UN rights body names team to probe Gaza flotilla raid

The images show people defending their ship which was raided by foreign commandos in the middle of the night in international waters. The very few smuggled photos and videos also clearly show that Israelis opened fire from the sea before the helicopters arrived, three of the commandos were captured, and one of them even given first aid by a doctor. Numerous credible international testimonies confirm that the commandos prevented the injured people from getting medical attention who later died. Israel still has not released any of the tons of footage it has confiscated from the passengers, which clearly shows that they are afraid of the truth. There is a lot to investigate.

I mean the full version which shows IDF heros shooting their victims multiple times in the head and back....

The images show people defending their ship which was raided by foreign commandos in the middle of the night in international waters. The very few smuggled photos and videos also clearly show that Israelis opened fire from the sea before the helicopters arrived, three of the commandos were captured, and one of them even given first aid by a doctor. Numerous credible international testimonies confirm that the commandos prevented the injured people from getting medical attention who later died. Israel still has not released any of the tons of footage it has confiscated from the passengers, which clearly shows that they are afraid of the truth. There is a lot to investigate.

The images show people defending their ship which was raided by foreign commandos in the middle of the night in international waters. The very few smuggled photos and videos also clearly show that Israelis opened fire from the sea before the helicopters arrived, three of the commandos were captured, and one of them even given first aid by a doctor. Numerous credible international testimonies confirm that the commandos prevented the injured people from getting medical attention who later died. Israel still has not released any of the tons of footage it has confiscated from the passengers, which clearly shows that they are afraid of the truth. There is a lot to investigate.

You can see the truth on Youtube, but the fact is you can't handle the truth.

why do I need to trust anything posted on youtube by IDF itself? since when do we take IDF propoganda credible? There were people from 32 different nationalities in the flotilla but they all say the same thing:Israeli soldiers brutally attacked and killed innocent civilians. If you like youtube also watch the videos posted by the activists. then you can realize IDF videos were mere fabrications. And as I said in the beginning, if you do not have any wrong why you are so afraid of an investigation? let my people go!!!

the entire process is illegal since the appointing body is extensively made up of totalitarian human rights abusers. "experts" of good faith would not accept an appointment from such a body.

...to show the Gazans that they do-no-stand-alone... Israel clearly over-reacted... either erroneously or by intent... that's the only point that needs clarification... it was probably by default... everyody with any sense was out-of-town...

If so, it was a smashing success. And Israel's politicians, IDF officers and commandos deserve an academy award for best supporting actors.

Where do you get your news from? 1) Israel started it by boarding passenger ships in the middle of the night in international waters with lethal weapons. 2) There is nothing wrong with self defense. 3) All passengers aboard the other ships confirm that Israeli soldiers used violence during boarding. Numerous passengers were tased, kicked, and beaten up. Israel didn't allow things like pasta, chocolate, building supplies, medical equipment, cookies, etc. until the blockade was eased as a direct result of this incident.

are you serious?!

so you admit that goldstone was nothing but an "experience." why don't you concentrate on the very dire national security and foreign policy blunders of the obama administration. syria was quiet during the despised bush era, and so was turkey. india, won over by bush, is being lost by obama. china openly shows its contempt. hezbollah is on the mexican border teaching narco-terrorists how to build car bombs. us domestic policy is in shambles. yet you have the gall to hector and lecture israel.

You really need to ignore Faux News. They have no objective except getting a civil war started in the US. Obama has made some mistakes. But he hasn't managed to kill off thousands of US service personnel in a war of choice. The US doesn't own or run Syria or Mexico or Turkey. Why hasn't Germany fixed Afghanistan or Mexico or Iran? Why hasn't Israel? Apparently, you haven't learned that there are rules that Israel signed up to obey.

This is the same organization that turned a blind eye to the genocide in Darfur. It deserves no respect and no cooperation.

I guess you must be right: no reason to worry about the fairness of a committee consisting of human rights luminaries such as Iran, Sudan, Lybia, Syria, etc.

How can you be so shure of that? Everybody has the right of self-defense. Gazans too. The underlying logic of Israel is that it is at war with Gaza. But everybody knows that there is no war. Israel just thinks it can do what it wants. But the days of that game are over.

