Comments on: ‘Rachel Corrie’ proves Israel doesn’t need commandos or shootings

By: David Settino Scott III

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:35:43 +0000

The United States started World War III by invading Afghanistan and Iraq. Now our global reputation is ruined and it will be years before this Holy War will be over. Take a look at this: http://freethegods.blogspot.com/2010/05/memorial-day-respect.html

By: Eileen White Read

Eileen White Read — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:35:16 +0000

Jake, I guess I would say, a little of both. I think the activists were terrified of being shot at and chastened by their predecessors’ experience. I think the Israeli military command also learned a lot from what happened Monday, especially about the foolhardiness putting their commandos in harm’s way by dropping them individually into an unknown situation in the middle of the night – on a ship containing 600 activists. I also think that, in the case of the Rachel Corrie, no one wanted to see an Irish Nobel Peace Laureate shot.
The Gaza blockade cannot go on indefinitely; Hamas has been strengthened by the blockade; Gilad Shalit is nowhere near to getting out. So if Monday’s tragedy [and Noam Shalit's landmark criticism of the Israeli government's reluctance to release Palestinian political prisoners] had a galvanizing effect….. maybe now we will do the Shalit prisoner exchange and start to unravel this mess.

By: jake brodsky

jake brodsky — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 22:15:58 +0000

Is this a case that Israel wasn’t belligerent? Or is this a case where the vessel occupants were willing to negotiate instead of fight so that their humanitarian mission could actually do some good?

By: jake brodsky

jake brodsky — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 22:12:49 +0000

It would be piracy if the goods were not delivered to Gaza. Israel is delivering these goods to Gaza under the watch of an observer from the ship.

By: Eileen White Read

Eileen White Read — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:04:17 +0000

Uncertain, I think there’s a lot of debate about the legality … but I don’t think the U.S. will let any piracy charges be brought against its ally.

By: uncertain

uncertain — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 17:08:22 +0000

Once again, though, Israeli forces intercepted and commandeered the ship in international waters – another textbook case of piracy.

By: Eileen White Read

Eileen White Read — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:57:04 +0000

So are you saying that the events of Monday – what the Jerusalem Post has called the ‘flotilla fiasco’ – should be considered outside Israel’s typical pattern of behavior? Okay that makes sense. I guess I hope they ’stay the course’ and continue to demonstrate today’s good judgment.

By: charliethelawyer

charliethelawyer — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:50:58 +0000

If you think about sentencing guidelines, demonstrating an improved pattern of behavior is a mitigation factor. But here Israel in the past had dealt with Gaza aid vessels without violence and now has done it again. In between, however, stand the events of Monday.