VIDEO / UN screening of 'one-sided' Gaza flotilla film spurs Israeli complaint
Israel's mission to the UN prevented from responding to screening of documentary film by one of the activists aboard the Mavi Marmara.
By Shlomo Shamir Tags: UN Gaza flotillaIsrael on Thursday issued an official complaint against the president of the United Nations Correspondents Association for deliberately barring Israel from responding to the public screening of a documentary film on the events of the recent Gaza-bound aid flotilla, made by one of the activists.
On May 31, Israeli navy commandos boarded one of the ships in the flotilla, the Turkish Mavi Marmara, and were physically assaulted by the activists aboard. A clash ensued resulting in the deaths of nine activists and dozens of injuries.
The president of the UN Correspondents Association, Giampaolo Pioli, organized an event several days ago during which a documentary film by one of the Mavi Marmara activists was screened. In the invitation sent to all the foreign correspondents in New York Pioli wrote that he was inviting them to the debut of a film depicting the "Israeli attack on human rights activists."
The spokeswoman for the Israeli delegation to the UN asked to take part in the event and present scenes from a film prepared by the Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson's Unit especially for the UN delegation.
At first, the president of the association agreed, but two hours before the start of the event he announced that he was canceling the screening of the Israeli film, offering to air the IDF film at a later date, and at a different location.
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An image from an IDF video of deadly clashes aboard the Gaza-bound aid ship Mavi Marmara on May 31, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
In the complaint, which Israel distributed to foreign correspondents in New York on Thursday, spokeswoman Mirit Cohen wrote that "I write this letter of complaint to officially protest your mishandling of the events."
"Offering UN media facilities to screen video produced by a one-sided activist while actively preventing a member state of the United Nations an opportunity to respond in real time is severely unethical," she wrote. "Your decision to ban the Permanent Mission of Israel from offering any feedback or comment during the aforementioned screening ensured that the reporters invited to the event would be offered only part of the story."
"Furthermore," she added, "the fact that you cancelled the participation of the Permanent Mission of Israel only two hours prior to the commencement of the screening raises grave doubts as to the reasons behind this decision."
In conclusion, Cohen demanded an official apology.
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that is why Israel is judged and Turkey and their IHH terrorist are not held accountable for the 9 deaths and the safety of the other people on board the flotilla. Thank you for explaining truth is not the end goal just judgment.
All cameras and cell phones confiscated by Israeli commandos must be handed over intact to the U.N. Until then it is suggested that country stop its incessant whining.
If Israel has nothing to hide than they should have returned all video and pictures from the passengers on the ships. They could have taken a copy, but had no right to steal the passengers property. This was one done so Israel could control the story and bury any misdeeds. Just like they will never release their entire video that was taken during the flotilla attack, we just get a heavily edited version. I laugh when they complain about a video being one sided, when they themselves release one-sided edits of other people's video. What a bunch of hypocrites. No surprise your flotilla inquiry will be a joke also.
40 years ago in Ulpan I had the difference between hesbara and taamula explained to me: the former is what WE do; the latter is what they do. Only Israel is allowed to lie and get away with it/
Israel has inundated all forms of media with their version of the flotilla raid since day one. If the other side wishes to show a different picture to a select group of people, Israel really has no right to complain. Turnabout's fair play.
you took the tat and killed tit and now you are the one to tell everyone what to believe... It's called murder of a free speech.
Looking at who are on the Human rights committees and the resolutions they pass says it all "Eyes on the UN" exposes the politicised high farce that this once well intentioned organisation has become.
This piece of infamy was shot by a brazilian so called "cineast" living in New York...She's a hired gun for the communist/moslem brownosers,trying to make a buck at the expense of Israel.Offcourse her video was edited to fit the terrorists side...SHAME ON THE ANTISEMITIC BIASED u.n. TO ALLOW A PIECE OF GARBAGE LIKE THAT TO BE SCREENED..iranian MONEY CAN BUY EVERYTHING
And if you believe this I have a bridge for sale great price fob shipping point
What is it with Israelis . They are getting slaughtered in teh media dna at events like the above, and they are always a day late and a dollar short. Does it never occure to anyone that maybe ISrael needs to get proactive. The palis sure do it, teh peace activists sure did it Israel is left again standing outside not even getting their point across. Stop being bloody victims and start hammering back or get teh hell out of dodge. I cant believen teh naivete and teh stupidity ofm these Israeli groups
There are both sides in all movies
a lynch mob mentality exists and the investigation Israel is conducting is the only possibly one. Shame on the U.N for allowing this showing to occur. It indicates the bias of this body as well. The IHH terrorist have not nor hasTurkey been held accountable for endangering the lives of the people on board that flotilla; and the actual deaths of 9 members - that is the atrocity.
The legality of the blockade is not a matter of facts, but a judgement.
The screening was of a video taken by a journalist who was on the boat, and for journalists. It was not a screening made to discover the actual truth (although the video itself was believed to represent actual events and to not be edited), and there was certainly no obligation to air an IDF film which is suspected of being edited. The audience were all foreign correspondents in New York, and these include Israelis as well. There was no obligation to allow Israeli or other diplomats to be present. Israel actually has no basis for complaint because it is acting in a similar way in the "commission of inquiry" case. Instead of having an international inquiry it has only its own people. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
One has to wonder how tehse journalists sleep at night knowing thatn their film obly tells a very tiny portion of truth. Yet they pass it off as truth. of course the UN, that bastion of freedom for all democracies except Israel promotes this mindset. Not to worry, sooner rather than later teh truth always catches up. Sooner rather than later Erdogan will have to explain his dirty hands in this affair. Just wait for it.
Only you as other Jew Haters are interested in hiding this truth. Shameful attitude.
"It was not a screening made to discover the actual truth" that says it all!
and those who pretend to be peace activists should brutally beat up other human beings
is why the majority of Americans want to cut contributions to UN. i wonder if the pipes and knives used by the IHH thugs were shown. its pretty clear according to media sources in the west the thugs attacked as the idf came down the rope.with paint guns no less
All attempts to make the assault by Balaclava masked commandos armed with lethal weapons that killed nine men into some sort of carnival clown visit to brighten the lives of the passengers on the Mavi Marmara are just as pathetic as the idiotic assault itself.
the actions of UN are extremely disturbing in its pointed Anti - Semitic focus to serve official UN sanctioned events and resources to disseminate propaganda. The UN taking openly hostile position to Israel is an act of information war where UN picked up the side of Hamas. This destroys whatever credibility UN has. From this point forward I will argue that UN is not impartial in disposing humanitarian duties with regards to Gaza population and may not be employed to distribute aid in the war zone in Gaza strip.