IDF general: 'No justification for Gaza aid flotilla'
IDF Maj. Gen. Eitan Dangot tells Turkel Committee that Gazans have the goods needed to maintain basic lifestyle; says flotilla was intended to strengthen Hamas, not Gaza residents.
By Anshel Pfeffer Tags: Israel news Gaza flotilla"There was no justification for the flotilla, because there was no humanitarian crisis in Gaza," Israel Defense Forces Maj. Gen. Eitan Dangot told the Turkel Committee on Tuesday.
Dangot, the coordinator of government activities in the territories, told the committee that Gazans have all the goods necessary to maintain a basic lifestyle.
"There isn't hunger in Gaza, now or in the past," he said.
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Maj. Gen. Eitan Dangot |
| Photo by: Alon Ron |
Dangot said that during Operation Cast Lead, Israel's three-week offensive against Hamas in December 2008, the IDF detected the potential for a flour shortage and acted in coordination with international organizations to prevent a shortage.
According to Dangot, even during periods when, at the request of international organizations, Israel increased the number of trucks allowed to enter Gaza, there was no significant increase in food entering the coastal enclave which is controlled by Hamas.
Dangot said that the aid flotilla which was intercepted by the IDF in May was unnecessary because "those who wanted to help the population of Gaza were invited to deliver supplies via land, as it was always possible to do."
According to Dangot, the Mavi Marmara, the ship on which nine Turkish activists were killed during clashes with Israeli naval commandos, did not bring any humanitarian equipment. Also, he said, the equipment brought by the other ships of the flotilla "was organized amateurishly and any port in the world would not have been ready to unload it."
Dangot told the committee that ten days before the flotilla, he met with the Turkish ambassador in Israel and suggested to him that the aid be delivered to Ashdod, where it could be speedily transferred to Gaza. Dangot said that under this proposal, Israel would have allowed the entry to Gaza of cement and other building materials, which had been limited to that point.
Dangot said that the flotilla was "intended to strengthen the Hamas terror entity and not to aid the citizens of Gaza."
Dangot remarked that, in the months before the flotilla, Israel detected an economic crisis within Hamas in Gaza. The crisis was mainly to due Hamas' difficulties in bringing money into Gaza, due to Egypt's efforts to halt smuggling activities.
Among other things, Egypt closed the Rafah border crossing and took actions against the smuggling tunnels beneath the Egypt-Gaza border. Egypt even confiscated cash that senior Hamas leaders tried to bring into Gaza.
According to Dangot, illegally smuggled cash constituted 90 percent of Hamas' income.
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Israel needs to stop its blockade in order to live in peace without those Mickey Mouse Firework called "Rockets”. What does israel expect from Starving the People of Gaza?
but your blockade is illegal and you punshing millions of people and destroying their economy and way of life
Here in Turkey, some muslims do not accept themselves to be called as Turkish, but, as Muslims only even though they have Turkish citizenship. 50% of Turks have no problem with Jews or any other religious people as 50% of people here are simply nonreligious. Cosmopolitic structure of people here - Nonreligious people (50% - they accept Turkish citizenship) - Religious people (40% - they accept to be called as Turks also.) - Religion-ist people (10% - activists in religions - they don't accept to be called as Turk or any nation.. IHH-like so-called aid organisations are among this 10% minority. So, instead of using term like "Turkish", you better use a term like "islam-ist" (but, this was used by Bush et al. and reaction has been islam-ists have increased. So, I suggest the term "religion-ists" like we use here in Turkey.. When you say Turkish, you are mis-generalizing. Reality is that 50% of Turks do not like Arabs while other 50% do not like Jews.. But, it seems that even Israel media is trying to increase this anti-israel community here in Turkey by following mis-used terms..
When we see pictures of new housing construction to replace that lost in Cast Lead his statements might be more credible
Is this one of the blockheads who took the bait with flying colors?
Next time the general could try to have a little compassion with needs of the civilians in Gaza. His statement is quite economical with the truth.
I think, israel must half these goods, seeing that the Gazans are not dying yet... something is really wrong with your genes, it seems, really
There is no easy money in Israel. You have to work.. For easy money, go and ask your oil wealthy uncles, kings of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc.. But, they don't give you money for food and good, but, for mosques and guns only? Before critisizing Israel, you need to critisize your own relatives first..
There is plenty of easy money in Israel. All you have to do is study the Torah and you get a free government handout!
I can think of existence of 10% "religion-ist" Israelies there in Israel too. Not much different than here in Turkey. Our imams here are riding mercedeses.. Free government? You mean Free State Israel built on that land without any work? You forget that if there is Europe and USA developed from the year 1000s to 2000s, these have been due to their scientific contributions by Ashkenazi community for centuries. They have worked really hard.. - Ok, lets say Israel don't like Palestinian Arabs. Then, they can take easy money from their oil wealthy Arab uncles. If they love their relatives so much, they can share their wealths first. What? Britain Empire don't let you to do this? Cry, then..
Why doesn't Israel publish a list of goods NOT allowed in to Gaza and show it to the world ?
Ok let's review it. Hamas controls tunnels. Gaza survives throught those tunnels. Hamas collect tax from tunnels. As much material smuggled from tunnels Hamas makes more money. With more money they can buy more weapons. And Hamas wants the siege to go on. Because siege is making Hamas rich... Flotilla? Free food wthout tunnel tax? And this is strengthenin Hamas??? You must be kidding me.
The aim was break the blockade...... Its not Hunger,,,,, its Freedom .. Freedom to work,build,have medical access in thier own country,,,,,
Very well said Naveed!!
to murder Israelis, freedom to launch missles at Israeli towns and villages, freedom to send suicide bombers to Israeli cafes and restaurants and freedom to import more deadly weapons in order to kill even more Israelis, that's what Hamas wants and thats what these so called "peace activists" are working for, thanks for confirming that.
To build houses, to export produce, to get medical treatment, to go to university, to travel abroad, to drink clean water, to have electricity...
who was just a american protector....
Ask yourselves one question. Do you HONESTLY believe for 1 second, that Turkey would send, or allow to be sent, armaments to Hamas? To even suggest it, is almost as insulting as killing 9 unarmed civilians!! Netantahu and Barak themselves know this fact only too well, but it is the ONLY argument they can use, and the people of Israel actually believe it?? Use your intelligence once in a while!!