My understanding is that the siege of Gaza is illegal because article 101 of the San Remo Manual says any blockade should not cause suffering to the civilian population, while the Red Cross amongst many others are saying there is a humanitarian disaster there. The flotilla intentions were in keeping with UNSC resolution 1860, so there was nothing illegal in their actions. The matter of disproportional use of force is very much a matter when you consider that people on three boats offered only non-violent resistence and got heavily roughed up for it. Come to that the number of causalties on the Mavi Marmara was pretty excessive too. Then you have the appalling brutal and sadistic treatment of the detainees on the boats and Ashdod (injured left on the deck under the helicopter suffering the draught and the spray for hours, trod and kicked too, people beaten up for not signing forms or handing over their passports, kept in the backs of vans for hours and routinely beaten.) Since Eiland chose to pretend all this did not happen perhaps we had better get the neutral team in and see what they say. That's my understanding.

as exemplified by wounding Israeli soldiers and the videos that clearly show the attack the soldiers received... but some people still don't believe what their eyes see.

The people were defending themselves from foreign armed commandos who boarded their ship with lethal weapons in the middle of the night. The smuggled photographs published in newspapers all around the world clearly show that three commandos were captured and one of them was even given first aid by a doctor. They could have easily killed those commandos if that would have been their intention.

If that is the case why does not Israel withdraw from the UN?

If the Israeli group had been a judicial inquiry, this might have been avoided. Your gov opted to have hidden and opaque inquiries, not open and transparent ones. Still haven't learned from Goldstone. Eh?

They said nothing was going on and gave Sudan the green light to keep at it. Hurray for the UNHRC./..

You mean, the UN can't be trusted because it's not run by the USA, Israel or Europe? Just by some "3rd rate countries"? A touch of racism there, perhaps? (which anyway is in the DNA of the state of Israel). No torture in the USA, or in Israel? Wake up, open your other eye, USA.

Without UN resolution and blessing the establishment of Isreal had been not possible. Also dont forget the backing of J. Stalin of USSR. That is the UN that Isreal condemns day out day in. After all Isreals legetemacy comes from UN resolution. Dont forget ever!!!!!

Would be an even bigger issue. I wonder what Turkey will do should information showing the Turkish govt knew that the Mavi would be violent would say. Furthermore, what will the mandate say in reference to the 5 ships prior that were boarded without complications? are they traitors to the cause? why are those boats left out of the equation and the minority of violent IHH aka Mavi only discussed?

... of what calls went to & from which ships. http://wp.me/pDB7k-vD

We've been through this many times before. The inquiry's conclusion is written ahead of time and no amount of cooperation will get it to admit that Israel was within the bounds of international law and that its soldiers opened fire only after being attacked with lethal force.

There's possibly a thousand of these things (Kangaroos) on our family property. We'll willingly send a boat load to UN so that they have plenty for future kangaroo courts. Only problem the Roos will be too intelligent for them.

Turks attack IDF soldiers with clubs and knives, win Darwin Awards.

Read Blokade runners stopped, attack those stopping them and attept to kill them , get the predictable, and logical and moral result You can argue all you want about the blokade, but the attack on the soldiers, stopping a blockade runner justified the response.

"was staying out of fighting" and was attacked by Israel..

prooves nothing! why do you think Israel confiscated all footage and anything else that could have contained footage

More propoganda. I've seen footage from passengers

People who have an obsessive hatred of Israel will go on and on saying the same inane things until you die of boredom.

they will hopefully "drag it out" until they discover the truth!

They should do that, and do the same international search about Armenian genocide, as PM Erdogan offered. As opposed to most Israelis claim, turks, especially current government offered an independent international probing about armenian genocide. One can find even Erdogan's video (offering an international reserach, and releasing all the documents about 1915 events) on youtube.

This is a UN inquiry we're talking about, not a fair-minded one. The logic goes like this: Israel is guilty, period. Now let's gather evidence that supports our position. I Isn't world governance fun?

So you think also Israel is hiding something.

And it took place in International waters.... please, what 'war' was happening in International waters? Did the Palestinians suddenly get a navy?

Rockets and mortars are quite effective at terrorizing civilians in Israel. Hence the need for naval inspections.

Israelis illegal settlements are enough for them to be condemned. They benefit from instability, and dont want a permanent peace, otherwise they cant expand and make new settlements.

