AG closes case against Israeli participants of 2010 Gaza flotilla

• Published 16:30 22.12.11 Latest update 16:30 22.12.11

Decision means case closed against Israeli Arab lawmaker Hanin Zuabi, who was severely criticized for her participation in Turkey-sponsored flotilla.

By Tomer Zarchin Tags: Gaza flotilla

Israel will not pursue criminal charges against Israeli participants in the 2010 Gaza-bound aid flotilla, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein said in a statement on Thursday.

The decision will have an immediate effect on Israeli Arab lawmaker Hanin Zuabi, who was severely criticized for her participation in flotilla, which was eventually raided by Israel Defense Forces. Nine Turkish nationals were killed in the incident.

	Hanin Zuabן (L) and and IDF soldier on board the Gaza flotilla, May 31, 2010.

A Justice Ministry statement released on Thursday indicated that the AG ruled against an investigation of Israeli citizens in the flotilla, saying that "upon weighing the entire body of evidence and the relevant legal issues, the Attorney General decided to close the case over significant evidence-based and legal difficulties."

Those difficulties, the statement added, had to do both with "proving the basis of the office as well as legal questions regarding the jurisdiction of Israeli law on crimes committed abroad."

The statement also indicated that the decision only applies to Israeli citizens who partook in the May 2010 flotilla, and does "affect investigations of similar events in the future, if those occur."

Earlier this year, the Knesset Ethics Committee barred MK = Zuabi (Balad ) from all plenum and committee sessions during the final two weeks of the Knesset's current session, as a punishment for her participation in the Turkish-sponsored flotilla to Gaza. 

Zuabi can still vote, but she will not be able to participate in the debates.

	Israeli Arab MKs Hanin Zuabi and Jamal Zahalka hold a press conference in Nazareth on Tuesday June 1, 2010.
	Photo by: Tomer Neuberg

The MK dismissed legitimacy of the committee's decision, declaring that the question of "whether my actions were legal or not will be determined by the court, and not by a committee comprising a rightist majority."

In the wake of Zuabi's participation in the flotilla, the Knesset voted last year to revoke three of her key privileges as Knesset member: her diplomatic passport, entitlement to financial assistance for legal assistance and the right to visit countries with which Israel does not have diplomatic ties.

Zuabi in turn petitioned the High Court of Justice in order to have her privileges returned, claiming that the aim of stripping her rights was to limit MKs' "political activities, especially those of minority representatives." The petition also accused the Knesset of overstepping their authority.

In response to the AG's announcement, Yisrael Beiteinu's Anastassia Michaeli said: "I would like to say I'm shocked by the statement but in reality it just provides more proof of everything I have said until now. I won't add another word on it since the decisions speaks for itself."

Regarding Zuabi, Michaeli said that she "cannot complain of her, since she was doing her job as a loyal enemy of Israel," adding that the decision to drop the case against the Israeli flotilla participants represented "a boost and reward for terror in Israel and around the globe."

The decision "is a legal sign of approval to terror squads who are now back up by the Israeli attorney general himself."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/ag-closes-case-against-israeli-participants-of-2010-gaza-flotilla-1.402967

Bill in Congress seeks to investigate US Boat to Gaza for "terrorist" ties

Jeff Haynes/Agence France Presse 

 

A bill introduced in the United States Congress last month would require the State Department to investigate “The sources of any logistical, technical, or financial support for the Gaza flotilla ships, including the Audacity of Hope, that were set to set sail from Greece on July 1, 2011.”

The Audacity of Hope is the name of the ship, operated by US Boat to Gaza, on which Alice Walker, Hedy Epstein and dozens of others attempted to break the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza before being stopped by Greece last summer.

The bill, which contains numerous inflammatory and unsubstantiated claims from an Israeli “anti-terrorism” organization, would further criminalize American citizens’ solidarity with Palestinians.
House Resolution 3131 is sponsored by Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and is co-sponsored by 12 other members of Congress from both parties including notorious anti-Palestinian campaigners, Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Eliot Engel (D-NY).

