Gaza Flotilla Latest (8 June): The Battle over the Blockade

1430 GMT: The Israeli Government says it is awaiting a "green light" from the US on its proposal for an investigation on the raid on the Mavi Marmara.

Seven senior ministers have agreed on a panel of jurists, but a senior official said that if this is not backed by the Obama Administration, "There is no point in establishing it."

1400 GMT: Battling Claims over the Blockade. The Israeli military has put out a press release declaring, "No Humanitarian Crisis in the Gaza Strip", and presenting quantities of imports in 2009-2010.

Ma'an News Agency paints a different picture as it reports, "Israel partly opened two crossing terminals on the border with Gaza for the entry of limited aid and fuel, keeping imports to a restricted minimum." The website claims, "Supplies remain limited, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noting [that] goods barely reached 25% of [requirements] last week. [The] number is up from previous weeks, which [was about] 12% of [the] pre-siege level [of] imports."

Egypt has allowed nine opposition members of Parliament to cross into Gaza, a day after turning them back. However, the delegation had to leave behind their cargo of reconstruction materials.

Seven MPs were members of the banned but tolerated Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest opposition group. The other two were members of the leftist Nasserite party.

Israel's National Student Union has announced that it is planning to send hundreds of yachts to meet at sea any new humanitarian aid flotilla heading toward Gaza.

A new video has been released of the aftermath of last week's confrontation on the Mavi Marmara, the lead ship of the Freedom Flotilla:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tc8kXaiwLI[/youtube]

Infowars Ireland features an interview with Huwaida Arraf, the chair of the Free Gaza Movement, about the Flotilla:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WMPrYZNl1U&feature=player_embedded#at=29[/youtube]

Comments

[Arshama]

Interesting comments on the reasons for IRGC etc. forces engagement: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2010/0608/Why-Iran-s-Revolutionary-Guard-wants-to-escort-new-Gaza-flotilla" rel="nofollow">http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2010...

What I loved most is this quote by Meir Javedanfar, referring to Gazans naming their children after Erdogan: “There’s no Iranian flag in sight, and I haven’t heard of one Palestinian naming their child Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”

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