Debate on Freedom Flotilla Massacre Breaks Into Corporate Media
Posted by Tell No Lies on June 2, 2010
The U.S. corporate media rarely permits serious criticism of Israel and its treatment of the Palestinian people. The calculated murder of 19 international solidarity activists attempting to break the Gaza blockade by Israeli commandos, however, has created openings for debate even, on occasion, in the corporate media. The following exchange between former New York Governor Elliot Spitzer and Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com is an example:
Greg McDonald said
notice how they keep running the Israeli propaganda clip in the split screen. Bastards!
Spitzer comes off sounding like a total moron.
Mike E said
Helen Thomas Rails At White House Over Stance On Israeli “Flotilla Massacre”
by Frances Martel | 3:47 pm, June 1st, 2010
[Picture 3] Since yesterday’s Israeli military attack on a flotilla heading to Gaza, the White House has been walking a tightrope trying to keep their comments about it as neutral as possible. Even their neutrality, however, was questioned today by none other than Helen Thomas, who put Press Secretary Robert Gibbs in a tough spot by railing against the Obama administration for not calling the event a “deliberate massacre” and more concretely confronting the Israeli government.
Thomas, clearly fuming, gave Gibbs a bit of a lesson in Loaded Questions 101:
“The initial reaction to the flotilla massacre, deliberate massacre, an international crime, was pitiful. What do you mean you regret something that should be so strongly condemned, and if any other nation in the world had done it, we would have been up in arms? What is this ironclad relationship where a country that deliberately kills people and boycotts every aid and abet… the boycott?”
Gibbs tried to interrupt the incensed Thomas a couple of times, but finally let her finish the question before answering that he believed the White House response initially regretting the loss of life without taking a stand on either side was appropriate, since they want to have a complete set of information before condemning anyone in such a delicate incident. “Nothing can bring them back,” Gibbs responded, referring to the victims, but he said the administration believes “that a credible and transparent investigation has to look into the facts, and as I said earlier, we are open to international participation in that investigation.”
Video from the White House briefing below:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/helen-thomas-rails-at-robert-gibbs-over-white-house-stance-on-israeli-flotilla-attack/
Green Red said
Since still it is going on, i hope at some point Ka Nando will answer the preceeding question… what was the mythology all about? Ships? what ships…
And besides, comrade tellnolies,
…calculated murder of 19 international solidarity activists..
that you speak of i wonder where the other 10 came from since, last thing i read talked about 09, i.e. 9 murdered victims according to the mainstream media…. what happened to the other ten, if they existed at all?
Bob H said
I think, Green Red, that Nando was referring to this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Exodus
The point is that the SS Exodus incident was a moral victory that created a great deal of sympathy for zionist colonizers so soon after the Holocaust, and became one of the founding myths of Israel, like the “land without a people for a people without a land”. The attack on the aid flotillas, with its clear parallels to the Exodus incident, shows the complete role reversal of the Israeli Jews as an oppressing people. It is very hard to play the victim card when you are shooting unarmed aid workers in international waters.
Miles Ahead said
While certainly an overwhelming majority of KaFolk can all agree about the total outrage of this “event” I do agree with KaComrade Green/Red that we have to get better at reporting and shedding light on the facts, e.g. 19 killed vs. 10 (9)…as well as dispel any “mythology” –think Green/Red asks a legitimate question.
I would like to direct people’s attention to two programs aired June 1st on Democracy Now!
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/1/global_condemnation_of_israeli_armed_attack
“Global Condemnation of Israeli Armed Attack…” (which also contains a scathing analysis by Ali Abunimah as to the U.S.’s complicity), as well as an interview with Edward Peck, “Former U.S. Ambassador Edward Peck was on the Gaza aid flotilla that came under attack by Israeli forces,” – headline: “Israel’s explanation for deadly aid attack “full of holes as window screen,” on the democracynow! website.
There are also a few quick interviews with some actually living in Israel, who are vehemently against this attack, calling it a massacre.
Personally am not all that surprised at Helen Thomas’ questions nor perseverance in this “matter.” Overall the newsmedia, as well as both the administrations of Bush and Obama, try and portray her as some dotty old lady, but often times she is a thorn in their side. Most recently she interrupted Obama’s press conference which mainly focused on the horrendous oil leak/spill and pointedly was asking what and why the hell the U.S. is in Afghanistan and still in Iraq.
G said
Glenn Greenwald did a pretty good job, points echoed in this useful analysis:
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/israel_massacres_peace_activists/
I would add, though, the US is at the center of these crimes, and the leader of such attacks on civilians. In fact, take a look at Allan Nairn’s commentary:
“We would be surprised if not everybody … was killed.”
05.31.2010 | Allan Nairn
Some say the US should admonish Israel for its attack on the Gaza aid ship.
But Israel is not violating US doctrine. Israel is implementing it.
A former US national security chief just said on CNN: “I mean, imagine for a moment if you had videotape of a U.S. Navy SEAL being thrown by civilians off the side of a ship. We would be surprised if not everybody on that ship was killed as a result of that.” (CNN, The Situation Room, May 31, 2010).
There were 600 people on that ship. US doctrine, evidently, says: kill them.
Saying this was Frances Fragos Townsend, the former top adviser for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism to US President George W. Bush, and a current member of President Obama’s CIA External Advisory Board.
Townsend also served as Assistant Commandant for Intelligence at the US Coast Guard.