Defamation and falsehoods

The bill asserts, turning reality on its head, that “Recent past history has suggested that the sole intent of the flotillas is to provoke an Israeli military response in the international waters of the eastern Mediterranean Sea.”

It also claims, amid a laundry list of other dubious recitations, that “Since the beginning of 2010, Israel has provided over 100,000 tons of aid to the people living in Gaza.”

In fact, Israel does not provide any “aid” to Palestinians. Rather, Israel allows limited quantities of aid supplied by the United Nations and other countries into Gaza according to arbitrary restrictions as part of its siege.

Israel has deliberately restricted food supplies to the 1.6 million Palestinians in Gaza using “mathematical formulas” designed to keep the population on the edge of hunger without attracting too much international attention, as the Israeli human rights organization Gisha discovered from an examination of Israeli defense ministry documents.

Claims of “terrorist ties” based on Israeli propaganda outfit

Reproducing unsubstianted Israeli propaganda and allegations, the bill accuses the Turkish humanitarian organization IHH, which was involved in earlier flotillas, of ties to terrorism:

The Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of the Treasury have determined that flotilla organizers Free Gaza and the Insan Hak ve Hurriyetleri ve Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), an Islamic nongovernmental organization (known in English as the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief), have known terrorist ties.
In 2010, IHH organized a flotilla that included the ship Mavi Marmara carrying 40 IHH members, including Fatima Mahmadi, Ken O’Keefe, Hassan Iynasi, Hussein Urosh, Ahmad Umimon, and others with known links to Al Qaeda, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations who were armed with 100 metal rods, 200 knives, 150 military self-defense vests, 50 wooden clubs, gas masks, and a telescopic sight for a gun.

But the bill provides no evidence to back up these sensational and propagandistic claims. IHH is in fact not designated as a “terrorist” organization by any US government agencies. The claims in the bill are not based on US government or intelligence reports, but appear to come directly from unsubstantiated claims published by an Israeli propaganda and advocacy outfit calling itself the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. This group is closely connected with Israel’s military and intelligence establishments, the main sources for sometimes laughable anti-flotilla incitement and propaganda.

Laying grounds to prosecute Americans

The bill appears to be a transparent attempt to criminalize solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to US policy supporting Israel’s siege of Gaza. It would effectively further erode First Amendment rights in order to intimidate and suppress criticism of Israel. It demands,

Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on whether any support organization that participated in the planning or execution of the recent Gaza flotilla attempt should be designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189).

No concern for Americans

HR 3131 reads like a manifesto of the most extremist pro-Israel organizations. Fair enough, if that’s how members of Congress think they should be spending their time. But in addition to the bill’s utter disregard for facts and its dehumanizing contempt for Palestinians is the notable lack of any concern for US citizens and their lives, especially Furkan Dogan an American teenager who was murdered execution-style by Israeli soldiers aboard the Mavi Marmara in May 2010.
The bill is currently in committee.

http://electronicintifada.net/blog/ali-abunimah/bill-congress-seeks-investigate-us-boat-gaza-terrorist-ties#.TsL8nvLg7ct

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO PAMELA GELLER (GARP MADE MORE SENSE)

August 3, 2011 at 08:01

Image By Skulz Fontaine

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From a Blog called Loonwatch, a most appropriate name considering the subject at hand

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Pamela Geller and Co. Waging a War Against Common Sense

Pamela Geller and her cronies are waging a personal war, and once again her line of target is the silent evil enemy: common sense.

Not content with spreading venom in the USA, Pam is now screaming that Europe has bowed to the shackles and chains of imperialist “Islamic supremacists,” after French and European authorities “cancelled” a Stop the Islamisation of America (SIOA) and Stop the Islamisation of Europe (SIOE) “freedom” rally, that aimed to protest outside the European Parliament, over “the Islamic takeover of Europe.”

As ridiculous as Pam’s event sounds I for one wouldn’t mind seeing Pam Geller and her friends make a fool of themselves, so was her rally really “cancelled?”
Yes, the European authorities seem to have annulled the Pam and co. rally, but is it in the context of “pro-Jihadism submission to Islamic Supremacism,” as the hate-mongers are claiming?

