tabling an Israel-bashing resolution. Bayefsky writes:
Day two of the HRC’s ‘regular’ session, therefore, saw the entire afternoon devoted to the flotilla incident, replete with accusations of massacres and genocide. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) made no effort to cover up the real point, namely, the rejection of Israel’s right to exist and the concomitant right to defend itself.
... The Security Council Presidential statement paints the loss of life which occurred entirely in the framework designed by its Arab and OIC sponsors. All the civilians who participated in the flotilla are cast as humanitarians – including the armed thugs caught on video-tape brutally attacking Israeli soldiers. Gaza is made out to be a humanitarian problem arising in a vacuum.
There is no mention of its government’s dedication to Israel’s annihilation, no mention of the smuggling of arms into Gaza, and no mention of the use of such arms against Israelis. Consequently, according to the Security Council there appears to be no justification for Israel’s interest in the ship’s cargo or its legal blockade of an entity with which it is at war. In fact, the Presidential statement does not mention Hamas at all.
And this a few days after, again with Obama’s approval, the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons called for an international conference to force Israel to give up its nuclear weapons – which it holds purely for defensive purposes, as everyone in the region knows, with the result that this has never resulted in a regional nuclear arms race -- while making no mention at all of Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, which everyone in the region knows are intended to be used aggressively and so will result in an immediate nuclear arms race in the Arab world.
In other words, Obama is now throwing his weight behind the frenzied attempt by the world’s tyrannies to wipe Israel off the map. And as the noose tightens round Israel, what is the response of the British government? Far from rethinking Foreign Secretary William Hague’s reproach to Israel for ‘lack of restraint’ (in not allowing its marine commandoes to be lynched, you understand) the Prime Minister David Cameron has joined in the onslaught, deploring the ‘heavy loss of life’ and telling Israel to lift the blockade of Gaza – which, let us remind ourselves once again, allows into Gaza tens of thousands of tons of aid per week and only stops weapons from being smuggled in that would be used to kill Israelis. Thus as the world starts to resemble a global pogrom in the making, Cameron has lined up Britain too on the side of the forces of darkness against their victims.
And finally, this: one lone young Jew stands up for rationality and justice and confronts the hate. A symbol of Jewish isolation in the face of what is now gathering pace and venom across the world, as it goes progressively mad.
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Melanie Phillips is a Daily Mail columnist. She also writes for the Jewish Chronicle and is a panellist on BBC Radio Four's Moral Maze. Her most recent book is 'The World Turned Upside Down: The Global Battle over God, Truth and Power', published by Encounter.
For a complete set of Melanie's articles click here
Melanie Phillips blog archive
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YossiUK
June 2nd, 2010 12:34amAmazingly powerful link Melanie. May G-d bless that brave young man for defending truth against lies.
And just think, if that had taken place in the UK, the police would have probably detained him for incitement for just having the bravery to carry an Israeli flag.
phil
June 2nd, 2010 12:44amMelanie,
I do not know from where you get the courage to say what you do, but you are once again spot on. I have come to expect nothing else from Obama and the gang of thugs at the UN, but the Conservative party under Cameron is a disgrace
myopia
June 2nd, 2010 1:06amA small, isolated and beleagured democratic nation surrounded by virulently hostile neighbours dedicated to it's destruction attempts to maintain it's security. Fierce resistance resulting in a few casualties on both sides results in a frenzy of media hype, acres of newsprint, the wholesale condemnation of the small nation around the world generating a story which is likely to roll on for months. The same week, members of a small sect peacefully going about their religious duties are massacred in their place of worship by hate-filled neighbours of a similar mindset to those of the first example. The result? A minor footnote on the day, and forgotten by the next. Says it all really.
Rob-NY
June 2nd, 2010 1:12amWake me when we can finally call this clear anti-semite behavior. Still waiting for offical UN condemation of the North Korean ship sinking and Iran nukes.
Wilhelm
June 2nd, 2010 1:23amPeace activists they said.
Peace activists carrying metal bars, odd kinda peace activists.
Israel shouldnt have boarded the boat load of shit stirrers, nah, they should have torpedoed the ship.
Ave Atque Vale
June 2nd, 2010 1:27amThere is something about watching those second and third men descend into the chaos that transcends all this and speaks about all that is best in humanity. While we have men like that there is hope. I salute them.
