Tennessee mosque fire 'was arson', investigators say

A fire that damaged construction equipment at the site of a Tennessee Islamic centre has been ruled arson.

Officials in Murfreesboro have offered a $20,000 (£13,000) reward for help finding the person they say doused a lorry in diesel and then ignited it.

The FBI said it had yet to determine whether the fire was a hate crime and would not say if it has any suspects.

Saturday's incident came amid growing anti-Muslim animosity and opposition to new mosque building across the US.

The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro has outgrown its current space and is constructing a new campus.

Mosque leaders note Muslims have lived and worshipped in Murfreesboro without any problems.

But anti-Muslim protests have risen in recent months, provoked in part by opposition to a developer's plans to build an Islamic community centre near the site of the World Trade Center in New York City.

Source

~~~~~

Commentary

No mosque in New York, No mosque in California, and now No mosque in Tennessee...

Now at least with the growing list of people being discriminated against, we can add the name Muslim.

Reading Arabic 'hard for brain'

By Katie Alcock Science reporter, BBC News

In the Lebanon, an Arabic language festival encourages children to learn the Arabic alphabet

Israeli scientists believe they have identified why Arabic is particularly hard to learn to read.

The University of Haifa team say people use both sides of their brain when they begin reading a language - but when learning Arabic this is wasting effort.

The detail of Arabic characters means students should use only the left side of their brain because that side is better at distinguishing detail.

The findings from the study of 40 people are reported in Neuropsychology.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

The particular characteristics of Arabic make it hard for the right hemisphere to be involved”

End Quote Professor Zohar Eviatar University of Haifa, Israel

When someone learns to read Arabic they have to work out which letters are which, and which ones go with which sounds.

It is the ability to tell letters apart that seems to work differently in Arabic - because telling the characters apart involves looking at very small details such as the placement of dots.

Professor Zohar Eviatar, who led the research team, said: "The particular characteristics of Arabic make it hard for the right hemisphere to be involved. When you are starting something new, there is a lot of [right hemisphere] involvement."

Clearer differences

The researchers looked at 40 university students. Some of the students only spoke Hebrew, while some also spoke and read Arabic well.

In order to work out which side of the brain reads letters, the researchers flashed letters for a 10th of a second to one side of a screen or the other.

When the eyes see something for just a short time, and it is at one side of a screen, only one brain hemisphere is quick enough to process the image.

The team measured how fast and how accurate the students were when they tried to tell letters apart, first in Hebrew and then in Arabic.

In Gaza, children learn to read Arabic

All the students could read Hebrew well, and they all used both left and right hemispheres to tell Hebrew letters apart.

The same thing has previously been found with English letters.

Characters in English and Hebrew are easier to tell apart because there are clearer differences between them than there are in Arabic.

Sensitivity

When they looked at the students' reading of Arabic letters it gave the team a clue about why children find the language difficult to learn to read.

The Hebrew-only speakers behaved like children just starting to read most languages - they tried to tell Arabic letters apart, managed to do it slowly but made a lot of mistakes, and used both hemispheres of their brains.

The good Arabic readers, however, only used their left hemispheres to tell Arabic letters apart.

The researchers were intrigued by this and investigated further. They wanted to know why the right hemisphere was not working when reading Arabic letters, so they set a right hemisphere challenge.

They showed the students pairs of extremely similar Arabic letters - with just "local" differences - and letters that are more different - with "global" differences.

When the Arabic readers saw similar letters with their right hemispheres, they answered randomly - they could not tell them apart at all.

"The right hemisphere is more sensitive to the global aspects of what it's looking at, while the left hemisphere is more sensitive to the local features," says Professor Eviatar.

The team think this may give them some clues about what readers may be doing wrong when they begin to try to read Arabic.

Reading hope

Both young children and adults call on both hemispheres to help them learn a new task.

And using both hemispheres is the right thing to do when reading English or Hebrew - so children's learning strategies would be fine if they were reading another language.

But previous research has found that the right hemisphere is not that good at distinguishing small details, so readers starting to learn Arabic have to learn to focus on small details, which is not natural to them, but could help them shift to their left hemispheres.

Now the researchers want to compare new and highly expert Arabic readers in the hope of finding out what their brains are doing when they look at letters.

Ultimately, they would like to work out how to teach Arabic reading better to children, including helping them to tell letters apart and how to remember which sound goes with which letter.

Source

CrossTalk: War or Peace? (ft. Norman Finkelstein)

MSNBC: Vets Target Of Deficit Commission? (Cenk Outraged)

MSNBC: Vets Target Of Deficit Commission? (Cenk Outraged)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Commentary

What should we cut? What is there to cut? How about this:

1) Bloated defense budget, bigger than every other country's defense budget in the world. (Lets cut it by 5%)

2) Tax cuts for the riches 2% of Americans, as Cenk pointed out.

3) Subsidies for multi national Corporations.

4) Increase income tax on Highest tax brackets by 5%.

That alone would more than pay for our Deficit.

Why Israel Doesn't Care About Peace

Why Israel Doesn't Care About Peace

By Karl Vick / Jerusalem

Israelis at the beach in Tel Aviv

Uriel Sinai / Getty Images for TIME

Heli and Eli sell condos on Exodus Street, a name that evokes a certain historical hardship in a neighborhood that suggests none at all, the ingathering of the Jews having entered a whole new realm here. The talk in the little office is of interest rates and panoramic sea views from handsomely appointed properties selling on the Ashdod waterfront for half what people are asked to pay in Tel Aviv, 18 miles (29 km) to the north. And sell they do, hand over fist — never mind the rockets that fly out of Gaza, 14 miles (22.5 km) to the south. "Even when the Qassams fell, we continued to sell!" says Heli Itach, slapping a palm on the office desk. The skull on her designer shirt is made of sequins spelling out "Love Kills Slowly." "What the people see on the TV there is not true here," she says. "I sold, this week, 12 apartments. You're not client, I tell you the truth."

The truth? In the week that three Presidents, a King and their own Prime Minister gather at the White House to begin a fresh round of talks on peace between Israel and the Palestinians, the truth is, Israelis are no longer preoccupied with the matter. They're otherwise engaged; they're making money; they're enjoying the rays of late summer. A watching world may still define their country by the blood feud with the Arabs whose families used to live on this land and whether that conflict can be negotiated away, but Israelis say they have moved on. (See pictures of 60 years of Israel.)

Now observing 2½ years without a single suicide bombing on their territory, with the economy robust and with souls a trifle weary of having to handle big elemental thoughts, the Israeli public prefers to explore such satisfactions as might be available from the private sphere, in a land first imagined as a utopia. "Listen to me," says Eli Bengozi, born in Soviet Georgia and for 40 years an Israeli. "Peace? Forget about it. They'll never have peace. Remember Clinton gave 99% to Arafat, and instead of them fighting for 1%, what? Intifadeh." (See TIME's photo-essay "Palestinian 'Day of Rage.' ")

But wait. Deep down (you can almost hear the outside world ask), don't Israelis know that finding peace with the Palestinians is the only way to guarantee their happiness and prosperity? Well, not exactly. Asked in a March poll to name the "most urgent problem" facing Israel, just 8% of Israeli Jews cited the conflict with Palestinians, putting it fifth behind education, crime, national security and poverty. Israeli Arabs placed peace first, but among Jews here, the issue that President Obama calls "critical for the world" just doesn't seem — critical. (Comment on this story.)

Another whack for the desk. "The people," Heli says, "don't believe." Eli searches for a word. "People in Israel are indifferent," he decides. "They don't care if there's going to be war. They don't care if there's going to be peace. They don't care. They live in the day."

Source

