Monday 31 May 2010

Israeli attack on humanitarian convoy is sickening

Today's attack on ordinary European citizens taking humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip by the Israeli forces was nothing short of despicable. Never mind that they weren't even in Israeli waters, they were in international waters, the attack was unacceptable and, as is always the case in this conflict, completely disproportionate. I'm sickened by what's happened. And I'm furious at the BBC who in early reports this morning reported the event and then interviewed an Israeli Government spokesman but nobody else. This guy blamed the people on board the ships, it was all their fault that at least 9 of them are now dead. And the BBC didn't think to balance that assertion up!


To think these people bravely set sail only a few hours ago to take food and medicine to men women and children who desperately need it (the UN says the Israelis are allowing less than a quarter of the aid needed, to get through) and now some are injured, some dead. I know people, ordinary people, who've been on these aid convoys. The idea that they could be caught up in something like this when all they are trying to do is help is terrifying. What happened today was awful. Sickening. Unneccessary. Unjustifiable.


Barack Obama has a meeting with the Israeli PM shortly (today's was cancelled). I'll be interested to hear what the response from the USA is as well as the European response. This situation has existed for too long and it cannot be allowed to continue.

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