[Originally published in Hurriyet Daily News]
Two days ago, Israeli forces attacked a humanitarian aid flotilla in international waters. The whole purpose of the activists on the raided Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara, and several others around it, were to bring aid and supplies, including playgrounds for children, to Gaza. They paid the price by being the targets of Israeli machine guns.
At least 10 unarmed civilians, most of whom are Turks, were killed. Dozens of others were injured.There is no need to mince words in the face of this atrocity: Israel has committed piracy, barbarism and state terrorism.
Beyond doing all these shamelessly, Israeli spokesmen have also lied shamelessly. One of them, Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon, was doing exactly that when he portrayed the ship, and the whole aid flotilla, as full of people “well-known for their ties with global Jihad, Al-Qaeda and Hamas.”
Damned lies
In fact, the 600 or so activists in the flotilla were a diverse group from 32 countries and many faiths. They included Christian priests and secular humanists. They included Mairead Corrigan-Maguire, the 85-year-old Nobel peace laureate from North Ireland, and Hedy Epstein, a Holocaust survivor. They included children, including a 1-year-old.
Ayalon was also lying when he said, “we found weapons that were prepared in advance and used against our forces.” The Turkish authorities had checked the ships thoroughly before their departure, and there were simply no firearms on board. The only “weapons” that can be spoken of were the wooden or metal sticks that some of the activists had in their hands, apparently taken from the chairs or other ordinary materials on the vessels.
Yesterday, Israel released the photos of some other “weapons” on board, which were just knives taken from the ship’s kitchen.
The video footage we have seen on TV actually gives a sense of what happened: Israeli commandos raided the ships at dawn, sliding down from helicopters via ropes with machine guns in their hands. Some of the activists on board took this as an assault on their ship, which was, to repeat, in international, not Israeli, waters. (How could they take it otherwise?) Then they tried to resist the commandos with the sticks in their hands. The soldiers, in return, fired on the activists, killing at least 10 people and injuring dozens.
From the Israeli point of view, everything is perfectly fine here: They have a policy of blockading Gaza, and those who defy it have to face the consequences.
The question is why in the world do people have to obey Israel’s dictates and recognize its inhumane blockade on Gaza?
Who the hell is Israel, in other words, to force 1.5 million people to live in an open-air prison for years?
The answer from Israel is that “Hamas fires rockets from Gaza.” Well, the last time those rockets were flying in the air, Israel was also firing rockets (and phosphorus bombs) into Gaza, killing a hundred times more civilians than Hamas did. According to a United Nations report, the actions of both sides equally amounted to war crimes.
So, if the war crimes on the Palestinian side legitimize a collective punishment of the Palestinian people, should the war crimes on the Israeli side legitimize a collective punishment of the Israeli people?
In other words, should we put a blockade on Israel as well, so that it won’t be able to kill more children in Gaza? And should we attack the civilian ships that aim to violate that blockade?
Right or might?
There is even a more fundamental question here, relating to the elephant in the Middle Eastern room: Who the hell is Israel to occupy the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967, and to systematically steal these territories by building illegal settlements?
And how can she expect the Palestinians, and other nations like us, the Turks, to bow down to this unabashed theft of land?
When I asked that question to an Israeli hawk some years ago, I received a very revealing response: “Might,” he said, “makes right.”
Well, that might be a popular belief in Tel Aviv and Occupied Jerusalem, but not here in Istanbul. In fact our creed tells us that the exact opposite is true: Right, sooner or later, makes might.
The hundreds of heroes who sailed to Gaza last weekend had this faith in their hearts. Here in Turkey, 70 million more stand by them. We mourn for our fallen, but also know that they did not die in vain. Their sacrifice unveiled to the world not just the suffering of the innocents in the Gaza ghetto, but also the brutality of the rogue state that imposes it.
Read my lips: This spirit is really not going to die. We Turks will continue to stand for what is right, regardless of Israel’s might. None of her lobbying, bullying or killing is going to change that.
Mustafa,
I have enjoyed your web site and writings for several years. I don’t always agree with you, but I appreciate your views and at times you stretch and enlighten my worldview.
I can only imagine that much of Turkey must be feeling and reacting in a similar manner to you regarding the recent events off the coast of Gaza.
As such, the present atmosphere and culture of Turkey is worse than I assumed. Your reaction above shows you are no different or better suited to judge the situation than those who blindly support Israel regardless of the truth of the situation.
It also brings into question the hope that Moderate Muslims can be counted on to bring about peace in the Middle East.