~~~~~~~~~~~

Commentary

One of Times best covers. A lot of people mention this point and get silenced very quickly, but now the silencing will be a lot harder.

Israel has everything to gain from continuing this conflict, and very little to lose.

It's only Palestine it seems, that wins through peace.

Oh and one other country wins as well, America. Remember that the 911 report cited violence in the Middle east as a key cause of the American tragedy .

General Patraeus as well has mentioned that the Palestinian issue is only making his job tougher.

When will American Politicians wake up to the fact that the Israeli government does not want peace.

It is perfectly happy continuing the conflict in and around it's country; regardless of the consequences to the rest of the world.

As it happened: Israeli raid on Gaza flotilla

Israeli commandos intercepted a flotilla of six ships destined for Gaza

Live coverage of events, after Israeli commandos storm a convoy of boats carrying aid to Gaza, showing latest developments with breaking news and comment from BBC correspondents. All times BST.

1800:

With the UN Security Council preparing to meet in New York, we close our live coverage page.

The BBC's Barbara Plett at the UN reports that the Turkish foreign minister, not the Turkish prime minister, will attend the meeting.

1721:

US President Barack Obama told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone of his regret over the people killed in the raid, the White House says.

"The president expressed deep regret at the loss of life in today's incident, and concern for the wounded, many of whom are being treated in Israeli hospitals. The president also expressed the importance of learning all the facts and circumstances around this morning's tragic events as soon as possible."

He added he understood the Israeli prime minister's decision to return immediately to Israel to deal with the events, and said they agreed to reschedule their meeting at the first opportunity.

1712:

In his first public comments on the incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel "regrets" the loss of life in the raid:

"We told the flotilla of ships and said, you can take all your cargo, put it in our port of Ashdod and we'll just ferret out, if there are any war materials and the rest will go through. We succeeded doing this peacefully with five of the six ships. The sixth ship, the largest, which had hundreds of people on it, not only did not co-operate in this effort, peacefully, they deliberately attacked the first soldiers that came on the ship.

"They were mobbed. They were clubbed, they were beaten, stabbed. There was even a report of gunfire and our soldiers had to defend themselves, defend their lives or they would have been killed."

1658:

Nato ambassadors are to hold emergency talks on Tuesday at Turkey's request to discuss the raid, spokesman James Appathurai is quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

1657: The BBC's Jon Donnison in Gaza City says:

At a Hamas-organised rally at the port in Gaza City, there seems to be genuine anger from the politicians, and among ordinary people a feeling of relief and surprise at the attention the story is getting.

But after a day of drama for those ordinary Gazans, the blockade goes on; and whoever is blamed, and some here blame Hamas as well as Israel, that means continued hardship, shortages and difficulties rebuilding their lives after years of conflict.

1625:

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accuses Israel of "state terrorism" over the raid.

"This action, totally contrary to the principles of international law, is inhumane state terrorism. Nobody should think we will keep quiet in the face of this."

1623:

Hamas's high representative in Beirut, Osama Hamdan, tells the BBC there is international pressure on Israel over the raid.

"We hope that this may change the political climate, it may convince Israel that the people all over the world are trying to break down the siege. The Israelis are talking about weapons on those ships - I believe they are lying."

1610: The BBC's Natalia Antelava in Beirut, Lebanon, says:

Events in Gaze provoked angry reactions from people and politicians across the Arab world. Lebanon, which currently holds the presidency of the UN Security Council, is calling on an emergency session to discuss what happened.

Palestinian groups in both Syria and Lebanon have staged sit-ins and protest rallies. At the demonstration in front of the UN building in Beirut, many said they were outraged by the events.

All of this certainly adds fuel to the current atmosphere of nervousness and anger in the region. Israel and Washington have recently accused Syria of transferring long-range scud missiles to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Lebanon's prime minister says these accusations are nonsense, but Hezbollah itself claims to have military capability to hit targets deep inside the Israeli territory.

1553:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she has urged Israel and Turkey to ensure there was no escalation of violence in the Middle East following the raid.

She said she had spoken by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan.

"I made... my profound concern clear and noted that everything must be done in this difficult situation to ensure that there is no escalation."

1538:

Hanan Ashwari from the Palestinian Legislative Council calls on the UN Security Council to punish the Israelis.

She tells the BBC: "I think for the first time Israel has to be held accountable; morally accountable, legally accountable, politically accountable and judicially accountable.

"I think the Security Council... has to take serious decisions, has to lift the cover of impunity - particularly that which is provided by the US...

"They have to take serious resolutions pertaining to lifting the blockade and ending the occupation."

1526: The BBC's Wyre Davies in Ashdod, Israel, says:

The ships have been being brought in one by one. Three have come in so far. We've not been given access to the crews or the activists - the Israelis are keeping a very tight rein on them.

It's very tense in Ashdod. Arabic TV crews have been harassed by pro-Israeli demonstrators. There are dozens of right-wingers voicing support for what happened last night and heckling the international media.

The Israeli authorities have told us they're going to process the activists - anyone injured will be treated, the rest will be deported.

Any of the aid that clears the Israeli checks will be transferred into Gaza, but they have said that if certain things are found to be contraband they will be excluded.

1520:

A spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces, Afikhai Adrei, told the BBC Arabic service that one of the activists snatched guns from Israeli marines during the operation and opened fire.

"Those who met the Israeli army personnel with knifes are not peace advocates, they are not harmless.

"There is a simple military explanation: when these people take a weapon from one of the Israeli soldiers and start shooting, then the Israeli soldiers have the right to defend themselves."

