Israel Attack Humanitarian Ship, 10 men killed

[Rossfan]

Time that can't was before a War Crimes Tribunal.
Never happen of course as he's on the "right" (US, rich big business) side.

[give her dixie]

South Africa issues arrest warrants against 4 Israeli commanders

Warrants issued on grounds of commanders' involvement in Mavi Marmara incident in 2010, when 10 Turkish nationals were killed when the IDF raided the Gaza-bound flotilla.

South African police issued arrest warrants against four former Israeli military commanders over their role in the Mavi Marmara raid in 2010, when 10 Turkish nationals were killed aboard the Gaza-bound flotilla, the African News Agency reported Tuesday.

The alert arrest notice was circulated to the South Africa Border Control authorities on September 3 and confirmed on Tuesday by the SA Directorate of the Priority Crimes Investigation Unit (DCPI).

The DCPI said that the four - former IDF chief Gabi Ashkenazi, former Navy commander Eli Marom, former head of Military Intelligence Amos Yadlin and former head of Air Force Intelligence Avishay Levy - would be arrested if they entered South Africa.

Furthermore, Interpol South Africa forwarded information regarding the arrest warrants to Interpol Turkey, opening the way for the commanders to be extradited to South Africa for prosecution should they enter Turkey.

The decision in South Africa came at the conclusion of a four-year legal case involving Ms. Gadija Davids, a South African journalist who had been on board the Mavi Marmara during the raid.

An Istanbul court had previously issued arrest warrants for the four in 2014. Spain also issued arrest warrants over the Mavi Marmara incident last Sunday, targeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and six other Israeli politicians, including Eli Yishai, Avigdor Lieberman and Ehud Barak.

In response to news of the Spanish arrest warrants on Sunday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said: "This is an issue that has been subject to legal proceedings for several years now.

"The State of Israel and the embassy in Madrid have been in communication with legal authorities in Spain and handling the issue. We hope that the case will be closed soon, as it should have been a long time ago."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4727004,00.html

[give her dixie]

Israel and Turkey end rift over Gaza flotilla killings

Israel and Turkey have normalised relations, ending a six-year rift over the killing by Israeli troops of 10 Turkish activists on a Gaza-bound ship.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said a deal reached on Sunday would see Israel pay $20m (£15m) in compensation.

It will also allow Turkey to send aid to Gaza and carry out infrastructure projects in the Palestinian territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the agreement would help bring "stability" to the Middle East.

Turkey was once Israel's closest ally in the region, and the two countries share many strategic interests.
Gaza 'lifeline'

The Turkish and Israeli prime ministers announced the deal to restore diplomatic ties at simultaneous news conferences in Ankara and Rome.

Mr Yildirim said the two countries would appoint ambassadors "as soon as possible" after the agreement is signed on Tuesday.

A "lifeline to Palestinians" would be provided, he added, with the first ship loaded with 10,000 tonnes of aid due to leave for the Israeli port of Ashdod on Friday.

The reconciliation deal between Israel and Turkey will see a return to normal diplomatic relations, but ties are unlikely to have the warmth that they did in the past.

It is Turkey's growing diplomatic problems - strategic tensions with Russia; difficulties with Europe due to the growing authoritarianism of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; and above all the failure of Turkey's Syria policy (which has also soured ties with Washington) - that have prompted this move.

Turkey gains a privileged role in Gaza's economic development and a lessening of its isolation in a deeply troubled region.

Israel sees an end to its practical difficulties with Turkey and gets assurances about future Hamas activity on Turkish soil.

There could also be important economic benefits to both countries in terms of the energy sector and tourism.

Turkey will also be allowed to invest in a series of development projects in Gaza, including residential buildings, a hospital, a power station and a desalination plant for drinking water.

In return, Turkey agreed to pass legislation protecting Israeli troops from legal claims over the Mavi Marmara incident, and to prevent any military action or fundraising by Hamas operatives based there.

"The total embargo imposed on Palestine and on the Gaza region in particular, is to being lifted to a great extent through Turkey's leadership," Mr Yildirim asserted.