Rob-NY
June 2nd, 2010 1:51amOne by one liberal Western nations are being intimadated (AGAIN) into the ultimate self-preserving rationalization of a Jewish genocide aided by a Marxist/fascist alliance. The tragic lesson of WWII was that it begins with the Jews but never ends with the Jews.
H Montfort
June 2nd, 2010 2:48amPoliticians, whether elected or selected, should be regarded as hibernating bears, hard to awaken and fond of honey. Thus the most useful tool when dealing with them is a sugar-coated spear.
Israel ought to approach the US President;“You have proved to be an insufferable, smug, sanctimonious, naive, wet, pink friend. Your average popularity is just 1 percentage point above that of Bush. Throughout the Middle East, and especially in Arab countries, you are considered befuddled and weak. Iran is increasing its cooperation with Taliban, which costs lives and limbs of US soldiers. This true picture is not one you would like voters in the looming mid-term elections to see. On the other hand ....”
The Turkish government will continue sending ships to Gaza as long as it gains popular support and enhance the outcome of next election. Israel should have a quiet word with the Prime Minister of Turkey;“You have proved to be an insufferable, smug .... friend. Thus we have elected a new best friend in your area, the Kurds. We will train and arm them, and share with them our knowledge of your operational doctrines gained from our joint military exercises. On the other hand ....”
As a famous Jew once said;"One must learn the rules of the game. Then one must play it better than anyone else.”
daniel maris
June 2nd, 2010 2:57amWell I hope this post isn't censored.
I fully support Israel's right to defend itself agains these Jihadis part of the global totalitarian movement seeking to impose Shariah law on the whole planet.
The IDF were incredibly naive to attempt such a landing on a boatload of Turks, let alone Jihadi Turks (some of us remember the violence meeted out to British football fans by Turkish thugs).
One hopes the UK security services are following up all the so-called "Britons" involved in this flotilla - and yes that includes Lauren "Taught By Nuns" Booth.
gary ashton
June 2nd, 2010 4:05amha, sure lift the blockade, let the weapons flood in, let israel be attacked and it's business as usual. this is not antisemitism, it's anti human.
John
June 2nd, 2010 4:49amThe real prize to come out of this debacle will be the isolation of the Turkish Army.
It would not surprise me if Islamists in Turkish intelligence had actually planned this.
For decades religious zealots have been desperate to undo Ataturk's reforms and now, thanks to Israel [and the EU] Erdogan stands a good chance of shoring up dwindling support at home while wiping out domestic secular opposition.
There's nothing new to this tactic - despots across the Middle East have used Israel as a diversion from their own tyranny - an easy card to play given the racism and xenophobia of the local culture.
Let's not blame the victim - Erdogan and Abdullah Gül are not fools.
Ozzie Phil
June 2nd, 2010 4:59amHi Melanie, Israel is on its own. Even so called western leaders and supposed allies have become useful idiots to the islamic cause, including the PM of Oz, the bumbling KRudd. He panders to islamists to try to get their vote for a seat on the security council of the UN, another discredited mob of useful idiots.
It's as though the west has its collective head in the sand and is too ignorant to see that the islamo-fascists won't just stop trying to kill all jews & Israel. We in the west will be next. The only bright side about all this is that G-d will bring these scum to account one day.
Ralph pattison
June 2nd, 2010 5:19amThree cheers to the brave armed forces of Israel ! I have watched all the tapes of the incident. I can't find any of the terrorists not starting it.
Turkey is not in Europe. Keep them out. Unless they return Constantinople that is. Then keep them out
H Monfort
June 2nd, 2010 5:42amPoliticians, whether elected or selected, should be regarded as hibernating bears, hard to awaken and fond of honey. Thus the most useful tool when dealing with them is a sugar-coated spear.
Israel ought to approach the US President;“You have proved to be an insufferable, smug, sanctimonious, naive, wet, pink friend. Your average popularity is just 1 percentage point above that of Bush. Throughout the Middle East, and especially in Arab countries, you are considered befuddled and weak. Iran is increasing its cooperation with Taliban, which costs lives and limbs of US soldiers. This true picture is not one you would like voters in the looming mid-term elections to see. On the other hand ....”
The Turkish government will continue sending ships to Gaza as long as it gains popular support and enhances the outcome of next election. Israel should have a quiet word with the Prime Minister of Turkey;“You have proved to be an insufferable, smug .... friend. Thus we have elected a new best friend in your area, the Kurds. We will train and arm them, and share with them our knowledge of your operational doctrines gained from our joint military exercises. On the other hand ....”