1500:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled his plans to meet US President Barack Obama in Washington on Tuesday, an Israeli statement said.

Mr Netanyahu will shortly leave Canada, where he has been meeting government leaders, his office said.

The latest statement contradicts earlier reports.

1448:

The UN Security Council is to meet at 1800. The Turkish prime minister is expected to attend.

1400:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his "full backing" for Israeli army forces, according to an Israeli military statement.

1351: The BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen says:

Israel's alliances in the eastern Mediterranean have been damaged.

It used to have close relations with Turkey, where much of the flotilla was organised, but now relations are in crisis, deepening a rift that started with the Gaza war last year. Greece has called off joint military exercises.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was preparing for a long-awaited meeting with US President Obama, which he was likely to present as a sign that Israel has not been harmed by the row he's been having with the White House over building for Jews in the occupied territories.

Now the visit will be dominated by redoubled international criticism of Israel's blockade of Gaza and the perception that Israeli troops tend to shoot first and ask questions later.

1348:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will remain in Canada and travel to Washington for talks with US President Barack Obama as planned on Tuesday, Israeli spokesman Mark Regev told Canadian media, contradicting earlier reports.

"Even on a tough day, on a day when everyone is up in arms on this issue, it's very important that we sit down with friends and allies and discuss issues of mutual concern," Mr Regev said told CBC News.

1341:

Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair expressed his "deep regret and shock" at the loss of life on the flotilla and called for an investigation.

"Once again I repeat my view that we need a different and better way of helping the people of Gaza and avoiding the hardship and tragedy that is inherent in the present situation," he said.

1334: The BBC's Dale Gavlak in Amman, Jordan, says:

A strong US ally in the Middle East, moderate Jordan condemned the attack, calling it a heinous crime.

The foreign ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador to lodge a strongly worded letter of protest, but demonstrators want tougher action taken.

That's because Jordan has borne the brunt of each conflict between Israel and the Arabs, seeing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fleeing across its border and disrupting its delicate demographic balance.

1323: Andy David from the Israeli foreign ministry tells the BBC in Ashdod, Israel:

We have to understand what happened, We are talking about an organisation, the IHH, who was on this ship... [which] is a radical Muslim organisation with ties to al-Qaeda and to Hamas.

They were there not to deliver peacefully humanitarian aid. They were there waiting with knives, with metal bars. They were there to attack.

The other option was for the commandos to use more force, and then there would be criticism for excessive force.

They were given orders, specific orders not to use weapons, only if they were under life threat. That was exactly the case. That's why they were using those weapons.

1247:

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak condemns Israel's "excessive and unwarranted use of force" in its raid on the flotilla.

Egypt has summoned the Israeli envoy in Cairo, reports say.

1246:

In the first reaction from Washington, a White House spokesman expressed US concern at the deaths and injuries caused in the raid.

"The United States deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries sustained, and is currently working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy," said White House spokesman William Burton.

1243:

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said she had called Israel's top diplomat to express concern after the raid.

"During the course of this morning I have spoken to Minister [Avigdor] Lieberman, the foreign minister of Israel. I expressed my deepest concern about the tragedy that has happened. I said that we needed an inquiry by Israel into the circumstances."

1241: The BBC's Jon Donnison in Gaza City says:

Here in Gaza City, demonstrators have gathered at the port, waving banners and chanting slogans to protest against Israel's actions.

The aim of this flotilla was to focus attention on Israel's three-year blockade of Gaza; it has certainly done that, but at the expense of many lives.

1213:

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said he "deplored" the loss of life on the flotilla and was seeking more information and urgent access to any UK nationals.

In a statement, he said: "There can be no better response from the international community to this tragedy than to achieve urgently a durable resolution to the Gaza crisis.

"I call on the government of Israel to open the crossings to allow unfettered access for aid to Gaza, and address the serious concerns about the deterioration in the humanitarian and economic situation and about the effect on a generation of young Palestinians."

1211:

The Vatican says it feels "deep sadness" at the Israeli raid.

"This is a very painful fact, in particular because of the loss of human lives," said chief Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi.

1135:

French President Nicolas Sarkozy accuses Israel of a "disproportionate use of force".

1131:

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says he is "shocked by reports of killings and injuries" on the flotilla and says it is vital that Israel carries out a full investigation.

1129:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to cut short an official trip to Canada and Washington, Israeli radio reports.

1125:

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to cut short an official trip to Latin America to deal with the political fallout of the Israeli action.

Turkey says it is recalling its ambassador from Tel Aviv.

1122:

The BBC's Natalia Antelava in Beirut says many people have taken to streets in Beirut and are protesting in front of the United Nations building.

1115:

Ambassadors from European Union's 27 member states are to hold emergency talks in Brussels on the Israeli operation.

1105: The BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem says:

More details are emerging about the Israeli version of what happened on the boat.

Yochanan Plessner, member of the Israeli parliament and former navy commando himself, says that the moment Israeli commandos boarded the boat they were attacked by spikes, metal rods, and live ammunition.

He said: "They were actually thrown down the different levels of the ship. Basically the Israeli soldiers who came for policing type activity were lynched."

1058:

Turkey's foreign ministry calls for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council over Israel's military operation.

1056:

Frank Barat of the Russell Tribunal for Palestine tells the BBC he has several friends onboard ships in the flotilla and is concerned for their welfare.

Briton Sarah Colborne, the director of the Palestine Solidarity campaign in London was last heard from at 2300 on Sunday, speaking live via a webcast from the Turkish ship that was intercepted.

Mr Barat says another friend, Ewa Jasiewicz, who is part of the Free Gaza movement, was on board one of the smaller ships.

1055:

Nabil Amr, an adviser to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, condemns Israel's actions:

"The Palestinian Authority cannot let what happened go unnoticed.

"What happened is merely an international cry that does not carry any aggression or a violation of any borders; it is only a strong humanitarian call addressed to the world to end this unjust siege against our people in the Gaza Strip," he tells broadcaster al-Jazeera.

1052:

Wallander author Henning Mankell is among those believed to be on board the ships to Gaza.

1045:

Israel's Channel 10 TV says 19 activists were killed and 26 wounded.

1030: The BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens says:

Greece has withdrawn from joint military exercises with Israel in protest at the attack on the Gaza flotilla.

Athens has also barred the head of the Israeli air force from flying to Greece.

The Greeks have long had warm relations with the Palestinians and are furious with the Israelis for carrying out this raid in international waters.

