It's an interesting segue to write about my trip to Istanbul and then comment on today's events. But, especially after speaking with some friends and my parents, I felt I couldn't stay silent.
Most importantly, as President Obama said, we need to know the FACTS. We're still working on that. But, I didn't know that humanitarian/peace activists believe in using the following methods to demonstrate their point:
- Ignoring the international sign for non-violence: The White Flag
- Metal poles
- Knives
- Chairs
- Fire bombs
- Stun grenades
- Kidnapping
- Lynching
While I mourn for the 10-20 who are dead and wish for the speedy recovery of all who are injured, when all is said and done I hope the world will judge this event appropriately.
Lastly, I'd like to share a document that I received at a Free Gaza event in Istanbul three weeks ago as they were preparing for the departure of the Flotilla (which we saw in the port):
Take note that this organization does not even recognize the sovereign State of Israel. How can we discuss peace, if we do not even exist?! Most interestingly, when I asked the activist who was distributing the material about the historical accuracy of the maps, especially the 1946 version, which should be listed as the British Mandate, he replied: "I don't really know much about this, I'm just handing out the papers." Maybe the Nobel laureates, legislators, and activists should have checked their facts and studied history BEFORE they boarded the Flotilla.
Since others can say it much better than I, please check out the following:
As always, your comments are welcomed.
~Adi