As a famous Jew once said;"One must learn the rules of the game. Then one must play it better than anyone else.”
Herbert Thornton
June 2nd, 2010 5:43amMelanie is right - we are seeing the beginning of a global pogrom.
Sadly the world is still as blind to what this portends as it was when the Nazis achieved power.
Whatever was the original version of the words often attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller - and indeed whether or not he was the originator of them - the words "first they came for the Jews but I did not speak up because I was not a Jew" are even truer now than they were then.
The signs are that the pogrom will, eventually, not only become global but will aim to exterminate not just any remaining Jews, but all infidels.
Unless the world comes to its senses, it is not unthinkable that in the end, the only survivors will say - "Finally they tried to exterminate the Chinese and their allies - but the Chinese and their allies were the ones who survived."
Rip Van Winkle
June 2nd, 2010 6:19amTell the west it's crunch time and survival, east and west, could result from the flip of a coin, destiny awaits; so,be it.
Derek BLADES
June 2nd, 2010 7:10amMs Phillip's piece shows just how important it is that the international community should establish exactly what happened when "... those naval commandoes [rappelled] from their helicopter into the murderous arms of an Islamist lynch-mob ..... "
The International Herald Tribune reported the Israeli Trade Minister, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, "as saying 14 to 16 people had been killed. He said on Israeli Army Radio that commandoes boarded the ships by sliding down on ropes from a hovering helicopter and were then struck by passengers with ‘batons and tools’. ‘The moment someone tries to snatch your weapon, to steal your weapon, that's where you begin to lose control’". The IHT attributes this report to Reuters.
Two rather significant points here. The "Islamist lynch-mob was not armed in the conventional sense of having firearms. Second, Minister Ben-Eliezer seems to be saying that the Israeli commandoes were out of control.
EDDIE
June 2nd, 2010 8:21amShould the IDF and the intelligence branch chiefs be shot with paint guns?
RAR
June 2nd, 2010 8:28amWilliam Hague is beneath contempt for his shameful and dishonest support of Hamas. Of course he doesn't put it like that, the craven coward that he is. Despicable.
phil
June 2nd, 2010 8:49amAnd now may I under my own name say how proud I would have been if that young man was my son -May God bless him for his courage and for bringing a message of truth to this world .
Naomi Muse
June 2nd, 2010 8:55amWhy was Israel doing its own inspections, judging and acting as jury too?
It just doesn't make sense and is bound to go badly wrong.
Aid should be allowed into Gaza direct after the ships have been checked for contents by the UN.
All this could have been avoided if a third party was involved.
Graeme
June 2nd, 2010 8:56amThe Conservatives have been in power for three weeks, albeit with the Lib Dems, and have shown themselves already to be gross incompetents over Israel.
Viv
June 2nd, 2010 9:21amThank you, Melanie, for keeping on with posting news the usual MSM will never print or show.
Here is another piece of information:
'US initiated cancellation of Netanyahu meeting'
Link: http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000563810&fid=942
Quoting from this report:
'As soon as news of yesterday's incident broke there were hectic consultations between Netanyahu's advisors and White House staff. After the scale of events became clear, the Israelis received a clear message from Washington: It is worth postponing the visit.
...
Obama's aides feared that being seen with Netanyahu would damage the US president's image.'
Ah well - did anybody really think tha 'image' would be less important to Obama than being seen to stand at Israel's side?
Terry, Eilat - Israel
June 2nd, 2010 9:31amAlmost never mentioned in discussions of the Israeli blockade on Gaza is the necessity of preventing the shiping of advanced missiles such as Scuds to Hamas. These large missile systems cannot be smuggled into Gaza via the tunnels from the Sinai, they can only be delivered by boat.
Iran would like to position such missiles in Gaza in the same way they have furnished missiles to Hezbollah via Syria.
That is the real objective of these phoney ''humanitarian aid'' attempts, to force Israel to end the inspection of cargo to Gaza to facilitate arms deliveries.
Terry, Eilat - Israel
June 2nd, 2010 9:34amBy the way, I think most Israelis think Ehud Barak is an incompetent moron & why he is Minister of Defense makes us VERY nervous.
John
June 2nd, 2010 9:38amCan some one please explain why an aid ship would carry over 600 passengers? Surely if conditions are so desperate in Gaza it would of been better to fill the ship with more aid and less passengers? A simple question and yet one I have not seen addresses in any of the main stream media.