Let’s dissect the truth behind this “cancellation”:

Pam Geller’s Fascist Message and the Implications for Violence
Geller writes,

Democracy collapses in Europe: EU cancels SIOA/SIOE free speech rally — Freedom from jihad flotilla to launch on 9/11
STRASBOURG, FRANCE, June 28: In a capitulation to Islamic supremacists and violent radical Leftists, French and European Union authorities have canceled a free speech rally planned by a coalition of American and European human rights organizations in Strasbourg, the seat of the European Parliament. The human rights organizations Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) and Stop Islamisation of Europe (SIOE) were planning to hold their first-ever transatlantic summit in Strasbourg, France, on July 2.
The SIOA/SIOE summit was dedicated to the defense of the freedom of speech, the freedom of conscience, and the equality of rights of all people before the law – all principles denied by Islamic law.

The evidently responsible and comprehensible actions of the European and French authorities, who were prompted to cancel the potentially violent event, is now being used by Geller as proof of European and French authorities’ “support for Islamic terror and anti-Semitism.”

The authorities may have cancelled the event due to many factors. Firstly, an event justifying racism, fascism and bigotry towards a minority, Muslims in this case, is one big red flag! While some Americans may reflexively take exception to the cancellation of the rally on the grounds that it compromises “free speech,” here in Europe we take our practised laws of equality and freedom very seriously. Authorities have to balance “freedoms” and “rights” with the competing issues of “security,” “community harmony,” and defense against “hate speech” that incites violence, and so decisions to cancel rallies are taken very seriously.

Secondly, a main factor in the cancellation of the event seems to be the crowds that would flock and gather for the rally: neo-nazis, thugs, violent fringe groups, racists, and xenophobes masquerading as self-proclaimed ‘human rights’ activists. This event would have been a grave security threat to the people of Strasbourg, an event purely designed to deliberately provoke the liberals, Muslims and opposition groups and hence would be a breach of French and European law.

The Gellerists attempts in Europe give us pause, after all, Europe is home to one of the most inhuman crimes in history, the Holocaust, which was the result of propaganda, scapegoating and persecution. The rational expertise of the authorities recognised these signs, and sanctioned it in the appropriate manner. In this case, they have cancelled a palpable hate rally that had the potential to turn violent.

Human Rights and Muslim Takeover in the Bizzare-o World of Pamela Geller

The atypical, and apocryphal view of Geller’s interpretation on the meaning and definition of ‘human rights’ is comical. She calls for an international deployment to “defend the rights of man,” when she herself is partaking in an epic act of human oppression:

“The SIOA/SIOE Freedom From Jihad aid flotilla,” Geller explained, “is intended to be a direct response to the capitulation of French, European, and American authorities to Leftist and Islamic supremacist forces of oppression and injustice. It is set to launch after our national Rally for Freedom at Ground Zero on the tenth anniversary of the Islamic jihad attacks that murdered three thousand Americans.”

The “Freedom from Jihad aid flotilla,” is obviously a mock-term employed by Geller to demean the Gaza Freedom Flotillas, which she derisively describes as “Jihad flotillas.” Geller dare not admit that Gaza has been and is in need of desperate aid due to the inhumane and oppressive blockade instituted by the Apartheid state of Israel because, well…you know, Israel is sugar and spice and everything nice!!

Let us analyze the facts here. It is estimated that 857 million people are citizens in Europe, and 58 million Muslims in Europe, 14 million of these numbers directly living under the European Union, including those who have converted to the religion of Islam. Where is the indication that Islam is in a takeover of Europe, when the numbers of non-Muslims to Muslims ratio is incomparable and far greater. This is a tool of hysteria and sensationalism on the part of Pam Geller, to insert misinformation to promote a repugnant agenda.

