By You know it is funny how great the international outrage gets when the Israelis are involved:
Watching China’s instant condemnation of the Israeli assault on an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, South Koreans must be wondering more than ever when China will muster a clear response to their own nautical tragedy.
For several months, Chinese officials have been tongue-tied on the sinking of a South Korean patrol ship, with the loss of 46 sailors, even after an international investigation found that the vessel was ripped apart by a North Korean torpedo.
While South Korean officials have been fuming, and with public sentiment inside the country turning against China, Chinese officials have been repeating worn mantras about the need for “calm” and “peace and stability” on the Korean peninsula.
The nearest that China, North Korea’s biggest supporter, has come to getting off the fence was a statement by Premier Wen Jiabao that Beijing will look into the matter and “will not protect anyone.”
Contrast that reserve with China’s blistering response to the Israeli attack on the aid ships, in which at least nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed. “China is appalled,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu. “We were shocked,” he said. Yang Tao, a counselor at the Chinese mission to the U.N. urged a “quick response” by the U.N. Security Council. [Wall Street Journal]
You can read the rest at the link. I do have to say that this was a brilliant information operation by Hamas to add a few terrorists to an aid flotilla filled with peaceniks to get the Israelis to shoot at them.
11:10 am on June 1st, 2010 1
Not unexpected from the Chinese government which chooses to appease the Arab nations (and all the oil countries) while watching out for their own border problems.
Better to berate Israel and its allies than to upset Pyongyang.
Its politics as usual in China. Actually very pragmatic, with zero concern for any human rights.
12:07 pm on June 1st, 2010 2
It is absurd for you to criticize China in this way. There is no comparison between an attack on a warship in disputed territory and an attack on a civilian aid convoy in international waters. Israel has in their own words decided to "put the Palestinians on a diet" and they are attacking peaceful aid groups that try to bring food and medical supplies. It is wrong and disgusting to compare an attack on a warship and this cowardly attempt to starve Gaza which is one of the most densely populated places in the world.
Also, it is not even proven that the North was behind the attack. This is 2 MB's claim but it is not universally accepted even in his own country. What is more, according to the report, the warship fired at what they believed to be a Northern submarine before they were sunk. If you were in a submarine, would you just let an enemy fire at you in what you think of as your nation's territory without returning fire?
1:28 pm on June 1st, 2010 3
I keep hoping China will adopt a more rational and humane foreign policy, and I keep getting disappointed.
As to the State of Israel – the Arabs are never going to accept it. Trying to preserve itself, surrounded by nations that don't want it there, it will continue its cruelty to the Palestinians, and it will continue to hold itself above international law. It will continue to invite new settlers to take Palestinian land. I don't see a good outcome. The whole Zionist project is a mistake.
5:16 pm on June 1st, 2010 4
In all fairness, it's like comparing apples and oranges (although Gerry is most probably right). Remember, the embargo was illegal, the ships were in international waters (I wonder what would happen if Iran attacked a civilian ship flying the flag of a NATO state in international waters), and the Israeli commandos were captured on video shooting at the passengers.
5:58 pm on June 1st, 2010 5
Steve Clemons says: Obama Takes Down (Wrong) Prime Minister
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/06/01/o…
9:26 pm on June 1st, 2010 6
Did you just say peaceful aid groups?:
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/ind…
9:34 pm on June 1st, 2010 7
I see you fell for Islamist propaganda as well:
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/ind…
9:39 pm on June 1st, 2010 8
This WSJ editorial is the worst piece of thinking since the Axis of Evil. We can quibble about China, and we can quibble about Israel. But, drawing a line from one issue to another so feebly us an insult to anyone who deals with both. The fact is, as Marty Peretz argues,in the UNSC China did do the same as it did with the DPRK, the measured muddle.
http://www.tnr.com/blog/the-spine/75249/the-great…
(Posted on another thread by mistake – please strike)
9:50 pm on June 1st, 2010 9
If have seen the statement made several times, that the ships were in international waters. I have not seen Israel deny it. So, did Israel attack them in international waters, or is that Islamist propaganda?
9:51 pm on June 1st, 2010 10
I meant, "I have seen …" Sorry about the typo.
10:00 pm on June 1st, 2010 11
And I suppose you wouldn't open fire when you're surrounded by an armed mob in a confined space?
It also isn't clear-cut that Israel did anything illegal.
10:33 pm on June 1st, 2010 12
Israel did not attack them, the Israeli soldiers were attacked by the terrorists on the ship. The only mistake Israel made was they didn't wait until the ships were completely within their territorial waters not that it would have matter much to the anti-Israeli crowd anyway because the result would have been the same, terrorists attacking the soldiers.
11:26 pm on June 1st, 2010 13
First off, I agree with all GI's points about China's response (or non-response) concerning the Cheonan incident. As for the issue with the Israeli's boarding this ship trying to run their blockade, you have to wonder, why not just block these ships from making port? Why did the need to board them, especially in international waters? And are you surprised to see Palastineans beating the hell out of guys fast roping onto the decks? If some strange guys roped down onto my boat, I'd try beating the hell out of them too. The Israelis have a habit of screwing themselves when it concerns public relations and to be honest, they'd show a desire to be hard headed rather than dealing with things in a smart manner. I honestly think the Israeli's have no one to blame but themselves for this incident.
11:55 pm on June 1st, 2010 14
The Israeli navy is not very large. It is also very difficult to "block" ships without the same or worse criticism, not to mention damage to your own ships. Watch "Cops" once and see how hard it is to do with cars that have a lot more control.