Alara Kenet
June 2nd, 2010 9:44amRe the video. Right at the end a reporter asks one of the muslim demonstrators about Israel's right to be in the Holy Land based on Bible history. The response is "I don't know about that"
If a young muslim man in the US is ignorant of biblical history. then he must believe that the creation of Israel in 1948 was the first time the Jews lived in that area. Can it be true that this is what young muslims are taught? If so, it does explain a lot of the anger, I guess.
Though how this could happen in the US beats me.
Truthwillset youfree
June 2nd, 2010 9:46amIt appears we are coming to the end of days, where insanity rules over integrity and the truth. The only redeeming factor is the universe repays all karma, nothing is missed.
R. Green
June 2nd, 2010 11:12amMelanie,
Regarding the failure of Israeli intelligence. Many in Israel pointed out that this might have been the result of reading the Israeli press, where the flotilla and its participants where depicted as a convoy of peace and love activists.
Dogsbody
June 2nd, 2010 11:49amThe Biblical story of the state of the world in Noah's time comes to mind.
It appears that "history" is repeating itself.
An American
June 2nd, 2010 11:51amAfter visiting Turkey recently, I could see that Attaturk's great achievement in turning Turkey from a backward third world Islamic theocracy into a modern day democracy is now being being threatened. Turkey now spends twice more on building mosques on every corner than they do on education...it is becoming another Iran. And who would have believed that a modern Iran would be pushed into an Islamic theocracy? It happened, and it happened quickly.
It's a real shame what is happening to a wonderful country like Turkey and its people. It's time for the Turks to wake up before it's too late.
I fear for Turkey as I fear for Israel....
david elder
June 2nd, 2010 12:14pmJohn 11:35.
Look it up on the net. Won't take long - the shortest verse in the Bible.
Augustus
June 2nd, 2010 1:19pmIf the Israeli commandos had boarded the Mavi Marmara armed with assault rifles instead of paintball guns, would the Turkish Islamists have been just as eager to attack them? I think not. In order to attack soldiers you have to believe you've got a chance against them. And not only did the soldiers come on board armed with paintball guns, the Islamists and their left-wing allies had every reason to believe that Israel would retreat again. Because two weeks earlier Israel had backed
off and allowed Noam Chomsky in after a storm of left-wing protest. That fateful decision made Israel look weak and an easy pushover, which helped set the stage for what followed. If
Israel could so easily retreat before an elderly left-wing academic, their accompanying elderly left-wingers would be just as effective. But the flotilla encounter is a useful
model, not only of Israel's weak response towards terrorism,
but also that of the Western world towards Islam as a whole.
Israel has been responding with metaphorical paintball guns to terrorism for too long. How often has Israel bombed empty buildings, or sent tanks on pointless raids with no strategic objective except to show the flag? How often has Israel arrested terrorists only to let them go as a confidence building measure? For that matter, the entire Gaza blockade
in which Israel reacted to the Hamas takeover with a partial blockade (accompanyed by large doses of aid) has been used by Hamas to isolate Israel even more. That's the problem with paintball guns, not only are they not much use, but they actually invite conflict. And when you have to use real weapons more people die as a result. Because the Israeli government has set a bottom basement use of force both her friends and enemies have come to expect minimal responses. This means that when Israel does go to war everybody is suddenly shocked at what she's doing. And when she does nothing
she gives her enemies the idea that they can get away with anything. Inaction in the face of terrorism becomes Stockholm
Syndrome, because you can't win by giving up. And giving up also convinces your own people
that the battle isn't worth fighting.
phil
June 2nd, 2010 2:50pmphil-june 2 12.44 this is my third attempt today to post this -busy day!!- I have used this name for years here so can I ask you please to identify yourself by a slightly different nom de plume -we will probably post similar remarks ,but just in case . thanks
Dipper
June 2nd, 2010 7:25pmEither Israel needs allies, in which case listening to them and acting in concert with them would be a good idea, or Israel doesn't need allies, in which case why do you care what anyone else thinks?
And its not obvious to me how my freedom and democratic rights are enhanced by being told what to think and what policies to support by people acting in support of a foreign power, whether that power be an Islamic one or Israel.
AY
June 2nd, 2010 9:42pmThere are 9 individuals dead as a result of this incident. And several dozens detained.
It is very interesting to know who they are.
It would be good to see long faces of progressive humanity outraged by massakr of inosent pipal, when it will be clear that they are in fact certified Al-Qaida cannibals, Iranian agents, Hamas operatives, and alike.