The Israeli ambassador to Athens was called into the foreign ministry to provide an explanation. The deputy foreign minister, Dhimitris Droutsas, demanded assurances about the wellbeing of 30 Greeks who were on board ships in the flotilla.

Mr Yahya was told in no uncertain terms that Greece held Israel responsible for their safety. One of the vessels currently being escorted by the Israelis towards the port of Ashdod is sailing under a Greek flag.

1012:

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner says he is "deeply shocked" by the Israeli action and calls for an inquiry.

1010:

The first of the six ships in the flotilla dock in Ashdod, Israel.

1009:

Thousands of Turkish protesters march in Istanbul to denounce Israel.

0945:

Turkish foreign ministry warns Israel of irreparable damage to bilateral ties.

"This deplorable incident, which took place in open seas and constitutes a fragrant breach of international law, may lead to irreparable consequences in our bilateral relations," a statement read.

0930:

The Arab League calls an emergency meeting on 1 June to discuss Israel's "terrorist act" against the flotilla.

0925:

Sweden summons the Israeli ambassador to Stockholm over the "unacceptable" action.

0910:

The Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, Daniel Ayalon, blamed the organisers for the violence, saying they were linked to terrorist organisations.

"The armada of hate and violence in support of Hamas terror organisation was a premeditated and outrageous provocation.

"The organisers are well known for their ties with global Jihad, al-Qaeda and Hamas. They have a history of arms smuggling and deadly terror.

"On board the ship we found weapons prepared in advance and used against our forces. The organisers intent was violent, their method was violent and the results were unfortunately violent. Israel regrets any loss of life and did everything to avoid this outcome."

0900: The BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem says:

After the funerals and after the rage Israel will face two big questions: if, as Israeli officials insist, they are happy to channel all this aid into Gaza via Israeli ports - including the building materials which it claims Hamas could put to military ends - then what's the point of the blockade?

And how far can it continue to stick to the line that "there are no shortages in Gaza", when the United Nations, among others, describes the humanitarian situation as "grim" and "deteriorating"?

0845: Audrey Bomse of the Free Gaza movement, which organised the convoy, tells the BBC:

"I can tell you that there were no firearms - all the boats were carefully inspected by the government before they left the port of departure.

"You can't hide a firearm; I suppose you can hide a knife, but there's no evidence there was shooting, there was live streaming coming from the boats.

"You don't see any fire going past the Israelis, you see them coming out of helicopters and shooting immediately."

0830: The BBC's Wyre Davies in Ashdod, Israel, says:

An Israeli army spokesman said the activists refused an order not to go to Gaza with their boats laden with humanitarian aid and instead dock at the Israeli port of Ashdod.

The army says its troops were attacked by the activists with axes, knives and firearms.

At least four Israeli marines were injured, said a spokeswoman, including one who was shot when his gun was snatched by an activist.

There's now a state of alert across Israel.

0812:

Israeli spokesman Mark Regev speaks to the BBC's Today programme:

0800: The BBC's Jon Donnison in Gaza City says:

Israel had warned it was going to use limited force to stop the flotilla. It seems to have used more than that.

Television pictures from on board the ships show Israeli armed commandos storming the boats.

You can hear what sounds like gun shots and a number of people can be seen lying on the deck, apparently injured.

It took place around 60km out to sea in international waters. An Israeli government minister expressed regret for any loss of life.

Israel has said it will tow the ships to Ashdod where a special passport and detention centre has been set up.

It says from there the activists will be deported.

0745:

Hamas leader Ismail Haniya says of the activists: "You were heroes, whether you reached [Gaza] or not."

0730: The BBC's Jonathan Head in Istanbul, Turkey, says:

Within hours of the first clashes between Israeli forces and the Gaza bound convoy the Turkish government issued a strongly-worded condemnation of the Israeli actions.

Once again Israel has shown that it ignores human rights and peaceful initiatives, read the statement from the foreign ministry.

It accused Israel of violating international law by using such force on the high seas, and said its actions could have irrevocable consequences for relations with Turkey.

The main organiser of the convoy is a Turkish-based Islamic charity and most of the activists on board are Turkish citizens.

If the reports of large numbers of casualties are confirmed, relations between Turkey and Israel, already badly strained over the blockade of Gaza, will plunge to a new low.

Source

Deaths as Israeli forces storm Gaza aid ship

The BBC's Jon Donnison on Turkish TV footage which apparently shows Israeli troops on board

At least nine people have been killed after Israeli commandos stormed a convoy of ships carrying aid to the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army says.

Armed forces boarded the largest vessel overnight, clashing with some of the 500 people on board.

It happened about 40 miles (64 km) out to sea, in international waters.

Israel says its soldiers were shot at and attacked with weapons; the activists say Israeli troops came on board shooting.

The activists were attempting to defy a blockade imposed by Israel after the Islamist movement Hamas took power in Gaza in 2007.

Continue reading the main story

ANALYSIS

Jonathan Marcus BBC diplomatic correspondent

---

This was always going to be a high-risk operation for Israel both in terms of reputation and diplomatic repercussions.

Taking over vessels at sea is no easy task, even if the units carrying out the mission are well-trained, and it is especially difficult if the people already on board the vessels resist.

The full details of what happened will emerge in time, but in political terms the damage has already been done.

The deaths threaten to make what was always going to be a potential public relations disaster for Israel into a fully-fledged calamity.

• Israel faces flotilla raid fallout

There has been widespread condemnation of the violence, with several countries summoning the Israeli ambassadors serving there.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he was "shocked by reports of killings and injuries" and called for a "full investigation" into what happened.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in Canada, has cancelled a scheduled visit to Washington on Tuesday to return to Israel, officials said.

Earlier, he expressed his "full backing" for the military involved in the raid, his office said.

The White House said the US "deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries sustained" in the storming of the aid ship.

A spokesman said US officials were "currently working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy".

'Guns and knives'

The six-ship flotilla, carrying 10,000 tonnes of aid, left the coast of Cyprus on Sunday and had been due to arrive in Gaza on Monday. Israel had repeatedly said the boats would not be allowed to reach Gaza.

Israel says its soldiers boarded the lead ship in the early hours but were attacked with axes, knives, bars and at least two guns.

"Unfortunately this group were dead-set on confrontation," Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev told the BBC.

"Live fire was used against our forces. They initiated the violence, that's 100% clear," he said.

Organisers of the flotilla said at least 30 people were wounded in the incident. Israel says 10 of its soldiers were injured, one seriously.

Deputy Speaker of Israeli parliament Danny Danon: "It was not a peaceful mission"

A leader of Israel's Islamic Movement, Raed Salah, who was on board, was among those hurt.