Sink the ship and you just killed 40 peace activists who never boarded the ship and are only known to their loving families who never recorded their births. (you only get lucky if it is an experimental foam ship floated by the Sea Shepherd)
This is why the IDF used a helicopter and landed commando team to search for illegal weapons. They were working for precision. Unfortunately once the first guy on the deck was being beaten with pipes the rest of the team had no choice on extraction, they had to save their comrade. It's pile on time.
The counter claim is that they came in guns blazing to kill activists which was only prevented from becoming a complete massacre due to pipe wielding thugs and bomb throwing thugs.
BS. "Stop or we will shoot" works very well. Two hellfire missles from an IDF Apache stern and bow after non-compliance sinks the ship and not a single Israeli need be put at risk. The IDF showed remarkable restraint and is paying the price. Just like anti-Americanism there is a mad cow around every corner to be exploited.
2:48 am on June 2nd, 2010 15
I see you fell for Israeli propaganda. By why stop here? Couldn't you also say that the victims at Sabra and Shatillah were terrorists? Or the American who was run-over by an Israeli bulldozer… was she a "terrorist." You can't just call anyone who gets in the way of Israel a terrorist. How many Israeli's were killed… NONE! Would you expect us to believe that poor Israeli commandos were attacked by an aid convoy? Get real! The Israelis are trying to limit the food supplies of the Palestinians and they are terrorizing anyone who gets in their way. When the Israelis killed 34 American sailors and wounded another 171 on board the USS Liberty, were they merely defending themselves against terrorists? Israel is a rogue state and this is not the first time that they have murdered in international waters.
2:52 am on June 2nd, 2010 16
Restraint! Murdering aid workers is "restrained?" But of course, if Israel didn't stop them, they might deliver food and medical supplies to Gaza. Obviously the aid workers needed to be stopped by any means necessary
1:23 pm on June 2nd, 2010 17
So, some passengers fought back to what could be described as an act of piracy…Doesn't mean they had guns nor were the Israeli soldiers justified. Honestly, do you think it's legal for Israeli soldiers to board a ship flying a foreign flag in international waters?
1:28 pm on June 2nd, 2010 18
Weren't they well within their rights to defend themselves? Again, they were in international waters flying a foreign flag and their only "crime" was challenging an illegal embargo.
Face it, Israel screwed up.
1:53 pm on June 2nd, 2010 19
Really?
"No State may validly purport to subject any part of the high seas to its sovereignty."
"Ships shall sail under the flag of one State only and, save in exceptional cases expressly provided for in international treaties or in this Convention, shall be subject to its exclusive jurisdiction on the high seas."
http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements…
1:56 pm on June 2nd, 2010 20
See why Turkey is pissed off? It was an attack on its own sovereignty. It's really that simple.
2:01 pm on June 2nd, 2010 21
Actually, if they wanted to show restraint would have followed the law by waiting until the ship entered their territorial waters before boarding it.
2:13 pm on June 2nd, 2010 22
There's no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Each week an average of 10,000 tons of goods enter Gaza. There's no shortage of food. There's no shortage of medicine. There's no shortage of other goods.
2:22 pm on June 2nd, 2010 23
Teadrinker, Israel did not screw up.
They have been doing inspections for a while now.
If the Israeli personel had not been attacked, they would not have had to DEFEND themselves and lives would not have been lost.
Nothing illegal about the embargo, no matter how many times you say it was.
Honestly, you should get a refund for those two masters degrees. Or is it simply your *Liberal Canadian* anti-Israel brain washing that is to blame?
2:23 pm on June 2nd, 2010 24
“humanitarian activists with a few knives”
The Muslims provoked the Jews, no doubt about it and they got what they deserved. Too bad not a single bullet or gun was found, but I suspect that was planned.
What would happen if the Sea Shephard crew boarded the jap whale boats and were beaten and stabbed like the Jews boarding the Muslim boats?
3:04 pm on June 2nd, 2010 25
Israeli commandos were attacked by a crew delivering medical supplies? If this is so, why are there no dead Israelis and nine dead aid workers?
3:06 pm on June 2nd, 2010 26
You attacked my fist with your nose
8:54 pm on June 2nd, 2010 27
So the ship was in international waters when the Israelis boarded it. That's undisputed.
9:20 pm on June 2nd, 2010 28
The whole international waters claim is a red herring. What was ship there to do? Run a blockade and they were stopped before reaching the blockade. Do you really think the hired thugs on that ship would have done nothing if the Israelis let them through the blockade and boarded their ship in Israeli waters? The same thing would have happened, there would have been no difference in the outcome. This is clearly an Islamist propaganda trap that the Israelis stupidly fell for and you have to be either naive or dishonest not to realize that.
9:25 pm on June 2nd, 2010 29
The Turkish government was in on this due to their larger regional goal they are trying to accomplish:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnis…
9:36 pm on June 2nd, 2010 30
I never thought about this before. Were the American sailors on the Liberty terrorists? I'd hate to believe that, but the Israelis did fire on them.
10:25 pm on June 2nd, 2010 31
They brought pipes and knives to a gun fight.
2:18 am on June 8th, 2010 32
Fuel for the fire…
http://yidwithlid.blogspot.com/2010/06/reuters-br…
3:59 pm on June 17th, 2010 33
As a followup to this story, I found it interesting how Israel is backing off on some of the items they've been blockading all these years, like textbooks and chocolate. Can't let those terrorists in Gaza get educated or have luxeries like chocolate can we????