But Mr Netanyahu said Israel's "defensive maritime blockade" of Gaza, which is dominated by the militant Islamist movement Hamas, would remain in place.

"This is a supreme security interest of ours. I was not willing to compromise it. This interest is essential to prevent the force build-up by Hamas and it remains as has been and is," he added.

Israel maintains its blockade of Gaza to try to prevent weapons or materials reaching Palestinian militants, with whom it fought a devastating war in 2014, while allowing humanitarian aid into the territory.

Palestinians say the policy is tantamount to collective punishment, and UN and aid officials have warned of deteriorating conditions in Gaza.

Ten pro-Palestinian Turkish activists, one of them a dual American citizen, were killed and dozens wounded as clashes broke out after the commandos boarded the ship, descending on ropes from helicopters.

The two sides had blamed each other for the violence. The activists said the commandos started shooting as soon as they hit the deck. Israel said the commandos opened fire only after being attacked with clubs, knives and a gun which was taken from them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-36639834

A UN inquiry was unable to determine at exactly which point the commandos used live rounds.

Talks on normalising ties started after Mr Netanyahu telephoned Mr Erdogan, then Turkish prime minister, in 2013 to make it clear that the results of the Mavi Marmara incident were "unintentional" and to "express regret" over the loss of life.

[give her dixie]

Statement from the Turkish charity IHH

Mavi Marmara Court Case to Continue

We Hope the Parliament doesn't Forgive Israeli Murderers

Today following the ongoing diplomatic negotiations Israel and Turkey have officially announced normalized relations, which have been strained following the attack on Mavi Marmara on 31st May 2010. Netanyahu's announcement on behalf of Israel came around the same time Turkey issued a statement about it. In the press conference, Netanyahu has declared in a victorious attitude that "It is a tremendous economic success for Israel. The blockade on Gaza by no means is lifted nor shall it ever be lifted. Turkey has agreed to our terms." He has highlighted that Israel agreed not to pay compensation but to make a donation of 20 million dollars provided that the cases are withdrawn; that this move will prevent the case from establishing a precedent for other crimes of Israeli soldiers; that the agreement is a significant gain. Unfortunately the rapprochement agreement which is announced by Turkey means that blockade on Gaza is recognized by Turkey. Indeed Gaza is free according to the agreement signed in 2005 and is entitled to the right to travel and do business as it pleases without relying on anybody. The embargo means that Israel is recognized as a superior authority which has the final say on what and how much supplies can enter Gaza and this is the subject matter of the agreement announced.

The rapprochement agreement may be regarded as the easing of the blockade although many provisions are quite ambiguous. However it only constitutes a partial permission granted to Turkey. What kind of supplies and how much supplies will Israel allow Turkey to bring in to Gaza stands as a big question mark. Indeed supply entry and exit from Gaza should be free like in every other country. The issue is not entry of humanitarian relief supplies into Gaza but making sure that Gaza has its freedom of movement and transactions so that it does not have to rely on external aid. Palestine is deprived of this freedom and doomed to rely on external aid only while international law grants it to every land and government. It is simply unacceptable. Therefore, as IHH we would like to announce that we will keep up our efforts in all fronts including legal and physical arenas for the removal of the illegal and unjustifiable blockade on Gaza.



Meanwhile it is reported that the agreement has a provision stipulating that a donation will be made to the families of the victims provided that the court cases are withdrawn. These lawsuits are not filed only by victims' families and Turkish citizens but international victims of the Mavi Marmara attack from 37 different countries. There is no withdrawal of the cases. The victims' families remain adamant about refusing to give up their cause or withdraw their case until and unless the blockade is removed.