Contact with activists on the ships was lost after the raids and no first-hand accounts from them have yet emerged.

Arafat Shoukri, of the Free Gaza Movement (FGM) which organised the convoy, said those on board one ship had told them by telephone that Israeli helicopters had arrived.

"Then we started to hear screams, shouting, shooting everywhere," he said. "We heard some of them shouting 'we are raising the white flag, stop shooting at us'."

He said Israeli claims that activists had pistols and other weapons were "cheap propaganda".

Audrey Bomse, also of the FGM, told the BBC that the activists were "not going to pose any violent resistance".

By midday Israel had towed three of the six boats to the port of Ashdod and says it will deport the passengers from there.

Condemnation

Turkish TV pictures taken on board the Turkish ship leading the flotilla appeared to show Israeli soldiers fighting to control passengers.

Continue reading the main story

GAZA AID CONVOY

• Consists of three cargo ships and three passenger ships
• Casualties reported on the Mavi Marmara passenger ferry
• Mavi Marmara is one of three ships provided by Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), a Turkish aid organisation with links to the Turkish government
• Other ships are organised by the Free Gaza Movement, an international coalition of activist groups
• Up to 600 mostly Turkish passengers, tonnes of cement and at least two journalists on board the Mavi Marmara

• In pictures: Aid ship stormed
• Reaction to Gaza aid ship deaths
• Guide: Gaza under blockade
• Hague 'deplores Gaza ship deaths'

The footage showed a number of people, apparently injured, lying on the ground. A woman was seen holding a blood-stained stretcher.

Al-Jazeera TV reported from the same ship that Israeli navy forces had opened fire and boarded the vessel, wounding the captain.

The Al-Jazeera broadcast ended with a voice shouting in Hebrew, saying: "Everybody shut up!"

Israel's deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said his country "regrets any loss of life and did everything to avoid this outcome".

He accused the convoy of a "premeditated and outrageous provocation", describing the flotilla as an "armada of hate".

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Israel's actions, saying it had committed a massacre, while Hamas said Israel had committed a "great crime and a huge violation of international law".

Turkey, whose nationals comprised the majority of those on board, accused Israel of "targeting innocent civilians".

Turkey was Israel's closest Muslim ally but relations have deteriorated over the past few years.

In Turkey, thousands of protesters demonstrated against Israel in Istanbul, while several countries have summoned Israeli ambassadors to seek an explanation as to what happened.

Greece has withdrawn from joint military exercises with Israel in protest at the raid on the flotilla.

Israel had repeatedly said it would stop the boats, calling the campaign a "provocation intended to delegitimise Israel".

Israel says it allows about 15,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid into Gaza every week.

But the UN says this is less than a quarter of what is needed.

Source

Israeli PM 'regrets' deaths as troops storm aid ships

Israeli army footage claiming to show the violence on board the flotilla - the captions and circled points on this video were inserted by the Israeli army

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed regret after at least nine people died when troops stormed ships trying to break the Gaza blockade.

But he said soldiers had been defending themselves after they were "clubbed, beaten and stabbed".

Pro-Palestinian campaigners say the soldiers opened fire unprovoked when they landed on the aid-carrying ships.

There has been international condemnation of the loss of life, and the UN is holding an emergency session.

As the meeting of the UN Security Council got under way in New York, diplomats said the draft text of a resolution called for condemnation of the operation, the immediate release of the impounded ships and for an international inquiry.

Continue reading the main story

ANALYSIS

Jonathan Marcus BBC diplomatic correspondent

---

This was always going to be a high-risk operation for Israel both in terms of reputation and diplomatic repercussions.

Taking over vessels at sea is no easy task, even if the units carrying out the mission are well-trained, and it is especially difficult if the people already on board the vessels resist.

The full details of what happened will emerge in time, but in political terms the damage has already been done.

The deaths threaten to make what was always going to be a potential public relations disaster for Israel into a fully-fledged calamity.

• Israel faces flotilla raid fallout

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called the incident "murder committed by a state" and said Israel had "lost all legitimacy".

But Israeli UN representative Daniel Carmon told the Security Council that some on board the ships had motives other than providing humanitarian assistance, and had tried to lynch Israeli soldiers.

Mr Netanyahu cut short a visit to Canada to deal with the growing crisis and cancelled a scheduled meeting in Washington with US President Barack Obama on Tuesday.

Israel imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip after the Islamist movement Hamas took power there in 2007.

The six-ship convoy had set out to carry 10,000 tonnes of aid from Cyprus to Gaza, despite repeated Israeli warnings that it would not be allowed to reach the territory.

In a statement, Mr Netanyahu defended the Israeli operation, saying troops were attacked when they landed on the largest of the six ships in the flotilla.

"They were mobbed. They were clubbed, they were beaten, stabbed," he said.

"There was even a report of gunfire and our soldiers had to defend themselves, defend their lives or they would have been killed.

"Regrettably, in this exchange... people died. We regret this loss of life. We regret any of the violence."

View challenged

Organisers of the convoy have strongly denied the Israeli account.

Contact with activists on the ships was lost after the raids and no first-hand accounts from them have yet emerged.

Arafat Shoukri, of the Free Gaza Movement (FGM) which helped organise the convoy, said those on board one ship had told them by telephone that Israeli helicopters had arrived.

"Then we started to hear screams, shouting, shooting everywhere," he said. "We heard some of them shouting 'We are raising the white flag, stop shooting at us'."

Continue reading the main story

GAZA AID CONVOY

• Consists of three cargo ships and three passenger ships
• Most casualties reported on Mavi Marmara passenger ferry, one of three ships provided by Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH)
• IHH is Turkish aid organisation with strong sympathy among Turkey's ruling party, but is banned in Israel, which accuses it of links to Hamas and al-Qaeda
• Other ships organised by the Free Gaza Movement, an international coalition of activist groups
• Ships carrying supplies including cement, wheelchairs, paper and water purification systems
• Flotilla's 700 passengers mainly Turkish, but also include nationals of US, UK, Australia, Greece, Canada, Belgium, Ireland, the Swedish author Henning Mankell, two Australian journalists and three German MPs

• Where next for Israel?
• In pictures: Aid ship stormed
• Reaction to Gaza aid ship deaths
• Guide: Gaza under blockade

He said Israeli claims that activists had pistols and other weapons were "cheap propaganda".

Audrey Bomse, also of the FGM, told the BBC that the activists were "not going to pose any violent resistance".

The flotilla left the coast of Cyprus on Sunday and had been due to arrive in Gaza on Monday.

Reports say troops boarded the ship about 40 miles (64 km) out to sea in international waters.

