EU ambassadors were holding emergency talks this afternoon to discuss the deaths of a reported 15 people on boats off the coast of Gaza by Israeli forces.
Britain is being represented at the gathering of experts on the EU Political and Security Committee, by Tim Barrow for what was described as "an exchange of views".
One official said it was impossible to predict what stance, if any, the 27-nation meeting would make.
Meanwhile, European Parliament official said there were no Euro-MPs aboard the boats heading for Gaza which were intercepted by Israeli forces.
But the leader of the centre-right European People's Party in the European Parliament, Joseph Daul, commented: "We are shocked with the Israeli military operation that resulted in the loss of so many lives and the number of persons injured. We extend our sincerest sympathies to the families of those killed and injured.
"Many questions have to be answered, such as what is the explanation for such an excessive use of force? Was there a life-threatening resistance to justify the use of live ammunition?"
Martin Schulz, leader of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, said: "The use of lethal force against civilians on these ships is unacceptable. Israel has crossed a line in the military action shown on our television screens today.
"We now demand safeguards for the people who have been taken into captivity by Israeli forces. The international community must make its revulsion clear to the Israeli authorities."
Socialist MEP Veronique de Keyser, who returned on Friday from a delegation to Gaza, said: "We must now require Israel to lift the blockade of Gaza completely. This incident has taken us to a point of no return."
The leader of the Liberal Democrats in Europe, Guy Verhofstadt, said the facts of the incident remained unclear.
"A full and independent inquiry into the events that led up to the incident is vital to establish the truth and prevent further recrimination or retaliation," he said.
"At the root of the issue is the ongoing human tragedy on the ground in Gaza, currently exacerbated by the blockade of goods and aid to the needy. This policy helps no-one and is counterproductive to the cause of building a sustainable peace in the region. It needs to change."
He added: "Whether intentional or not, the humanitarian aid flotilla has drawn international attention once again to the problem facing Israel and the international community in resolving one of the worlds most intractable conflicts."
Re: Deaths as Israel Storms Gaza Aid Ship
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 4:06 pm
by HamCrescendo
Fucking foul. Even if the ship was going to ignore Israel's orders to deliver aid only though the Israeli government, is that just call for shooting upon unarmed civillians, especially when they were still in international waters?
Goes beyond Israel-Palestine
Re: Deaths as Israel Storms Gaza Aid Ship
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 4:07 pm
by Motorway to Roswell
danrev wrote:Fucking foul. Even if the ship was going to ignore Israel's orders to deliver aid only though the Israeli government, is that just call for shooting upon unarmed civillians, especially when they were still in international waters?
Goes beyond Israel-Palestine
They even put up a white flag and they carried on the attack.
Israel's attack on the MV Blue Mamara, a Turkish vessel, means they just attacked a member of NATO. According to the NATO Charter, Article 5
The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.
If you think there is wiggle room in that definition, you would be mistaken. Article 6 is explicit about where attacks will trigger responses. Vessels in the Mediterranean Sea are mentioned explicitly.
* 8ackgr0und N015e's diary :: ::
*
Article 6 (1)
For the purpose of Article 5, an armed attack on one or more of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack:
on the territory of any of the Parties in Europe or North America, on the Algerian Departments of France (2), on the territory of or on the Islands under the jurisdiction of any of the Parties in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer;
on the forces, vessels, or aircraft of any of the Parties, when in or over these territories or any other area in Europe in which occupation forces of any of the Parties were stationed on the date when the Treaty entered into force or the Mediterranean Sea or the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer.
(1) The definition of the territories to which Article 5 applies was revised by Article 2 of the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the accession of Greece and Turkey signed on 22 October 1951.
(2) On January 16, 1963, the North Atlantic Council noted that insofar as the former Algerian Departments of France were concerned, the relevant clauses of this Treaty had become inapplicable as from July 3, 1962.
If the former Soviet Union had attacked a NATO vessel in the Mediterranean, we know what would have happened. Of course, that never happened for obvious reasons. In fact, Article 5 was never invoked until the attack on the WTC and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. After 9/11, the US invoked Article 5 for the first time in the history of NATO. That's why NATO forces are still in Afghanistan.
Attacking vessels on the high seas is not the sort of thing people ignore. When the PLO boarded a vessel (the Achille Lauro) and took it over, killing one of the passengers (Leon Klinghoffer), the UN responded by redefining piracy. Nations cannot be guilty of piracy -- by definition. However, this certainly seems to be a criminal act at a minimum. Some might even consider it an act of war. The question now is whether an Israeli attack on the MV Blue Mamara, a Turkish vessel, and thus a vessel of a NATO member, in the Mediterranean Sea leads Turkey to invoke its rights under Article 5 of the NATO Treaty.
The US media is very slow to cover this early on, while Europe and even Ha'aretz is giving this front page coverage.
I wonder if Rahm is still in Israel? This certainly has the potential to develop into an ugly confrontation.
Re: Deaths as Israel Storms Gaza Aid Ship
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 4:14 pm
by jigglypuff
danrev wrote:Fucking foul. Even if the ship was going to ignore Israel's orders to deliver aid only though the Israeli government, is that just call for shooting upon unarmed civillians, especially when they were still in international waters?
Goes beyond Israel-Palestine
Im pretty appalled at the act of the Israeli army/government but what does worry me is that it took my place in international waters... Israel having a complete disregard for international law, what is that supposed to show the behaviour of western nations and developing powers (china), that its OK to conduct military action anywhere you'd like??
Re: Deaths as Israel Storms Gaza Aid Ship
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 4:35 pm
by Coppola
There was a protest outside Downing Street which started at 2 O'Clock this afternoon.
Re: Deaths as Israel Storms Gaza Aid Ship
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 4:43 pm
by BaronVon
Absolutely disgusting behaviour. The international community needs to stand up and take action. If they get away with this shit terrorism is going to skyrocket throughout the world.
Surely they can't get away with firing on civilian aid workers in international waters??
Though if their past crimes are anything to go by i have a feeling they will.
Re: Deaths as Israel Storms Gaza Aid Ship
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 4:45 pm
by Coppola
Coppola wrote:There was a protest outside Downing Street which started at 2 O'Clock this afternoon.
Just saw on the news that it is still going strong.
All London heads, get down there!
Re: Deaths as Israel Storms Gaza Aid Ship
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 4:58 pm
by esfandyar
Yeah this was devastating. Absolutely unbelivable.