Because North Korea isn't Israel.

Because nobody is giving North Korea Billions and veto cover for its deeds, because North Korea does not claim to be "the only democracy" in Asia, because North Korea does not occupy anybody's land by force, and because North Korea does not drop white phospherous on its occupied civilians.

just keep doing what you do. These idiot activists, they really love you!

they did investigate north korea and found them guilty over a month ago. where have you been?

Turkey, Russia, US, UK, Iran, Lybia, Morroco France, India, China for example China has killed 3M Tibetan so are they no guilty?

haniyeh the terrorist ? at least you show whom you support

It's amazing to me how every time Israel commits a crime, its supporters point to other criminals and whine, "We are not the only criminals around." Try that with the police in your city and see if that will get you off the hook. Every country would love to investigate its own crimes so it can cover them. Can you imagine a world in which we hand suspects the right to investigate themselves? Innocent people are not afraid of inquiries and justice.

Innocent people are not afraid of inquiries and justice. Innocent people, however, are afraid of inquiries that presume guilt before innocence and that are therefore unjust. Just as a black man in 1960's apartheid South Africa could not get justice, even if he was as innocent as a baby, Israel cannot get justice from a world body that is against it from the start.

but are investigated like serial murder....Where is the justice in that?

We see no justice, no help coming from the UN, it is there to serve third world dictators getting richer.

The commission already stated it's been set up to look into int'l law violations. Israel is presumed guilty before the inquiry and you have no problem with it? Oh yes, I forgot. Since Israel for you is guilty of its very existence, all this makes perfect sense. How convenient.

no offense, but those "men" who weren't men at all aboard that ship. Real "men" use their brains! Those men looked like high school jocks going to the neighboring high school to pick a fight

where is the credible evidence that these dead were intellectuals or familiy men ? the soldiers obeyed the orders thats obvious but who gave the orders on board of the ships ?

Of course they are not biased against Israel.

well I think if a UN body like the Un comission on human rights issues more (non-binding) resolutions against israel in terms of human rights that iran, cuba, sudan (incl. all issues on dafur) it is obvious what is happening.

Because 90% of the resolutions of UNHRC are against Israel. No commision against Sudan, Iran, Lybia, Syria, Hezbanon, Russia, China, Sri Lanka and many many more That's why

that means israel is above all International Laws! as far as stupid Americans cave in to their zionist agents in USA.

No " friends of Israel" and we may get a just verdict.

....then Israel is Captain Hook himself. We're really sorry some people on this forum have difficulty with the concept of live Israelis.

The UN focuses more on Israel than on all the other world conflicts combined. Hundreds of thousands of people dying in Africa and elsewhere doesn't command 1/100th of the UN attention given to Israel. You call that paranoia? I call it realism.

these comissions will never happen beacuse the whole mess was done on purpose. this issue serves erdogans interest in domestic issues and thats why.

Of course it's realism. Israel is USURPING another people. Has been doing so for 62 years. First problems first....

I say that the UNSC passes virtually no resolutions against real massacres of defenseless civilians in Africa, and you turn around and say that that fact PROVES that what's going on between Israel and the Palestinians is worse than anything else in the world. If the UNSC resolutions are based on a false premise, they can't be the proof of anything.

Please read my post again, then answer the question: What did I claim that paranoia caused? If your answer has anything to do with the UN, read again. The correct answer: It prevented setting up a joint commission with Turkey. Now, perhaps you have another theory of what prevented this from happening, but please don't involve the UN with this. Ain't relevant, and talking about the UN indicates paranoia (and/or stupidity, but I gave you the benefit of the doubt).

The 223 UNSC resolutions against Israel ask no more than the UN Member uphold it’s obligation to the UN Charter, ratified Conventions and Peace Treaties. The majority of the 223 UNSC resolutions re-iterate prior resolutions. Only the US Power of Veto has prevented action being taken and allowed Israel to ignore it’s obligations. If a country has not adhered to the law or it’s obligations, is it biased to ask again?

broken the law and ignored UN resolutions since 1948. The UN is merely trying to get Israel to listen. The crimes of other countries tend to be for a shorter period of time. If any other country were to break the law continually for so many years, the UN would focus on them as well.