Another important point to note here is that Geller, on the mention of the tragedy of 9/11, conveniently makes no mention of the numerous Muslim victims that died on 9/11, who also were equally victims of such a heinous crime. The lack of acknowledgement of those Muslim deaths, only reiterates her pure uncompromising hatred of Muslims.

The SIOA Freedom From Jihad Flotilla will call upon the international community to act in defense of these basic human rights:
The freedom of speech – as opposed to Islamic prohibitions of “blasphemy” and “slander,” which are used effectively to quash honest discussion of jihad and Islamic supremacism;The freedom of conscience – as opposed to the Islamic death penalty for apostasy;The equality of rights of all people before the law – as opposed to Sharia’s institutionalized discrimination against women and non-Muslims. The Flotilla will call upon all free people of all races and creeds to stand with us to defend our freedoms against the radically intolerant ideology codified in Islamic law.

Geller wants to galvanize the globe to fight 12th century medieval law books that are not applied in the Muslim world, and are particularly irrelevant in light of the Arab Spring. Geller has a condensed and inept understanding of the term “Human Rights,” one which is limited in scope, and only applies to her circle of hate and dogmatism. According to her human rights apply to everyone –except Muslims. That is not human rights, it’s the selected persecution of a minority group, which in-turn presents this whole so called ‘freedom from jihad’ flotilla as nothing more than an opportunity to channel Islamophobic extremism from the right of the spectrum. There are no two ways about this issue.

Geller and co. have a very idiosyncratic strategy to illuminate the principles of ‘violence’ and ‘hatred’ in Islam. In order to combat and deplete the notion of Islamist extremism and hatred, the Gellerists have adopted the very same model of intolerance and prejudice, in order to stamp out the very elements they oppose. What a paradoxical stance, where two wrongs never will make a right. In what parallel universe would such an absurd theory make any sense? Only in the world of Pamela Geller.

http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/the-world-according-to-pamela-geller-garp-made-more-sense/

MK from Lieberman's party rapped for threatening colleague over Gaza flotilla

• ublished 17:49 02.08.11
• Latest update 17:49 02.08.11

Last June, MK Anastassia Michaeli forced her way over to Hanin Zoabi, who took part in the flotilla last May, and physically threatened her. Knesset Ethics Committee: behavior is without precedent.

By DPA Tags: Knesset Gaza flotilla

An Israeli lawmaker was reprimanded Tuesday for physically threatening a colleague who had participated in the attempt to break the Gaza blockade which ended in the deaths of nine pro-Palestinian activists last year.

During a stormy parliamentary debate about the Gaza flotilla last June, Anastassia Michaeli forced her way over to Hanin Zoabi, who was trying to address the plenum from the Knesset podium.

	MK Anastassia Michaeli tries to approach MK to Hanin Zoabi, in June 2010
	Photo by: Tomer Appelbaum

But ushers prevented Michaeli, 36, of the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party, from reaching Zoabi, 42, of the Arab-Israeli National Democratic Assembly.

Emotions had been running high and insults flew during the debate, held days after Israeli naval commandos overpowered the Turkish Mavi Marmara passenger ship in international waters off the coast of Gaza last May.

The commandos shot dead eight Turks and an American national of Turkish descent, as they battled with a group of knife- and stick-wielding activists on board.

Israel accused the activists of an attempted "lynch" of the commandos while the organizers accused Israel of "massacring" civilians.

Zoabi, from the Arab town of Nazareth in northern Israel, had been on board the Mavi Marmara, but said she had not been on the deck when Israeli commandos boarded and did not witness the violence.

Right-wing Jewish lawmakers accused her of being a "traitor" and a "terrorist," while an Arab lawmaker shouted at the St Petersburg-born Michaeli, as she was ushered out the plenum: "Go back to Russia."

A series of complaints were subsequently filed to the Knesset Ethics Committee, which on Tuesday condemned especially Michaeli's conduct.

"The Committee found no precedent of a Knesset member physically trying to interrupt a speech and considers this crossing a line that cannot be ignored," it ruled.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/mk-from-lieberman-s-party-rapped-for-threatening-colleague-over-gaza-flotilla-1.376601