Organisers of the flotilla said at least 30 people were wounded in the incident. Israel says 10 of its soldiers were injured, one seriously.

There has been widespread condemnation of the violence, with several countries summoning their Israeli ambassadors.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he was "shocked" and called for a "full investigation" into what happened.

The White House said the US "deeply regrets the loss of life" and was "currently working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy".

There was a particularly strong response from Turkey, where many of the activists on the ships are from.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of state terrorism and violation of international law.

In Istanbul, thousands of protesters took part in an angry demonstration against Israel.

Turkey was Israel's closest Muslim ally but relations have deteriorated in recent years.

Greece has withdrawn from joint military exercises with Israel in protest at the raid on the flotilla.

The office of French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he condemned "the disproportionate use of force", while UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said there was "a clear need for Israel to act with restraint and in line with international obligations".

The BBC's Jon Donnison in Gaza says there has been widespread anger there with protests organised by Hamas.

Israel has escorted the ships to the port of Ashdod and says it will deport the passengers from there.

Israel says it allows about 15,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid into Gaza every week.

But the UN says this is less than a quarter of what is needed.

Source

Where next for under-pressure Israel?

By Paul Reynolds World affairs correspondent, BBC News website

Public rallies and political recriminations have followed Israel's military move

The high number of deaths in the Israeli interception of the Gaza flotilla has led to an inevitable diplomatic fallout for Israel.

Governments everywhere are asking how and why this happened - some angrily, some cautiously. Many are protesting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is flying home after cancelling a meeting with US President Barack Obama (who has limited himself to regrets and a commitment to "understanding" the circumstance). The meeting was to have been used to try to patch up tense relations.

Perhaps the most significant damage will have been done to Israel's relations with Turkey. It was not so long ago that the two countries shared a certain strategic vision of opposing Islamist extremism in the region.

Since the Gaza invasion in 2008, Turkey has turned hostile to Israel. This episode, involving a ship with so many Turks on board, will only exacerbate that hostility. Turkey has recalled its ambassador. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the Israeli action "state terrorism".

Israel's standing with the European Union has also taken another knock. The EU foreign policy representative, Catherine Ashton, called for an inquiry and for the blockade of Gaza to be lifted.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague, sympathetic to Israel, said: "I deplore the loss of life", a phrase that avoids laying blame, but added that Israel needed to act "with restraint" over Gaza, and that it should follow the Security Council resolution (1860) and lift restrictions on Gaza.

'Paintball' rifles

The incident, therefore, is more than just a clash at sea. It calls into question Israel's wider approach to Gaza, and indeed the faltering peace process itself - now centred on the proximity talks brokered by the Americans.

TV footage showed Israeli commandos storming the Gaza flotilla

Israel is again on the defensive, deploying all its available means of information to state that the pro-Palestinian activists (pro-Hamas, according to Israel) attacked the commandos and are to blame for the deaths. The ships, Israel says, could have landed at Ashdod with the goods sent on to Gaza.

The activists claim that this was at least disproportionate, and at worst murderous.

Beyond the public recriminations, military professionals everywhere will want to understand how Israeli commandos were unable to gain control without what appears to have been an extensive use of live fire.

Video released by the Israeli military shows individual commandos rappelling on to the ship from helicopters and, in one case at least, being outnumbered and attacked by several people on board the ship.

The video appears to show one of the activists charging commandos (it is difficult to distinguish between solders and civilians) with a long metal pole. Video on the Israeli Foreign Ministry website shows hand-held catapults, metal rods, bags of marbles and a hammer found on the ship.

An account of the clash by an Israeli reporter on ynetnews said that the "navy commandos fell right into the hands of the Gaza mission members".

He wrote that the troops had "paintball" rifles which made no impression. They then used stun grenades. They were not expecting such opposition, he said.

One soldier had his handgun seized and was knocked unconscious, according to the report. After that the order to use live fire was given. The report quoted one commando as saying that someone with a rifle fired at them.

Two errors

The Israeli army reported that two activists had pistols seized from military personnel. It is said that the pistol magazines were empty, suggesting that the pistols had been fired at the troops.

In due course, evidence will emerge from the activists on board.

But how did two soldiers lose their weapons? This will be of concern to the senior Israeli command. It raises serious military questions about the operation.

How was it planned? Were the commandos placed in a situation too difficult to extract themselves without considerable loss of life to the activists? If so, why did that happen?

The ynetnews reporter said that two errors were made - one was not to expect such serious opposition, the other was not to hurl stun grenades and smoke bombs from the helicopters and so confuse those on deck.

Some Israeli officers might be thinking back to an easier operation in 1988 when the PLO chartered a former Greek ferry to try to run into Haifa (copying the voyage of the Exodus). The Israelis blew it up in Limassol harbour in Cyprus.

But this expedition had a number of ships and so the pre-emptive option was not there.

Instead the Israelis decided to intercept the flotilla out at sea, beyond the co-ordinates of the maritime blockade which Israel is enforcing on Gaza, claiming a right under international law. It says it acted beyond the blockade limits because of the number of vessels involved, meaning presumably that there would be less chance of one or two slipping through.

Source

UN members decry Israeli raid on Gaza aid flotilla

Israeli army footage claiming to show the violence on board the flotilla - the captions and circled points on this video were inserted by the Israeli army

UN Security Council members condemned Israel as they began an emergency session over Israel's deadly raid on a flotilla of ships carrying aid to Gaza.

At least nine pro-Palestinian activists, some Turkish, were killed when Israeli commandos stormed the ships in international waters.

Turkey's foreign minister called Israel's actions "murder by a state".

Israel's UN envoy said troops acted in self-defence when activists attacked them, charges the campaigners deny.

"This flotilla was anything but a humanitarian mission," Israel's deputy UN ambassador Daniel Carmon said.

He said the activists had used "knives, clubs and other weapons" to attack the soldiers who boarded the lead boat, the Mavi Marmara.

The campaigners insist the soldiers opened fire without any provocation.

Injured activists have been taken to Israeli hospitals, while dozens of others have been detained and are being processed for deportation.

Israel has imposed an information blackout, making it difficult to gather first-hand accounts from the campaigners.

The ships were carrying 10,000 tonnes of aid in an attempt to break Israel's three-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Global protests

The Security Council's emergency session continues behind closed doors at the UN headquarters in New York.

Member states are debating a possible reaction to Israel's killing of the nine pro-Palestinian activists in international waters.

Continue reading the main story

ANALYSIS

Jeremy Bowen BBC News, Jerusalem

---

For Israel, there are likely to be severe diplomatic consequences. Pressure to end the Gaza blockade will increase - from Israel's allies, as well as its enemies.

