The Real Story Behind Israel's Response To The Flotilla

From The American Thinker:

July 06, 2010


The real story behind Israel's response to the Gaza flotilla

Moshe Dann



Weeks, perhaps months before the Gaza-bound flotilla, organized in Turkey by Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), a humanitarian aid organization with links to terrorist groups, left port, at the end May, 2010, the Israeli government was aware of the problem and the potential whiplash.

Israel's Defense Ministry, under Ehud Barak, worked out plans to enforce the blockade and apprehend the ships; Israel's Foreign Ministry was responsible for PR and the legal justification for stopping the flotilla.



According to Israeli government sources, journalists were "unofficially" referred to a Danish government report on IHH, US court and CIA documents several days prior to the arrival of the flotilla. "Unofficially?" Why not officially? Why not present a thorough exposure of the IHH?



According to the Australian-based Talk Gaza organization, which provides information on the incident, Israel's Foreign Ministry circulated information on IHH "to some people at least 5 days before the incident." "Some people?" Who? Why not circulate it to everyone?



"A number of journalists were also referred by various official sources to the few news articles that did discuss IHH days before the incident." How many journalists? And when? Was the FM staff overloaded, understaffed, or simply unaware of the magnitude of the problem?



Asked why the Foreign Ministry did not hold a press conference before the engagement at sea, this journalist was told: "No one would come." But, that's the point.



A serious international incident was brewing, and Israel's Foreign Ministry didn't understand the complexity of the threat, or how to respond. The Prime Minister was on a speaking tour. Who is responsible for this mess?



The IHH had been banned from Israel some years earlier as part of the Union of Good, a terrorist organization, so Israel knew what was about to happen, or should have, yet, essentially did nothing, except send out a press release. Relying on journalists to pick up the story and research the IHH, the Israeli government failed to provide the background and the urgency of the situation.



Critical videos and official responses were provided only afterwards - untimely and inadequately.



That may explain why the International Herald-Tribune and the New York Times editorialized on June 14, 2010: "The Israelis claim that Insani Yardim Vakfi is a dangerous organization with terrorist links. They have yet to offer any evidence to support that charge." The Foreign Ministry has not responded.



A news item in the IHT on June 17 noted that "Israel added the Turkish pro-Palestinian group that sent an aid flotilla to Gaza last month to its terror watch list yesterday." "Yesterday?" What took them so long?



Israel's failure to prepare an adequate information campaign may also explain why the US State and Treasury Departments still do not have IHH on their terrorist warning radar.



Although the Israeli government asserted its concerns as the flotilla began, and sent out press releases, it treated the flotilla as a military objective, rather than political drama.



The Gaza-bound flotilla failed to deliver its supplies and supporters, but that was never its intention. Getting world attention and recognition, the IHH won the PR battle.



Who is responsible?







Posted at 08:29 AM