Bagslag

Til dem, der mener, at alt er OK og Israel bare gør, hvad Israel nu må gøre, vil jeg citere Citizen:

Medmindre Israel kan godtgøre, at konvojen udgjorde en umiddelbar trussel mod staten Israels sikkerhed, alternativt befandt sig i israelsk territorialfarvand og gentagne gange havde nægtet at efterkomme ordrer fra den israelske flåde, så er det endog meget svært at se, hvordan angrebet ikke skulle være i strid med så godt som samtlige folkeretslige konventioner om international skibsfart.

Nuvel, Citizen er måske lidt moderat. Her er en israeler, der ikke spæger sine ord:

Gaza flotilla drives Israel into a sea of stupidity

The Israeli propaganda machine has reached new highs its hopeless frenzy. It has distributed menus from Gaza restaurants, along with false information. It embarrassed itself by entering a futile public relations battle, which it might have been better off never starting. They want to maintain the ineffective, illegal and unethical siege on Gaza and not let the “peace flotilla” dock off the Gaza coast?

We are all in the chorus saying there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We are all part of the chorus claiming the occupation of Gaza has ended, and that the flotilla is a violent attack on Israeli sovereignty – the cement is for building bunkers and the convoy is being funded by the Turkish Muslim Brotherhood. The Israeli siege of Gaza will topple Hamas and free Gilad Shalit. Foreign Ministry spokesman Yossi Levy, one of the most ridiculous of the propagandists, outdid himself when he unblinkingly proclaimed that the aid convoy headed toward Gaza was a violation of international law. Right. Exactly.

Five years ago, the noted Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, who is a Jerusalem Prize laureate, after concluding his visit to Israel, said the Israeli occupation was approaching its grotesque phase. Over the weekend Vargas Llosa, who considers himself a friend of Israel, was present to see that that phase has since reached new heights of absurdity.

Og nu? Som modtræk til Israels angreb på nødhjælpskonvojen har Ægypten hævet blokaden og åbnet grænsen til Gaza:

Egypt opens Gaza border following IDF raid on aid flotilla

Egypt opened its border with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, letting Palestinians cross until further notice amid a storm of international criticism of Israel’s blockade of the enclave, officials in Egypt and Gaza said.

It is the only point on Gaza’s borders that is not fully controlled by Israel. Cairo, coordinating with Israel, has opened it only sparingly since Hamas Islamists, who are allied to Egypt’s opposition, seized control of Gaza three years ago.

Det forekommer rimeligt sikkert at konkludere, at uanset hvad, Israel har håbet på at opnå med denne aktion, er det ikke lykkedes for dem. Tværtimod. Og det er – midt i tragedien for de dræbte og deres familie – altid noget.