The damage done to what remains of Israel's alliance with Turkey is serious. Turkey is important because it straddles Europe and the Muslim Middle East - where it has real diplomatic influence. Israel always relied on Turkish support. That is no longer possible.

One question is how strongly the US tries to water down any criticism. Their own relations with Israel have been in crisis. The talks they are sponsoring between Israel and the Palestinians will probably continue, but under an even darker cloud.

Most of the activists killed are believed to have been Turkish, and Turkey led a chorus of criticism of Israel at the UN.

"In simplest terms, this is tantamount to banditry and piracy. It is murder conducted by a state," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said ahead of the session.

Mr Davutoglu told the BBC that Israel must issue an immediate apology for its storming of the aid ship and repatriate the pro-Palestinian campaigners.

None of the other 15 members of the Security Council was as outspoken in their individual statements, but most called for a full investigation and were critical of Israeli actions.

Many - including veto-wielding members France, Russia and China - also demanded an end to the Israeli blockade on Gaza which the aid ships were trying to break.

Israel's closest ally, the United States, expressed concern, although deputy US ambassador to the UN Alejandro Wolff said it was still not clear what had happened.

"The US is deeply disturbed by the recent violence and regrets the tragic loss of life and injury suffered among those involved in the incident last night, aboard the Gaza-bound ships," he said.

'Deep regret'

US state department spokesman Philip Crowley later said America "deeply regretted" the loss of life and expected a "full and credible" investigation by Israel.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also called for a full inquiry.

Ehud Barak: "I hope that common sense will prevail"

Based on the stated positions of Security Council members, it is difficult to see how they can agree on a consensus statement, but that is what they are trying to do now behind closed doors, the BBC's Barbara Plett reports from the UN headquarters.

Diplomats say the draft text condemns the Israeli raid, requests immediate release of the impounded ships, and calls for an international investigation, our correspondent says.

Washington will face pressure to join the international condemnation of Israel, she adds.

There have been demonstrations against the Israeli operation in cities around the world, and several countries summoned their Israeli ambassadors demanding an explanation for the violence.

Continue reading the main story

GAZA AID CONVOY

• Consists of three cargo ships and three passenger ships
• Most casualties reported on Mavi Marmara passenger ferry, one of three ships provided by Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH)
• IHH is Turkish aid organisation with strong sympathy among Turkey's ruling party, but is banned in Israel, which accuses it of links to Hamas and al-Qaeda
• Other ships organised by the Free Gaza Movement, an international coalition of activist groups
• Ships carrying supplies including cement, wheelchairs, paper and water purification systems
• Flotilla's 700 passengers mainly Turkish, but also include nationals of US, UK, Australia, Greece, Canada, Belgium, Ireland, the Swedish author Henning Mankell, two Australian journalists and three German MPs

• Israel faces flotilla raid fallout
• Where next for Israel?
• In pictures: Aid ship stormed
• Reaction to Gaza aid ship deaths
• Guide: Gaza under blockade

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned the Israeli "massacre" and declared three days of mourning across the West Bank.

The Arab League has called for an emergency meeting on Tuesday, as Jordan and Egypt - the two Arab states with peace deals with Israel - sharply condemned the violence.

For many critics of Israel - on the streets and in foreign ministries - it is not just about this single incident at sea, serious and deadly though it was, says the BBC's Jeremy Bowen in Jerusalem.

It is about a pattern of violent and disproportionate behaviour, with Israel playing to its own rules rather than international law, our correspondent says.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak told the BBC that Israel did not want to harm innocent civilians in Gaza, but had to fight the militant group Hamas which controls Gaza.

Israel imposed the blockade on the Gaza Strip after Hamas took power there in 2007.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he regretted any loss of life, but gave full backing to the action of the Israeli troops.

Mr Netanyahu cut short a visit to Canada to deal with the growing crisis and cancelled a scheduled meeting in Washington with US President Barack Obama on Tuesday.

The six-ship convoy left Cyprus on Sunday to carry 10,000 tonnes of aid to Gaza, despite repeated Israeli warnings that it would not be allowed to reach the territory. It was due to arrive on Monday.

Reports say soldiers boarded the ships about 40 miles (64km) out to sea.

In Tel Aviv, Israel's navy commander said the troops took over five boats without incident and that all of the violence was centred on the Mavi Marmara.

Organisers of the flotilla said at least 30 people were wounded in the incident. Israel says 10 of its soldiers were injured, one seriously.

Israel has escorted the ships to the port of Ashdod and says it will detain or deport the passengers from there.

Israel says it allows about 15,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid into Gaza every week, but the UN says this is less than a quarter of what is needed.

Source

US activist loses eye after being shot in face with tear gas canister

US activist loses eye after being shot in face with tear gas canister

Posted on: May 31, 2010 | ShareThis

International Solidarity Movement

1 June 2010

US citizen Emily Henochowicz was shot directly in the face with a tear gas canister as she non-violently demonstrated against the Flotilla massacre

UPDATE 1 June, 8:30PM (GMT+2): Emily is recovering at Hadassah Hospital after two surgeries Monday night. She lost her left eye, three metal plates were inserted into her head/face, and her jaw is wired shut. The bone surrounding her eye socket, cheekbone and jawbone are all fractured. Emily was standing peacefully during a demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint Monday when Border Police fired a large number of tear gas canisters directly at the heads of Emily and another ISM activist.

31 May 2010: An American solidarity activist was shot in the face with a tear gas canister during a demonstration in Qalandiya, today. Emily Henochowicz is currently in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem undergoing surgery to remove her left eye, following the demonstration that was held in protest to Israel’s murder of at least 10 civilians aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters this morning.

21-year old Emily Henochowicz was hit in the face with a tear gas projectile fired directly at her by an Israeli soldier during the demonstration at Qalandiya checkpoint today. Israeli occupation forces fired volleys of tear gas at unarmed Palestinian and international protesters, causing mass panic amongst the demonstrators and those queuing at the largest checkpoint separating the West Bank and Israel.

“They clearly saw us,” said Sören Johanssen, a Swedish ISM volunteer standing with Henochowicz. “They clearly saw that we were internationals and it really looked as though they were trying to hit us. They fired many canisters at us in rapid succession. One landed on either side of Emily, then the third one hit her in the face.”

Henochowicz is an art student at the prestigious Cooper Union, located in East Village, Manhattan.