I agree with you that many aboard the Miva Mamara were likely peace loving “heros”. But there was hate and violence in the hearts of those who confronted the IDF when they landed aboard the Miva Mamara. That hate will fuel the fire to ensure the bloodshed continues. Until one side is willing to put down their arms and truly hold out the olive branch of peace, many will die and peace has no chance.
The leadership of Hamas desires and preaches the annihilation and destruction of Israel. How does that help?
Do you believe the Israeli leadership similarly desires and preaches the annihilation of Palestinians?
I pray not for retribution or justice, but for peace.
It was either an act of war or a criminal act. Either way it needs to be decided. Unfortunately Israel is not known for its respect of international conventions, law or institutions. It even snubs its great benefactor the US. Pressure must be brought to bear, relentlessly.
Is so much righteous indignation appropriate over a Tonkin incident?
Because you know what it is, since you wrote:
“From the Israeli point of view, everything is perfectly fine here: They have a policy of blockading Gaza, and those who defy it have to face the consequences.”
May the heroes rest in peace!
Attacking humanitarian convoys is an act of piracy during peace or war. Moreover, the convoy was attacked in international waters.
An armed burglar shooting owner of a house can never claim self-defense.
“The leadership of Hamas desires and preaches the annihilation and destruction of Israel”. Well, PLO also desired that but changed once israel was pushed into concessions. The key word here is “pushed”.
So far it is israel which is annihilating human beeings in masses, not the other side.
The Liberty incident was silenced, but Turks won’t let the Mavi Marmara incident be silenced. Turks are proud people. They were never subjugated by other peoples.
Behruz-
You mention that Turks are proud people. Most people/ethnicities/nations are.
This pride can be a good thing if kept in check and focused in the proper direction.
However, I am of the belief that “pride cometh before the fall”. Pride can be a terribly destructive force – personally and nationally.
Would you allow that pride to then lead you to similar path of aggression and revenge? I believe that is where pride pushes even “peaceful heros” to become violent perpetrators.
The pride I believe you speak of is often the source used to violate or subjugate others – those that are different or unwilling/unable to meet a certain criteria.
All involved – Israel, Hamas, the PLO – will never attain what they desire if all involved insist on bringing their pride to the table.
What we need is true peace that comes from checking our pride at the door and entering in humility. Embracing the “radical” concept of loving our enemies, otherwise there will be no real, lasting, peace.
The problem is more complex than what you presented Musafa. To be honest, I was surprised by the tonality and aggressive arguments of your text! Yes it is true, the Palestinian of Gaza are in a deplorable state. They are not living in acceptable conditions. Yes Israel and let us not forget egyptian blocus of Gaza is very deplorable to say the least. But, to be honest with all the military might they have Israel is not in postition of strength. They have neighboors that are not willing to have a real peace with them. In the minds of arabs( I am one of them) Israel is an imperial jewish state that should not exist( this is not my opinion but the vast majority of arab think like that). Arabs and to some extent muslims do not and will not accept that state. And hamas is the prime example of that state of affairs. It is not just a arab palistian movement but it is a islamist mouvement that will not and cannot have peace with the “Jews”. That is the core of the problem. Isrealis live in that dilema, so they think that only force could solve the problem, especially with hamas and hezbollah. I am not saying that is right,far from it. But what should they do? Secondly and let us admit it the whole world have a double standart when they judge Israel. The lovely Sudanese leaders is killing thousand of his fellow Muslims, did turkey reacted? Did they left reacted? Did the Arab reacted? The answer is a big NO NO and No. But with Israel all is different. Finally, can we say the turks are not above the law. What they are doing to the kurds is not similar to what Israel did to the palestinians? What about Cyprus, is it not an occupation? What about the genocide( if not a genocide a major massacre) of armenians why are they not judged for that? Let us not continue in that way, Israel is not an angelic state, far from it. But it is not the biggest problems even in the middle east. God help my Palestinian brothers and may peace come, a peace where really in the hear the Arab accepts the Jewish state and where the Israeli too really accept that Palestinians have the same if not more right to that land then them.
Hail to the Turkish Hero Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Honorable people for their righteous stand and last for his Eloquent Journalists for intelligent and fair reporting.
Mustapha,
Thank you for your post. The Palestinians are willing to give up nearly 80% of historic Palestine for peace but Israel (backed by America) does not want peace.
Please always speak for truth and justice.
And I praise God who created me and the universe. P.S. Please see http://www.miraclesofthequran.com/index.php
Every time this topic comes up, I have to remind everyone that while sending ships to Gaza, Turkey is currently blockading the country next to it: Armenia. This is also a good time remind everyone that when an earthquake it Armenia in 1988, Turkey delayed the delivery of *RED CROSS* humanitarian aid.