Israel's arrogant attitude as if to say "I kill people and pay in cash whatever is the cost" is unacceptable. Who is going to protect Turkish citizens from Israel in international waters? Turkish government has acted this way and came to an agreement with the Israeli party. Just like what we have said since the beginning, as an international NGO we do not condone an agreement with Israel. We were never involved in the agreement nor did we partake as a party. To this day we have voiced our warnings and suggestions. From then onwards we will keep standing with Palestinian people through our court cases, our actions to break the blockade, our protests and various aids. The Mavi Marmara court cases are to continue. We hope that the parliament does not endorse this agreement which means that Israeli murderers are exonerated by Turkey. Mavi Marmara stood as a hope in the Islamic world and for the oppressed people of the world. It is our duty to keep this hope which stands for the common consciousness of humanity alive. We would like to rest our case with a Palestinian saying "Whoever covers up with Israel will remain naked."

[give her dixie]

Turkish ship carrying aid for Gaza arrives at Ashdod


A Turkish ship carrying aid for Gaza has arrived in Israel, a week after Turkey and Israel agreed to restore ties that soured over a deadly raid on an aid flotilla in 2010.

The Panama-flagged Lady Leyla container vessel docked at Ashdod port on Sunday afternoon after departing on Friday.

Its contents were to be unloaded, inspected and sent to the Gaza Strip which is under an Israeli blockade and has been hit by three wars with Israel since 2008.

The ship was carrying 11,000 tonnes of supplies including food packages, flour, rice, sugar and toys, the Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency reported. The aid is expected to reach Gaza in a few days.

OPINION: What the Israeli-Turkish reconciliation says about Gaza

Turkey had initially pushed for a lifting of Israel's blockade on Gaza as part of the negotiations to normalise ties, but Israel rejected this.

A compromise was eventually reached allowing Turkey to send aid through Ashdod rather than directly to the Palestinian enclave.

Israel says the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas, the Palestinian group that rules Gaza, from receiving materials that could be used for military purposes. But United Nations officials have called for it to be lifted, citing deteriorating conditions in the territory.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who visited Gaza on Tuesday, called the blockade "collective punishment".

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party has friendly ties with Hamas, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause.

Turkey and Israel were formerly close regional allies, but fell out in 2010 when Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists in a raid on an aid flotilla seeking to break the blockade on Gaza.

READ MORE: Will the Turkey-Israel deal end Gaza's siege?

Under a reconciliation deal struck last week, Israel will pay $20m in compensation to the families of those killed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promoted the economic benefits of restoring ties, with talk of building a pipeline to Turkey to export natural gas, and the need to find allies in the turbulent Middle East.

"This small amount of aid coming from Turkey is highly appreciated, but the most important thing for Gazans is freedom, hope and a new process to end the suffering of two million Palestinians," Amjad al-Shawa, the director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Network, told Al Jazeera from Gaza City.

"We expect Turkey to pressure Israel - through its new restored relations - to respect international humanitarian law and to lift this inhumane blockade."

Families of four Israeli soldiers declared killed or missing in Gaza protested that the Turkish-Israeli deal did not mandate their loved ones be returned to Israel.

Several relatives and supporters of the soldiers' families protested against the deal outside Ashdod port on Sunday.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/07/turkish-ship-carrying-aid-gaza-arrives-ashdod-160703152844113.html

[seafoid]

53% of the people living in Greater Israel are Palestinian. The Palestinian population has doubled since 1995.
Pauperisation was really stupid. 
All that wasted effort from Israel. Won't stop the collapse of Zionism

[give her dixie]

ICC prosecutor affirms decision not to formally investigate Mavi Marmara killings

December 1, 2017

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, has reaffirmed a previous decision to close the preliminary examination into the Israeli military's fatal attack on the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara in May 2010.

In a statement released this week by the ICC, Bensouda said that "following a thorough and considered reassessment of all relevant materials", including new information, she had "ultimately decided to reaffirm my previous decision of 6 November 2014".

The decision not to pursue a formal investigation into allegations of war crimes is now "final".

According to the statement from the Office of the Prosecutor, Bensouda's conclusion remains that while "there is a reasonable basis to believe that war crimes were committed by some members of the Israel Defence Forces during and after the boarding of the Mavi Marmara...no potential case arising from this situation can, legally speaking, be considered of 'sufficient gravity' under the Rome Statute to be admissible before this Court, therefore barring the opening of an investigation".