The demonstration was one of many that took place across the West Bank today in outrage over the Israeli military’s attack on the Gaza freedom flotilla and blatant violation of international law. Demonstrations also took place in inside Israel, Gaza and Jerusalem, with clashes occurring in East Jerusalem and Palestinian shopkeepers in the occupied Old City closing their businesses for the day in protest.

Henochowicz lost her left eye after being shot directly in the face with a tear gas canister

Tear gas canisters are commonly used against demonstrators in the occupied West Bank. In May 2009, the Israeli State Attorney’s Office ordered Israeli Police to review its guidelines for dispersing demonstrators, following the death of a demonstrator, Bassem Abu Rahmah from Bil’in village, caused by a high velocity tear-gas projectile. Tear-gas canisters are meant to be used as a means of crowd dispersal, to be shot indirectly at demonstrators and from a distance. However, Israeli forces frequently shoot canisters directly at protesters and are not bound by a particular distance from which they can shoot.

Israeli occupation forces boarded the Mavi Marmara, one of six ships on the Freedom Flotilla at 5 a.m. this morning, opening fire on the hundreds of unarmed civilians aboard. No-one aboard the ships were carrying weapons of any kind, including for defense against a feared Israeli attack in international waters. At least 9 aid workers aboard the ship have been confirmed dead, with dozens more injured. The assault took place 70 miles off the Gaza coast in international waters, after the flotilla was surrounded by three Israeli warships. The Freedom Flotilla, carrying 700 human rights activists from over 40 countries and 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid, was headed for the besieged and impoverished Gaza Strip. The Israeli blockade on Gaza, combined with the illegal buffer zone, has put a stranglehold on the territory. 42% of Gazans are unemployed, and food insecurity hovers around 60% according to figures from the Palestine Centre for Human Rights.

Source

Rabbi Brant Rosen -- Beyond the Flotilla, the Crackdown Continues

As I read the myriad of reactions to the Gaza Freedom Flotilla tragedy last Sunday, I'm struck by one recurring theme: the sense of astonishment that these activists responded to the Israeli Navy with violence.

In other words, they didn't act according to the script. They didn't behave like proper practitioners of civil disobedience. The implication: if they had responded like the non-violent activists they were purported to be, this whole tragedy could well have been avoided.

There's only problem with this calculus: non-violent Palestinian protests have actually been ongoing throughout the Occupied Territories for years - and the Israeli military has been responding to them with much the same kind of brutality that was used against the passengers of the Mavi Marmara.

A sampling of some incidents over the past year:

- In March, 2009, Tristan Anderson, an American activist with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) was shot in the head with a tear-gas canister during a non-violent protest, sustaining massive brain injuries.

- Bassem Ibrahim Abu-Rahma, a popular non-violent activist in Bilin, was killed when he was hit in the chest by a tear gas canister during a protest in April 2009.

- In June 2009 35 year-old Aqel Sadeq Dar Srour was shot in the chest and killed when he tried to assist Mohammad Misleh Mousa, a teenager who was shot by an Israeli soldier during a non-violent demonstration in Ni'lin. Mohammad was permanently paralyzed as a result of his injury.

- This past April, Imad Rizka was critically injured when he was shot in the head with a tear gas canister during a non-violent protest in Bi'lin

- Last Monday, Emily Henochowicz, a 21 year American ISM activist lost her eye when she was shot in the face with a tear gas canister during a peaceful protest of the flotilla incident at the Qalandiya checkpoint in the West Bank.

These are not merely isolated incidents. Indeed, they are part of a concerted Israeli military policy to crush the grassroots non-violent movements by means of lethal force, mass arrests, and detentions. As Israeli activist Jonathan Pollak observed this past December:

Over the past six months, 31 Bil'in residents have been arrested, including almost all the members of the Popular Committee that organizes the demonstrations. A similar tactic is being used against protesters in the neighboring village of Ni'ilin, which is losing over half of its land to Israel's wall and settlements. Over the past eighteen months, 89 Ni'ilin residents have been arrested.

Israeli lawyer Gaby Lasky, who represents many of Bil'in and Ni'ilin's detainees, was informed by Israel's military prosecutors that the army had decided to end demonstrations against the Wall, and that it intends to use legal procedures to do so.

The Israeli army also recently resumed the use of 22 caliber sniper fire for dispersing demonstrations, though use of the weapon for crowd control purposes was specifically forbidden in 2001 by the Israeli army's legal arm. Following the killing of unarmed demonstrator Aqel Srour in Ni'ilin last June, Brigadier General Avichai Mandelblit, the Israeli army's Judge Advocate General, reiterated the ban on the use of .22 caliber bullets against demonstrators, to no effect. In addition to Srour, since the beginning of 2009, 28 unarmed demonstrators were injured by live ammunition sniper fire in Ni'ilin alone.

Few are likely aware that non-violent protest has been ongoing within the Gaza Strip itself long before the flotilla set sail. American journalist Ashley Bates, who blogs from Gaza, has written extensively about Gaza's "Local Initiative Against the Buffer Zone" - a non-violent campaign organized by Gazan Saber Al-Zaaneen:

In July of 2008, Apache helicopters dropped fliers warning Palestinians that they were not permitted to go within 300 meters of the border. Mr. Zaaneen knew that Israeli soldiers had shot at people and destroyed farms and houses within one kilometer of the border. Feeling that Israel would continue encroaching unless Palestinians resisted, he began organizing non-violent direct actions in the buffer zones, such as accompanying farmers as they tended their fields and searching for bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli troops and left to rot....

People of all political stripes are welcome at his demonstrations, which now occur five days per week at border areas across Gaza...Every demonstrator must not bring weapons and must commit to non-violence. "I don't resist because I want to die," he said. "I resist because I want freedom, land, education, opportunities, no occupation. This is the message of our movement. We want the whole world to know why the Palestinian people resist."

Last April, Ms. Bates reported that Hind Al-Akra, a 22 year old female protester was seriously injured when she was shot in the abdomen and seriously injured during a Buffer Zone protest. At the time, Ms. Bates wrote "it seems only a matter of time before one of the protesters gets killed."
Just five days later, her prediction came true: a protester named Ahmad Salem Deeb was shot by Israeli troops and died of blood loss shortly afterwards.

Immediately following the flotilla tragedy, Ms. Bates cited this telling observation by an ISM worker in Gaza:

I'm surprised that Israel would go this far with internationals...The reality is that they are doing this sort of thing every day with Palestinians--farmers and fishermen are killed every day.

We will likely be debating what exactly occurred aboard the Mavi Marmara for some time to come. In the meantime, similar tragedies are occurring throughout the Occupied Territories on a virtually daily basis.

They are no less worthy of our attention.

Source