Under President Clinton, at the US Department of Justice,Townsend’s official biography states, she “played a critical part in establishing the [Criminal] Division’s international training and rule of law programs.”
The problem is not just one of stopping Israel’s crimes, but of stopping Washington from authorizing them — and from exporting worldwide a US version of “rule of law” that legalizes official killings of civilians.
http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/israel-is-not-violating-us-doctrine-israel-is-implementing-it/
I was at the demo in SF yesterday at the Israeli Embassy, and the crow was more angry than somber, which is good. Unfortunately, the organizers didn’t go with the anger of the crowed and unleashed them into a march but dissipated them. I think we need more militant actions taken as we see in Turkey.
Green Red said
York Times writes:
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration considers Israel’s blockade of Gaza to be untenable and plans to press for another approach to ensure Israel’s security while allowing more supplies into the impoverished Palestinian area, senior American officials said Wednesday.
How much of that is gonna be tangible i don’t have the faintest idea yet but at least one thing’s learnt that, ten, twenty decent martyrs can do positive stuff tons of imported missles could have not gain for occupied territory peoples of the country, Fellesteen. Even the US could not keep its head in sand when vital Atlantic state gets angry, am i right on this?
Green Red said
And i guess the next rational diplomatic question would be, what is there going to be done to cut head and tails of west bank newcoming settlers…
I salute those fallen comrades, the ten, twenty individuals who made this much difference and, now let anti expansionist fellows come with the next fascinating course of action. By the way, is there a Hebrew version of Internationale?
Miles Ahead said
While Obama is playing it somewhat coy (e.g., “We advised Israel to use restraint…”), think if we really want to understand the U.S. govt.’s complicity, role and designs, we don’t have to go any further than the VP, Joe Biden. He was on Charlie Rose last night, defending the Israelis–”maybe not the way they did it” but that Israel has to “defend” itself. “They had every right to search that ship…” and Biden tried to make the case (pure fantasy) that the flotilla could have easily stopped off somewhere before reaching Gaza and dropped off artillery for HAMAS…He did make a feeble sop to the plight of the Palestinian people, but the main thrust was pro-Israel and anti-Hamas.
All of Biden’s verbiage was even too much for Charlie Rose, who was visibly and audibly upset and was opposing Biden.
As far as “restraint” goes–obviously this didn’t apply to Furkan Dogan, who had dual citizenship (U.S. & Turkey)…who was one of those murdered, shot 4 times in the head at close range by Israeli commandos.
And here’s a new scandal and twist to the story: “Israel’s use of ‘captured’ video draws criticism”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100603/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians
“…Israel’s military is using video confiscated from people on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla to justify opening fire during its deadly raid on the ships, drawing sharp criticism Thursday from foreign correspondents who say some of the footage was shot by journalists….”
Miles Ahead said
Take note:
A demonstration on Saturday, June 5th, starting 11 a.m. at the Civic Center in San Francisco.
Also, hope people check out the following, which was aired on June 3rd, on Democracy Now! Two incredible interviews:
Flotilla Passengers Huwaida Arraf of Free Gaza Movement and Retired Army Col. Ann Wright Respond to Israeli Claims on Deadly Assault
“Huwaida Arraf, chairperson of the Free Gaza Movement, and retired US Col. Ann Wright were on the flotilla when it was attacked. They join us to describe the assault…”
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/3/huwaida
CPSA said
The dude on the webcam was on AJE too, though the tenor of the interview was rather diff from this. When did Spitzer get a show on MSNBC anyway?
Miles Ahead said
Here is an important link to check out…as part of the main story an interview with Israeli peace activist Jonathan Pollak. It is revealing about opposition forces within Israel itself.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/3/emily
U.S. student loses eye after Israel fires on West Bank
Miles Ahead said
Another thing…it was reported that 4 of the flotilla “detainees” were actually Israeli citizens. The majority of the others who had been incarcerated or detained, and then being deported, refused to leave until they had some “guarantee” that the 4 were either going to be released, or wouldn’t be charged with heavier charges (e.g. treason) and subject to even worse treatment by the Israeli govt.
Karl Marx said
How does a Turkish ship with alleged Turkish terrorists morph into being a Hamas ship with alleged Hamas terrorists? Besides which, didn’t Israel play a role in the creation of Hamas? So if Hamas is a terrorist, what’s that make the bastards incubator?
Karl Marx said
I’m guessing…
They had to have known Glenn Greenwald position on this and made an attempt at perception management moving to deescalate tensions with Turkey?
saoirse said
Iran interjects:
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards are ready to provide a military escort to cargo ships trying to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, a representative of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday.
“Iran’s Revolutionary Guards naval forces are fully prepared to escort the peace and freedom convoys to Gaza with all their powers and capabilities,” Ali Shirazi, Khamenei’s representative inside the Revolutionary Guards, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency.
from:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3899856,00.html
Miles Ahead said
Well, Helen Thomas sure stirred up the pot yet again, except this time unfortunately it was her Achilles Heel. After apologizing for a comment I thought needed NO apology, she has been forced to retire.
But the hypocrisy (yet again) surrounding this latest controversy is appalling. Ari Fleischer (former Bush press sec’y.) was interviewed on the subject of Helen and her comments, and said that no one should be discriminated against because of their nationality. Really?… how does that fit in with Fleischer and his ilk’s pro-Zionist, anti-immigrants and undocumented immigrants, ad nauseum, stand? A rhetorical question.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/07/helen-thomas-retiring-eff_n_603026.html