But all this begs a more important question, what if, instead of seizing the Turkish flotilla; Israel had reacted by sending its own aid package to Armenia. This is not farfetched: this Israeli believed (correctly in my opinion) that the main motivations for the fleet was not humanitarian aid but to humiliate her, so what better reply than to humiliate Turkey in the same manner? The Israeli cabinet reportedly held several meeting on how to deal with the flotilla, and I’m certain this must have been suggested.
So what would have happened? Would there have been “10 unarmed civilians [...] killed”. I suspect we would have been lucky to have 10 *survivors*.
Mustafa,
I am saddened by the loss of life and the suffering of the Palestinians, however we must keep in mind:
1. The Arab-Islamic world in general and hamas in particular desire far more than just an independent Palestinian state, they desire the destruction of Israel.
2. Israel pulled out of Gaza and dismantled settlements as a 1st step towards peace and they were met by a barrage of missiles. Unfortunately this prompted the need for harsh security measures.
3. A great deal of smuggling of weapons occurred, which prompted the need for Israel to control the flow of goods into Gaza.
4. Israel publicly stated that the shipments could be directed towards an Israel port, checked and then shipped to Gaza. So, clearly the purpose of the ships was beyond just providing humanitarian aid, it was to undermine the blockade which after endless missile and terror attacks was unacceptable from a security point.
Paradoxically the road to peace between Israel and the Arab world can be found in Turkish history, particularly the Treaty of Lausanne.
Right or wrong, the Turks, Greeks and the great powers determined that the presence of a large Greek minority in Turkey and a large Moslem minority in Greece would lead to future conflicts. And so they embarked on the population exchange. As horrible as it was to see ancient populations uprooted, it seemed to lay the ground work for long term stability between Greece and Turkey. And let us not mention that millions of Armenians and Suryanis that were squeezed out of their original homeland.
In the case of Israel and the Arab-Islamic world there was an almost complete ethnic cleaning of the indigenous Jewish population from Morocco all the way to Iraq. Several thousand Jews were massacred, many more were pillaged and around 1,000,000 left the unbearable conditions.
In the case of Israel, the ethnic cleaning was sporadic, about 6,000,000 Palestinians left in 1948 believing that there would be a quick victory and they would soon return home. And over 1,000,000 remained, a number that has increased more than 5 fold. This has laid the ground work for endless conflict.
Perhaps if Israel was as brutal as Turkey was to its own minorities there would be peace…
“the Daily Telegraph” has an interesting argument related to this topic. In effect, they blame the Turkish government for the whole thing! The article is here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/7791123/Turkey-turns-away.html?state=target#postacomment&postingId=7793435
My response, among 64 others, is below;
“Could we please focus the blame where it belongs? There is plenty to go around, and the two guilty parties are the so-called “activists” and the Israeli government.
First, it is clear, both from the various videos on the internet, and from comments by “activists” themselves, that a large number of them wanted a confrontation. Second, it is clear that the Israeli Defence Force(IDF)in general, and Sayaret 13, the Israeli Navy’s elite unit, in particular, were suffering either from hubris or incompetence. The method used to get the soldiers on to the “Mavi Marmara” was deeply stupid. Rappelling one by one down a single line leaves soldiers open to being picked off one by one. Serious negative PR for Israel, not the first own goal with the current government.
Blaming the Turkish government, when other nations had nationals and vessels there, is an exercise in distraction. If the Turkish vessel had been barred from sailing, this would have been jumped on as an example of how undemocratic Turkey is supposed to be.
Lastly, regarding the comments by Man in Mosque, ben arnulfssen and chris; what on Earth are you talking about? What civil war? Who will be fighting against whom? I lived in Turkey for ten years, and the idea that 20million or 70 million Turks are going to all descend on Britain is ludicrous. Firstly, because getting most Turks to move more than five km from their mothers is bloody difficult. Second, because their economy is doing very well, thank you. Silly alarmist rubbish, based on complete ignorance”.
Saliba,
You say:
“What Turks are doing to the Kurds is not similar to what Israel did to the palestinians?”
Hell no! Kurds are citizens of Turkey, like israeli-Arabs. Both are formally equal citizens of Turkey and israel. Palestinians are under the racist colonialist occupation of a terrorist state.
As to Cyprus, Turks lived there uninterruptedly for hundreds of years. Turkey does not occupy Cyprus. Turkey helped the Turkish community to establish their own state, while the other native population live on the other side without any problems from Turkey.
Interestingly, you mentioned the two possible solutions to the Palestinian-israeli conflict – “one state for all” like Turks and Kurd living in Turkey or “two states” like Greek Cyprus and Turkish Cyprus.
israel rejects both possible solutions, that makes it a colonialist apartheid state..