Gaza Flotilla Video: Questions from Last Reports Before Attack (Turkish TV & Al Jazeera)

2 clips with footage from Turkish TV feed and Al Jazeera English just before the Israeli boarding of the ship.

I don't think the significance of these clips have been taken in:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB-Mk4bFz-U&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Gaza LiveBlog: Israel Forces Attack Freedom Flotilla, Up to 16 Killed
Gaza Video: “If You’re Watching This, The Flotilla Has Been Attacked”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFEBbDkyrqQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

1. Note not only the sounds of the Israeli loudspeakers calling on the ship to halt and allow boarding. Note the sounds of live fire, despite the raising of the white flag of surrender, and  and the clear indiciations in the reports, "Two people have already been killed...and tens of people have been injured," before any Israeli troops were on the ship.

2. Now consider the official Israeli military account, which is that the passengers attacked first with live ammunition . If this is true --- given that two passengers have already been killed by gunfire, presumably by Israeli troops --- why do the reporters never mention any gunshots from the ship towards the approach Israeli forces?

Gaza Video: "If You're Watching This, The Flotilla Has Been Attacked"

A video, made before this morning's Israeli attack on one of the six ships of the Freedom Flotilla killing up to 16 passengers, from a member of the Free Gaza Movement, Caoimhe Butterly. She anticipates the political contest which is already unfolding after Israel's military action:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlQfsV0lS_c&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Gaza LiveBlog: Israel Forces Attack Freedom Flotilla, Up to 16 Killed

Gaza LiveFeed: Israel Warships Attack "Freedom Flotilla"

UPDATE 1 JUNE: This Live Feed has now been suspended. Please see our latest entries on the current situation.

The Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla occurred a few hours after we posted this feed. We are now covering latest developments in a LiveBlog.

Gaza LiveBlog: Israel Forces Attack Freedom Flotilla, Up to 16 Killed

With Israeli warships approaching the "Freedom Flotilla" --- the six ships carrying aid to Gaza --- we are carrying the Live Feed from one of the ships. The crew and passengers are wearing lifejackets in anticipation of the confrontation....

Gaza Latest: Israel Prepares Confrontation with "Freedom Flotilla"

On Saturday, seven ships from a "Freedom Flotilla", bringing aid, will try and reach Gaza. It will be met by at least 12 Israeli naval boats, helicopters, and a "counter-flotilla".

On Friday, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman denounced the flotilla:

The aid convoy is violent propaganda against Israel, and Israel will not allow its sovereignty to be threatened in any way, in any place - land, air or sea.

There is no humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Despite Hamas' war crimes against Israeli citizens and the thousands of rockets fired at Israeli towns, Israel continues to respond in the most humane way possible.

Israel: “The Ideal State: A Dream-Country Without Criticism” (Levy)

Israeli gunships were ordered to take position to stop the convoy, and West Jerusalem made clear that it would overtake the ships as soon as they enter a 20-mile Israeli-controlled zone off Gaza. If the ships do not stop, Israel will attempt to connect the flotilla to naval boats and tow them to the Israeli port of Ashdod where the Israelis have prepared a detention centre. Those who do not want to take a flight back home will be taken to jail.


On Friday, Greta Berlin, one of the organizers of the effort, said a total of seven ships were headed to Gaza after an eighth vessel suffered a malfunction and had to turn back. Halting during darkness, they are expected to reach Israeli waters on Saturday.

The Israel Defense Forces responded that they will not hesitate to use limited force. The Turkish daily Hurriyet reports that the IDF will use a special technology to blackout media coverage in case of an operation.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Ministry Director General Yossi Gal held a round of explanatory calls with foreign ministers from countries whose citizens are participating in the flotilla. The Israeli message is that the activists are welcome to bring the humanitarian aid to the port of Ashdod, where it will be examined and, if found suitable, will be permitted to enter the Gaza Strip through land crossings. If the activists try to break the siege, they will be arrested.

The spokesman of the Humanitarian Relief Foundation, Umit Sonmez, said that the organisation does not trust Israeli officials who took the members of an earlier convoy into custody for 21 days for no reason. The HRF had written to Israeli officials regarding the planned journey to Gaza but had not received any reply.

Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, writing in Haaretz, assess:

The flotilla is not expected to alter in any substantial way the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. It is mostly a battle of public relations that is meant to strike a blow at Israel. Perhaps if Israel was less eager to confront the activists, some of the media attention would have dissipated. Had the flotilla been allowed in, Hamas would have its day, and the entire affair would evaporate quickly.

Haaretz's editors urged the Israeli Government to resume indirect talks with Hamas, to be more flexible about releasing prisoners and to lift the siege on Gaza. They argue  that blockade, siege, and military operations, with the hope that Gazans would topple Hamas, has failed: "The suffering that Israel is causing 1.5 million people for this purpose is not only inhuman, but extremely detrimental to Israel's status around the world".

The editors warn, "Even if Israel manages to prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza, it will still have to contend with other demonstrations of support."