[THS] UN Orders Israel to lift Gaza Blockade

[The Harder Stuff in news and commentary]

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25615.htm


UN Orders Israel to lift Gaza Blockade

By NineMSN

June 03, 2010 "MSN" - -UN chief Ban Ki-moon has demanded that Israel lift its
blockade of the Gaza Strip immediately in the wake of a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound
aid flotilla.

Speaking on his return from visits to Brazil, Malawi and Uganda, Ban told reporters
on Wednesday that the underlying problem behind Monday's tragedy was the long-
running, crippling Israeli siege of Gaza which he described as "counter-productive,
unsustainable and wrong."

The UN secretary general said Israeli authorities must provide a "full and detailed
account" of the commando raid on six ships that tried to break the Gaza siege to
deliver some 10,000 tonnes of supplies.

Israeli commandos boarded one of the aid ships bound for the Gaza Strip in a pre-
dawn raid on Monday that left at least nine passengers, including four Turks, dead.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists were also arrested.

The Israeli army said the commandos resorted to force after they were attacked with
sticks and stabbed as soon as they landed on the deck.

Organisers of the so-called "Freedom Flotilla" denied the military's account, saying
the soldiers had started firing as soon as they landed.

Ban said he was looking at "various options" to conduct the "prompt, credible,
impartial and transparent" investigation of the incident, which the UN Security
Council called for Sunday.

He also noted that the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council earlier Wednesday
set up an independent international investigation into the Israeli raid.

"Everything must be done to prevent another incident of this kind," the UN boss said.

"All concerned should act with a sense of care and responsibility, and in accordance
with international law."

Stressing the need "to avoid provocations," Ban said the world body raised its
concerns about this with international partners and Israeli authorities.

Earlier on Wednesday, Israel deported more than 600 foreign activists whose
accounts of the raid contradicted Israeli reports that its soldiers acted in self-defence.

Israel rushed to deport the activists after Turkey piled up pressure via the United
States and warned of fresh measures against the Jewish state, threatening to further
deepen the crisis between the once-close allies.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile insisted the Israeli blockade
was key in preventing weapons from reaching Gaza.

"Hamas continues to arm itself and Iran continues to transfer weapons to Hamas,"
the premier said.
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Israeli Foreign Minister, "No ship will reach Gaza. The Rachel Corrie will not reach Gaza," he told Israel Radio. 
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103453968751&s=11557&e=001TvNz-cwb3CEcl-GF3JNt5Ejv9ddw8W2mJv71Gx2uUbCLFWnCMsZ9fYZoxqTFeZQavZUuY6Gc-SwZslnNSgp48BL6fbLHR3UOUSh5VCW-C-FUcBbUP7kByLvQgQI6daplatr-ElQEFanq7Nf24_LfOIDOenxISary>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25611.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Other stories:
American, 19 Among Those Killed By Israeli Troops
Furkan Dogan Was Shot Four Times in Head
 
By ZOE MAGEE
 
A Canadian on board, Farooq Burney, described watching an elderly man bleed to death. The head of a Turkish charity that organized the aid flotilla said an Indonesian doctor was shot in the stomach and a photographer was shot in the forehead. 
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25609.htm
 
===
 
Biden: Israel right to stop Gaza flotilla from breaking blockade
 
By Natasha Mozgovaya
 
In contrast to the barrage of condemnations all over the globe, many in the U.S. Congress expressed support for Israel. 
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25608.htm
 
===
 
Aid Ship Sailing Towards Gaza, Prefers U.N. Escort:
 
By Reuters
 
Israeli Foreign Minister, "No ship will reach Gaza. The Rachel Corrie will not reach Gaza," he told Israel Radio. 
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25611.htm
 
===
 
Call to Defend the Rachel Corrie:
 
By Robert Naiman
 
Former UN Assistant Secretary called on Irish-Americans to lobby the Obama Administration: "We also feel there is a role for the Irish diaspora here, in the US and elsewhere to lobby politicians over this continued illegal blockade of Gaza, which is causing such hardship to the Palestinian people." 
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25610.htm
 
===
 
Ship 'Rachel Corrie' Challenge Israel's Unjust Gaza Blockade and Zionist Myths
 
By Ira Chernus
 
As the MV Rachel Corrie approaches Gaza to confront the Israeli blockade, it forces the Israeli government to confront this dilemma. Perhaps at last, under this pressure, the Israelis will see that both of the dominant Zionist myths have reached a dead end. 
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25614.htm
 
===
 
UN Orders Israel to lift Gaza Blockade
 
By NineMSN
 
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has demanded that Israel lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip immediately in the wake of a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. 
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25615.htm
 
===
 
Strnager Than Fiction?
"A Great Way To Win Friends"
 
Video
 
Israeli apologist Mark Regev interviewed about Gaza Freedom Flotilla by Jon Snow on Channel 4. 
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25617.htm
 
===