... should that also be probed?... for instance, were they all identified reliably?... a spade-is-a-spade, no?

because it's already been identified and proven that IHH organized this nice trip and they are a terrorist group, moreover, this trip was a complete act of provocation with only incitement and martyrdom in mind, not "peace" for gazans. They also were videotaped chanting death to Israel and saying they wanted to die during this journey!!

Both Egypt and Israel offered the Flotilla to be inspected in either country. The Flotilla refused and one ship attacked the boarding crew. Having Malaysia in this probe is an insult as Malaysia is anti-Israel nothing to do with this probe.

Israel forced the Flotilla into Ashdod, not just to inspect the cargo, but also to confiscate any materials which they had banned, such as cement. Since cement was a principal part of the cargo, it would have been foolish to accede to Israeli demands. One of the two main reasons for the Flotilla was to take banned materials into Gaza. Weapons were not part of the cargo. Passengers on the Mari Marmara defended their ship against the IDF attack, as the were legally entitled to do..

THat anyone else is stupid. A ship in time of war with the clear intent of breaching a blocade may be intercepted in international waters, after warningshave been issued.

No, in fact you've got to be pretty stupid not to know that Hamas is engaged in a self-declared war against Israel and that, as a result, Israel is perfectly allowed to impose a naval blockade on an enemy entity. International law allows interceptions in international waters when it is clear the the blockade is about to be broken. Before talking off the top of your head, you should read a book or two.

When people armed with iron bars and knives attack soldiers with an intent to kill, those soldiers have the right to defend their lives. Those "activists" didn't hide their intent. Why do you feel the need to do so?

Hey Tarzan go back to your jungle and check the same law again. It is valid just for the parties at war. You cannot do that to an ally ship. Go play with Jane man.

Israel should accept the UN probe provided that the entire personnel shall be formed from members of the Kurdish opposition in Turkey

... when did we declare war with Turky...?

they did not break international law. READ IT first before you make a bold statement.

were they entitled to break a naval blockade and ignore all calls to sail elsewhere. Any country would have done the same thing that the Israelis did and if you don't believe that your not looking at the facts at all.

exactly which law did israel break ?

It doesn't matter that the ship came from Turkey or from Mars for that matter. Hamas is officially at war with Israel and is therefore subject to any measures that are legal in war, including a blockade of its ports.

perhaps an example of where..."Any country "..did do.." the same thing that the Israelis did" thx

This is to all those who state that Israel broke no laws by enforcing its naval blockade of Gaza. It has been said many times that the blockade is illegal, as Irsael was has not fulfilled all the responsibilities of the occupying party, and so contravenes the Geneva Conventions. Using maritime laws to argue the legality of the Flotilla attack in order to enfore an illegal seige is invalid.

From a document I received a short while ago: "During the Korean War between 1950 and 1953 there was a blockade. In 1971, when Bangladesh tried to secede from Pakistan, India applied a blockade. During the Iran-Iraq war between 1980 and 1988, there was a blockade of the Shatt el-Arab. Lebanon was blockaded for several months in the 2006 war between Israel and Hizbullah, and Israel allowed safe passage from Lebanon to Cyprus for humanitarian purposes."

Perhaps you can cite an example where anyone breached a blockade with the intent to cause harm to the soldiers of the countries which boarded the ship.

There is no occupation of Gaza. It's blockaded, nitwit.

but you should realise that regardless of Israeli governments weasel words, the UN has repeatedly declared that Gaza is still classified as territory illegally occupied (ie under control of) Israeli forces and therefore cannot be at war with it.... ergo it cannot be at war with itself and therefore is not entitled to enforce an embargo under international law. You really need to stop giving advice and start educating yourself Gilles, your ignorance is showing.

That blockade was illegal according to NATO etc

Israel is not an occupying party.

Those "soldiers" had no business being on the ship, they are the ones who violated the ship, therefore the passsengers had every right to defend themselves!

Which paragraph of that "International Law" was broken? Which court and judge pronounced that? When and where was that?

"It has been said many times that the blockade is illegal"..... Said by whom? What paragraph of that law? Based on what "illegal"? Because Erdogan said so? Or? This is the most stupid "legal" statement.

Where is the video confiscated by Israel... the pictures taken by journalists & flotilla activists. When will it be released?

.. I still wait for examples.