Israel needs a new PR team

[AdmiralViscen]

And they should consider purchasing some tear gas and rubber bullets too

[Positive Touch]

killing loads of civilians has seemed to work fine for them before

[Ichirou]

lol, nothing will happen to Israel.  They do what they want.

[Ichirou]

o no the UN condemned Israel.  i bet America stops supporting everything they do.  lol.

I bet Netanyahu am crying.

[brawndolicious]

Idiots on both sides, but obviously the violence was disproportionate.  I heard that the UNSC won't be able to pass the new sanctions against Iran without Turkey's vote though so this could definitely have some repercussions against Israel.

[Mr. Gundam]

Israel is like that frat boy in college whose parents bail him out of every date rape/dui/assault charge.

I love visiting Israel and hanging out with the people, but I agree with the above statement and it drives me nuts.

[Ichirou]

I'm curious about the legality of this.  The aid ships were boarded on international waters.  Did Israel have ANY legal right to do what they did?

[brawndolicious]

I don't believe it is legal but didn't US do the same thing during the cuban missile crisis?

[The Fake Shemp]

I saw some international law professor on MSNBC saying this morning that Israel was legally in the clear, but that it was a bad PR move.

I have felt that the country has been antagonistic for quite some time, which is different than the disproportionate reactions that Israel was known for before. It seems pretty obvious that Netanyahu - and most of the governing body - could care less about their image on the world stage. Very similar to Dubya in that regard.

[Joe Molotov]

I don't believe it is legal but didn't US do the same thing during the cuban missile crisis?

If the US does it, it's not illegal. 

[Boogie]

I don't believe it is legal but didn't US do the same thing during the cuban missile crisis?

would you agree that there's a slight difference between a blockade to stop nuclear weapons from being stationed 90 miles from the US mainland, and raiding a flotilla bringing humanitarian supplies?

(not sure the US actually ever boarded any ships bound for Cuba during the missile crisis, though.  Can't remember)

[Ichirou]

I saw some international law professor on MSNBC saying this morning that Israel was legally in the clear, but that it was a bad PR move.

I have felt that the country has been antagonistic for quite some time, which is different than the disproportionate reactions that Israel was known for before. It seems pretty obvious that Netanyahu - and most of the governing body - could care less about their image on the world stage. Very similar to Dubya in that regard.

Netanyahu has always been an aggressive hawk.  I remember him being interviewed after 9/11 as a talking head and he just started saying "It was Iran! The US needs to attack Iran! They are a danger to Israe--I mean, the US!"

Israel is, if nothing else, doing an amazing job at making sure no one feels sympathetic towards them.

BTW, according to international law, a blockade itself is an act of war...so I don't see how that puts Israel in the clear, legally.  Of course, Palestine is at this point not technically a country, so maybe that's why?

EDIT: Boogie, the US did actually board at least one ship during that blockade but they were found not to contain weaponry so they were let through.  nintenho, the difference also is that the Cuban blockade was ONLY for nuclear weapons.  If the ships didn't contain armaments, they were let through.

[brawndolicious]

Technically, this is also only a blockade of weapons, not aid supplies.  The (disproportionate) violence happened because the activists wanted to make a statement about the blockade itself being wrong.  It's funny how thousands of Palestinians being malnourished didn't get media attention but now that a few activists are dead, the whole world cares and now Egypt decided to lower their own blockade temporarily.

[Fresh Prince]

Wow where did all these lawyers come from?

[Ichirou]

That's bullshit.  They don't allow constructions supplies in so they can rebuild everything that's been destroyed.  It's not "only" a blockade of weapons.

nintenho, I'm surprised you're not angrier at Israel's actions.  Where is your turkish pride?!

[brawndolicious]

That's bullshit.  They don't allow constructions supplies in so they can rebuild everything that's been destroyed.  It's not "only" a blockade of weapons.

nintenho, I'm surprised you're not angrier at Israel's actions.  Where is your turkish pride?!

Yeah, I know it's bullshit.  They're basically getting barely enough to survive.  I'm also not a turkish eurofag.

[Himu]

Israel sucks.

[Diunx]

I need to hear Green Shinobi's opinion on this.

[Mr. Gundam]

Israel sucks.

I spent three months on a kibbutz in 1998. The country is awesome. The people are super friendly and know how to have a good time. The government, however, is nuts.

[Phoenix Dark]

Idiots on both sides, but obviously the violence was disproportionate.

Doesn't this explain every Israeli incident?

[Ichirou]

I need to hear Green Shinobi's opinion on this.

"Why can't they just get along?"

Israel sucks.

I spent three months on a kibbutz in 1998. The country is awesome. The people are super friendly and know how to have a good time. The government, however, is nuts.

The people are the ones who elect the government, though. 

[Himu]

Israel sucks.

I spent three months on a kibbutz in 1998. The country is awesome. The people are super friendly and know how to have a good time. The government, however, is nuts.

That's what I meant. The Israeli government is always doing something insane and wtf and expect someone to clean up their mess. Then again, I'm American. I have nothing against the country or the people and I"m far from anti-semite, but some of the people in charge over there really need to get a clue.

[Himu]

I need to hear Green Shinobi's opinion on this.

"Why can't they just get along?"

Why can't they just talk it out, bro?

[Phoenix Dark]

I need to hear Green Shinobi's opinion on this.

Why can't the Palestinians grow their own food? Relying on humanitarian aide simply leads to international crisis as shown today. Israel would not be provoked if the Palestinians just took some darn initiative

[Boogie]

Idiots on both sides, but obviously the violence was disproportionate.

Doesn't this explain every Israeli incident?

only for the past fifteen years or so...

[T-Short]

http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=177134

'Next time we'll use more force'

Israel will use more aggressive force in the future to prevent ships from breaking the sea blockade on the Gaza Strip, a top Navy commander told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
"We boarded the ship and were attacked as if it was a war," the officer said. "That will mean that we will have to come prepared in the future as if it was a war."

The anonymous comment came the day after the Israeli Navy raided a flotilla of international aid ships headed to the Strip. Nine activists were killed in the raid, and dozens were injured.
The flotilla which arrived late Sunday night was comprised of six ships, and another two ships, including The Rachel Corrie, were expected to attempt to enter Israeli waters in the coming days.

Greta Berlin of the Free Gaza Movement said earlier Tuesday that a cargo boat was already on the way to challenge Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.
A second boat carrying about three dozen passengers was expected to join the first, she added.

 

[Ichirou]

Y-y-you can't criticize Israel in any way!  That makes you an anti-semite!

[brawndolicious]

Another ship is intending to run the blockade within a week.

[T-Short]

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4222154/israeli-ambassador-to-us-michael-oren

bu bu the US did the same when they stopped german and japanese ships in international waters in world war 2.

[Dickie Dee]

Best blog post title ever

Israel’s “Act Like A Pirate Day” goes predictably awry
By: TBogg Monday May 31, 2010 11:13 am

Nobody could have predicted that Israel’s IDF, who are normally the poster boys for restraint and “looks like someone needs a hug”, would go buck wild on so-called humanitarians with their “food” and Water Purifiers of Destruction.

Meanwhile Israel Chamber of Commerce house organ Commentary goes to DEFCON 3.

This was also unexpected.