But MSM are still silent. Despite we all hear breaking news about courageous activist Britons returning home after witnessing horrible Izraili massakr.
We'll see.
Augustus
June 2nd, 2010 10:24pmNow Israel has been portrayed as the villain of a bloody interception of a 'humanitarian'
aid flotilla. Before that she was serially excoriated for engaging in illegal construction of homes in Jerusalem; exercising disproportionate force in military action in Gaza; war crimes; and being intransigent
with respect to the territorial,
strategic, and political concessions needed to advance a
'peace process' with the Arabs.
In each case the Obama administration has either strongly endorsed these accusations, or acted fecklessly
in challenging them. When war comes - a war that today seems ever more likely to engulf the Middle East, and perhaps the whole world - it will become obvious that Obama's missteps
vis a vis Israel were a critical catalyst to that war.
Drakken
June 2nd, 2010 11:39pmIt is time to get off the fence. You are either for the West or you are for the east, no middle ground here, war is inevitable whether any of you like it or not. Time to pick a side.
Derek Blades I have said this before and it bears repeating, your moral compass is so screwed up I am surprised to can find your to the parking lot. If you side with the fakestians and the leftist that support tham, that makes you the enemy.
AY
June 3rd, 2010 12:13amTHat isn't first time this scoundrel waves antisemitic blood libel against elected head of democratic state -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/cartoon/
It would be interesting to see if this creep dares drawing something like this against any of representatives of political Islam - Taliban or Al-Qaeda or Hamas or Iran.
George
June 3rd, 2010 3:24am@ Derek BLADES
You appear to have a comprehension problem. You state "Two rather significant points here. The "Islamist lynch-mob was not armed in the conventional sense of having firearms. Second, Minister Ben-Eliezer seems to be saying that the Israeli commandoes were out of control."
1) Weapons which are not firearms are just as lethal, and in certain circumstances more so.
2) There is a huge difference between a situation being out of control (which is what Ben Eliezer said) and troops being out of control.
Jerry
June 3rd, 2010 7:23amThe question of the Rachel Corrie is pressing hard against Israel now. If Turkey escorts the "peace activists", its boat are at risk of being blown out of the water. Is that Erdogan's goal? is that the election-winning event he is looking for?
If he kills Israeli soldiers, he will be a hero. If the Israelis kill Turks, then he is a living martyr.
Therefore, I predict he will accompany the Rachel Corrie and seek confrontation.
Will the Turkish-Israeli confrontation be used to start a full-blown Middle East War? That will depend upon Obama and what he tells the parties in private.
I predict that he will "throw Israel under the bus." He will fail to resupply Israel with weapons as they run low, leaving them only nuclear options. This is his solution for the Middle East conflict.
"If only the Jews would not have started it, they would still be alive" will be the line found in the Western press.
Josh
June 3rd, 2010 12:46pmThe weak cowards running western governments are beneath contempt.
Derek BLADES
June 3rd, 2010 3:44pmGeorge (3 June) thinks I have a comprehension problem. He explains that "Weapons which are not firearms are just as lethal, and in certain circumstances more so."
Yes, indeed George, but why did the "weapons which are not firearms" (but which can be more lethal than firearms) not result in any Israeli deaths? Perhaps they were not so lethal after all. What certainly were lethal were the actual bullets – not paintballs – introduced into the fracas by the Israeli soldiers.
George old Chap, you suffer from something more serious than a lack of comprehension.
Derek BLADES
June 3rd, 2010 3:48pmMs Phillips tells us that the "blockade of Gaza .... only stops weapons from being smuggled in that would be used to kill Israelis. "
No Madame. That is not correct. The blockade prevents the import of cement and other building materials to repair the massive destruction of homes during Cast Lead.
phil
June 3rd, 2010 5:41pmGeorge
June 3rd, 2010 3:24am GEORGE ,blades does not have a comprehension problem ,he just prefers to twist the truth as he has done for years here -he is smart enough to know why cement etc is not allowed in -it builds rocket sites etc -He knows he does not tell the truth and we who have endured his hate for years are well aware of why he does it ,and he in turn knows that too .Neither do I wish to shut him up ,his every post demonstrates for all to see the evil of this stock in trade of his sort .Whilst those like him stoke the fires, peace will never come, not for the Israelis nor the Palestinians ,many of whom I am sure want that elusive peace and a life for their children as I do too .
