Israel's narrative of "self-defense" falls apart

Dear friends,
new footage has emerged from the attack on the Gaza Flotilla. Turkish television has aired footage of two Israeli commandos kicking and then apparently executing one of the activists.

The activist was identified by Turkish television as 19 year old Furkan Dogan, a Turkish activist, who held American citizenship. The autopsy carried out on Furkan revealed he was shot five times from less that 45cm in the face, the back of the head, twice in the leg and once in the back.

The video footage clearly and sickeningly shows that Israel's claim to a "lynch" and "self defense" is an outright lie.

Please find below the article by Paul Woodward from War in Context on the footage. Woodward's article on War in Context includes an embedded copy of the footage, however, I have also included the footage below.

in solidarity,
Kim


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Footage aired on Turkish television of apparent execution of one of the Mavi Marmara activists by Israeli commandos.
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http://warincontext.org/2010/06/10/israels-self-defense-narrative-falls-apart/

Israel’s “self-defense” narrative falls apart — Updated

by Paul Woodward on June 10, 2010

(See this post to read an important update on the video that appears below.)

On May 31, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the actions of IDF soldiers who had conducted the raid on the Mavi Marmara, killing at least nine of its passengers, as “a clear case of self-defense because as our soldiers were inspecting these ships, they were attacked – they were almost lynched. They were attacked with clubs, with knives, perhaps with live gunfire, and they had to defend themselves – they were going to be killed.”

That was before video emerged appearing to show two Israeli soldiers first pummeling with their boots and then shooting one of the victims as he lay at their feet. To stand above an injured man and then finish him off with rounds from an assault rifle can by no ones estimation be described as an act of self-defense.

I have asked the IDF Spokesman’s office for comment on the video and been told that they will get back to me in due course.

An explanation from the IDF is unlikely to be swift because a decision on how to handle this matter is now likely to rise above the military ranks to the highest political level.

The Netanyahu government’s political strategy for grappling with the latest international crisis it has triggered has been rooted from its inception in the outlook that molds the Israeli psyche: whatever happens, Israel is always the victim.

Out of a national unwillingness to rise above this unremitting sense of victimization, Israel’s leaders and its population have rendered themselves incapable of accepting responsibility for their own actions.

Right now, there are at least two Israeli soldiers who could step forward, break their silence and act in the greater interest of the country they have pledged to defend.

But I don’t see that happening. Firstly, this would require an unusual amount of personal courage, but anyone who shoots an injured man who is lying helplessly at his feet seems lacking in courage. And secondly, most individuals who follow military commands do so on the assumption that it’s not for them to determine the national interest. Indeed, the orders these particular soldiers have been instructed to follow almost certainly include that they now maintain their silence.

As soon as it became apparent that some kind of investigation of the massacre would be inevitable, Israel’s minister of defense, Ehud Barak, was quick to say that in any investigation of the massacre, no individual commandos would face questioning. In other words, no one who pulled a trigger would be placed in legal jeopardy by being compelled to explain their own actions. The Israeli government has in effect promised legal immunity for its defense forces, in the hope presumably that the government itself will thereby ensure its own legal and political protection.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, however, has said: “Israel must pay the price of the blood it shed and the lives of the martyrs. It will do so. We will pursue this within the framework of law.”

So far, the United States, under President Obama’s morally drifting leadership, has maintained its traditional role in acting like Israel’s lawyer. But even the best defense lawyer realizes when the evidence against their client makes a “not guilty” plea untenable. Moreover, every lawyer knows that they can only go so far in loyally defending their client. Past a certain point, a loyal attorney becomes a criminal accomplice.

It’s time for Washington to tell Tel Aviv that it needs to get ready to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about the Mavi Marmara massacre. Israel cannot escape facing legal scrutiny from an international investigation.

Emergency Protests: Israel attacks Free Gaza boats - at least 10 activists killed, dozens injured

Wounded activist being evacuated

Dear friends,
as many you have no doubt heard the horrendous news that Israel has attacked the Free Gaza Movement flotilla which was carrying 700 human rights activists, doctors, parliamentarians, journalists and 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Emergency protests are taking place or being organised all over the world to protest Israel's barbaric murder of human rights activists.

The details for the Australian protests so far are listed below, as is the Media Release issued by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in Melbourne.

In solidarity, Kim

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Melbourne:
Tuesday June 1, 4.30pm, Cnr of Burke Street Mall and Swanston St, Melbourne City.
Organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (Melbourne)

Sydney:
Tuesday June 1, 5.30pm at the Town Hall
organised by Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine.

Perth
Tuesday June 1, 5pm, Wesley Church, cnr William & Hay Sts, Perth.
Organised by Friends of Palestine, Western Australia

Brisbane
Tuesday, June 1, 5pm, Brisbane Square
Organised by Justice for Palestine (Qld)

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The following media release has been issued by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in Melbourne:

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Gaza Freedom Flotilla attacked by Israeli commandos in international waters; 16 reported killed

Palestine solidarity groups calls for emergency action:


MELBOURNE ACTION - Tuesday, 1 June at 4.30pm

Cnr of Bourke St Mall and Swanston St,
Melbourne City.

A few hours ago hundreds of Israeli commandos illegally stormed the six vessels of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla that were endeavouring to deliver 10 000 tons of humanitarian aid to the besieged people of Gaza. The Israeli media is reporting that up to 16 people have been killed and up to 30 wounded after the commandos opened fire on unarmed civilians in international waters.

Not since the French Secret Service blew up the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour in 1985 has there been such a brazen act of international piracy by a sovereign state. Governments all around the world have condemned the criminal actions of Somali pirates in international waters off the horn of Africa, and have even sent naval armadas to confront those pirates. The international community must now unreservedly condemn this criminal act of piracy on the high seas, and immediately sent an international naval armada to restrain the barbaric actions of the Israeli Navy.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign (Melbourne) has called an emergency protest for (Tuesday) 1st June at 4.30pm, corner of Bourke St Mall and Swanston St, Melbourne City.