The statement notes that the Prosecutor conducted "a thorough reconsideration of all information available at the time of the November 2014 determination", as well as "a de novo examination of all submissions and information made available to my Office in the period between 2015 and 2017 by representatives of the Union of the Comoros and participating victims".

In total, her office "subjected to renewed analysis more than 5,000 pages of documents, including the personal accounts of more than 300 passengers aboard the Mavi Marmara".

In closing, Bensouda noted that this "final decision reflects an independent and impartial legal assessment of the applicable criteria under the Rome Statute", adding: "I want to be clear, however, that I fully recognise the impact of the alleged crimes on the victims and their families and my conclusion does not excuse any crimes which may have been perpetrated in connection with the Mavi Marmara incident".


https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171201-icc-prosecutor-affirms-decision-not-to-formally-investigate-mavi-marmara-killings/

[seafoid]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/06/trump-

A cacophony of angry and despairing voices across the Middle East and the world have urged Donald Trump not to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel at a planned speech on Wednesday, warning him that any such announcement would destroy the peace process, strengthen the extremists and weaken the US's standing in the world.

The pope issued an unusually heartfelt plea to the president to respect the status quo on the city, and to conform with UN resolutions. He told thousands of people at his general audience: "I cannot keep quiet about my deep worry about the situation that has been created in the last few days."

Pope Francis said he hoped "wisdom and prudence prevail, in order to avoid adding new elements of tension to a global panorama that is already convulsed and marked by so many cruel conflicts".

The spokesman for the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said the US was "plunging the region and the world into a fire with no end in sight". He added that the Organisation for Islamic Co-operation would meet in Istanbul on 13 December in a special session to co-ordinate a response.

Donald Trump's Jerusalem statement is an act of diplomatic arson | Jonathan Freedland

 

Read more

The Turkish foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, disclosed he had told the US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, that Washington was making a grave mistake, and the whole world was against the decision. Turkey has suggested it might cut diplomatic ties with Israel if the plan goes ahead.

British prime minister Theresa May said on Wednesday that she would call Trump about his proposed announcement.

"The status of Jerusalem should be determined as a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians and Jerusalem should be a shared capital," she said.

Both Germany and France, fierce critics of the decision, updated travel advice to their citizens, warning of possible clashes in Israel and the occupied territories.

Trump is expected to declare formal recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel later on Wednesday, breaking with years of precedent and potentially leading to unpredictable consequences for the Middle East.



 Palestinian women protest in Gaza City on Wednesday ahead of Donald Trump's expected declaration recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital Photograph: APAImages/REX/Shutterstock

Trump's planned announcement was welcomed by Jewish groups, including the British board of deputies, which described the outcry as bizarre. The Israeli government remained silent, awaiting details of the announcement.

The response across the wider Middle East ranging from Syria to Yemen has been universally hostile, including from the US's steadfast ally Saudi Arabia, which believes the US move damages Riyadh's continuing efforts to negotiate a peace deal, starting with a unification of the Palestinian leadership.

At the request of Jordan and the Palestinians, an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers will be held on Saturday. The Arab League warned any recognition of Jerusalem would be a blatant attack on the Arab nation.

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Wednesday that US plans to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital was a move made "out of despair and debility" because "their hands are tied and they can't achieve their goals".

Khamenei, who is stridently anti-Israel, told government officials: "Victory belongs to Islamic Ummah. Palestine will be free, the Palestinian nation will achieve victory."

The ayatollah has previously said that Israel "will not see the next 25 years".

In London, the Jewish Board of Deputies president, Jonathan Arkush, welcomed Trump's decision, saying it was bizarre that it should be seen as remarkable.

"Jerusalem has been the spiritual centre of Jewish life for 3,000 years, since the time of King David," he said. "Given that Jerusalem is in fact historically, presently and legally Israel's capital, the decision by many countries not to formally recognise this has been an act of post-truth petulance."