Herbert Thornton
June 3rd, 2010 5:52pmJerry says that Obama will throw Israel under the bus; that he will fail to resupply Israel with weapons as they run low, leaving them only nuclear options; and that this is his solution for the Middle East conflict.
Jerry may well right, but at the same time, is not that solution the one towards which Islam is also working?
Islam, it seems to me, is bent on launching the biggest suicide mission that the world has ever seen.
But what happens after that? Will China intervene? Why would they? Russia? Why would they either? The USA. Britain or Europe - in what way?
Whether or not Israel manages to partly survive, the most important question by far for the rest of the world will remain - i.e. what can be expected from the parts of the Islamic world that survive the exchanges? More global-sized suicide missions?
Adam B.
June 4th, 2010 12:43amBlades, do you condemn the antisemitic terror group Hamas, which advocates the extermination of every living Jew?
Yes or no?
C. Gee
June 4th, 2010 5:13amDerek BLADES @
June 3rd, 2010 3:48pm:
No, Sirrah. Cement may also be used for tunnels and bunkers.
Miranda Rose Smith
June 4th, 2010 8:34amAt one time, I said that asking Israel to co-operate with a U.N. investigation was like asking a Black man to co-operate with a Ku Klux Klan investigation. I realize now that that was a gross insult-to the Ku Klux Klan. They take themselves and their propaganda seriously. I don't think anybody at the U.N. believes that Israel did anything improper in intercepting the flotilla. They just want to tie Israel's hands, so that the Arab states can wipe it off the map, G-d forbid.
Jew
June 4th, 2010 12:11pmNever had the pleasure of reading you column before but I will from now on. Thank you for your words of truth !
Ian
June 4th, 2010 12:34pmWhat sort country is that inflicts collective punishment on 1.5 million people, even to the extent of denying them things like wheel chairs? Those who excuse Israel's disgraceful behaviour should hang their heads in shame.
phil
June 4th, 2010 12:56pmIan
June 4th, 2010 12:34pm Take your pick of so many ISLAMIC REGIMES -Check out the expulsion and massacre of JEWS -now that will keep you busy for a while .
avi
June 4th, 2010 1:07pm"The sight of those .. commandos rappelling from their helicopter into the murderous arms of an Islamist lynch-mob ... "
Well it DOES look like Israel rather liked the idea of offering some sacrifices to prove their point, i.e., get some Jewish blood spilled and win a few int'l fans.
Just like handing Gaza over to Hamas so they can then build bases there to fire Scuds onto Tel-Aviv (and other useful industries to help feed the besieged Palestinian people...).
Pretty much the same sort of sniveling self-sacrifice, isn't it, to try to get somebody in the UN to love us?
avi mak,
Rehovot,
Israel
Rosanna
June 6th, 2010 11:38amMelanie Phillips as always speaks the truth but its about time that Jews internationally began to speak up. This is not to do with Gaza but an opportunity for every radical, Israel-hater and Jew-bater to jump on a bandwagon. Israel is a tiny country trying to defend itself from constant attack. Those on the flotilla were no friends of Israel, they were trying to provoke an international incident and they succeeded. They attacked first and the IDF is trained to fight back and defend its borders and its citizens. If the blockade ends then Israel will be endangered. Hamas and its backer Iran, openly tell the world their intentions towards Israel. Is anybody listening - or don't they care?
Herbert Thornton
June 7th, 2010 1:44amMost people in western countries are reluctant to face up to the fact that it is impossible for a modern industrial and largely secular society and Islam to co-exist peacefully.
The expression "modern industrial and secular" also applies to Israel: and I suspect that a great many Israelis also cling to the hope that such co-existence is possible.
The people who are least deluded in this respect are, I think, the Chinese, with the Russians close behind.
Things are getting to the point where more and more people believe that see a showdown is inevitable - either between Israel and Iran or between India and Pakistan. What the effect of either of those clashes will be (other than very great slaughter) no-one can tell, but I very much doubt that even that the result will be effective to bring about permanent peaceful co-existence between Islam and the rest of the world.
I see no reason to think that this century will be peaceful - I think it is going to be worse than the 20th century. So far as Obama is concerned, I suspect that his main aim is to keep America as aloof from the conflict as possible.
CibberUK
June 7th, 2010 7:16pmThe near global distortion of recent events seems to have acted as a catalyst in unleashing the torrent of anti-semitism in both the political world and, more importantly, in the world media.Is all this coincidental, or is the springboard been set for a global military assault against Israel. May G_d bless Israel in this her hour of greatest need.