I can only make a bow with folded hands to the 682 men, women and some children from more than 30 nations who bravely boarded the small flotilla of ships that embarked from Istanbul to take a modest 1000 tons of aid to the besieged citizens of Gaza.
It takes courage and determination to make a hazardous journey across the Mediterranean, even in international waters, and journey past the IDF (Israeli Defence Force), whose army units have over many years displayed indiscipline, engaged in merciless treatment of perceived threats and violated all human rights at every level.
Diplomats, authors, humanitarians, social workers, aid representatives, NGOs, Muslims, Jews Christians, Buddhists, Members of Parliament were among those making the journey to Gaza.
Despite a thorough check of goods loaded at the Turkish port of embarkation, as well Israel having the best relationships between Israel and any Islamic nation, we still feared for the worst when the Israeli navy summarily and illegally boarded the ships to force the captain and crew to turn to Ashdod for inspection. There was nothing threatening found on any of the ships, of course.
Those of us who have years of connection with the region had guessed that once the ships left Turkey, the Israeli commandos would be plotting a military assault on the flotilla using helicopters, gunboats and heavily armed soldiers willing to cause suffering.
It appears that some passengers picked up a stick each. This appears to have given licence for IDF commandos to open fire, whether under orders or out of sheer indisciplined panic, leaving the decks of the main ship, Mavi Marmara, covered in blood.
Israeli commandos shot dead nine Turkish civilians allegedly fired upon from both the helicopters hovering above the ship, as well as from the soldiers on board. Soldiers are alleged to have beaten up other passengers, captain of a ship, smashed a cameraman in the eye, wounded others and terrorised other passengers. We heard from eyewitnesses who alleged that Israeli soldiers allowed some of those nine who died to bleed to death on the ship. There is no disputing that passengers were killed and wounded.
Every Saturday in Britain, drunks regularly abuse and attack unarmed British police officers with broken bottles, sticks and stones. British police have had some training in anger management. We don’t read in our newspapers of the police shooting these violent drunks dead at point blank range. It would appear that IDF shows little regard for human life including those acting out compassion. (I am aware of the 1972 massacre by British Army in Northern Ireland. The public inquiry took until this month with 2500 witnesses and 35 soldiers giving evidence to acknowledge that the soldiers shot dead 13 citizens protesting without weapons).
The Israeli government then announced it would conduct an inquiry into the killings and maiming on board the main ship of the flotilla. That is like asking the alleged war criminals to conduct an investigation into their alleged crimes. Have Israeli citizens whether IDF or extreme Zionist settler been convicted for killing and maiming Palestinians and given normal sentence for such crimes? Is there a history of accountability?
Any photos or film shown of the killing of the passengers came from one side. Views came from both sides. We need a public and independent inquiry to include all passengers and commandoes, their commanding officers and government ministers to see where the responsibility lies. The inquiry needs full access to all medical reports, post mortem examination, number of bullets used on a passenger, what distance, where they were fired from, what arms employed and what means used for wounds inflicted on passengers, as well as questioning of all Israeli commandoes involved. I firmly believe in inquiry as the best means to know what happened.
President Obama and the US government say nothing and do nothing. Just like Bush, Clinton, Bush sir. Reagan before. Once again, it is ordinary people from the international community who come together to find ways to relieve the terrible suffering of people trapped in the world’s biggest open prison.
It is a small comfort for them but the Palestinians know they have the world’s sympathy. There are Israeli citizens who are equalled horrifed at the actions of the IDF and oppression by the ongoing Israeli government. One Israeli Dharm friend emailed me: “That was an appalling incident – one of many where I am dismayed and outraged by the behaviour of my government. I went demonstrating outside the Prime Minister’s home.” I share the same feelings as the person who wrote to me. We can’t just sit on our meditation cushions and say nothing, as if such acts of violence had nothing to do with the Four Noble Truths. I am not overlooking the violence endorsed by certain Hamas leaders.
I only hope that there will be more brave souls setting forth in more flotillas of ships to support the Palestinian community until the walls of their ghettos come crashing down and the brutal treatment of an aspiring nation ends.