Opinion
Sovereignty under attack
Yehuda Wegman
Published: 14.06.10, 17:28
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
83 Talkbacks for this article
1. Bad PR because only 10 terrorists were killed
Nigel ,   London, UK   (06.14.10)
If 59 were killed everyonr will be on Israel side.
2. VERY VERY GOOD !!!.
Arn. ,   SWEDEN.   (06.14.10)
In addition, regardless of whether we are dealing with a self-righteous ally or a wicked enemy, Israel must respond to any demand made of it with an immediate, identical counter-demand – this is how a sovereign state should act. Those who try to justify themselves make the accusers respect them even less, TO ANSWES ONES ACCUSERS, MAKE ONE TO FALL BEFORE THEM. IF ONE IS RIGHTOUS BEFORE ONESELF, THE ACCUSERS SHOULD BE TOLD TO GO TO HELL !!!. Arn.
3. Most accurate ant truthful opinion article to appear on ynet
yo yo ,   Brooklyn, USA   (06.14.10)
Please follow this up with more courageous articles in order to give strength to Am Yisroel
4. Very good article
Frank ,   Canada   (06.14.10)
Most can be done. Israel must lobby for an international investigation of all Arab crimes committed against Israel since the creation of the State and even before. This should take UN busy for at least 200 years. Israel should also anticipate propaganda moves of Arabs and destroy them by a counter-propaganda or prevently.
5. International waters?
Sammy ,   NYC   (06.14.10)
From this article it's clear, the hysterical responses from the hasbara machine continue. Let me not address every fallacy of the article here, although there are many. Let's just take one very simple issue -- a matter of law. How does one reconcile the claim that all that was done with attacking the flotilla was justified, with the fact that this was done in international waters. Surely no threat was made to Israeli sovereignty if the boats were in open waters? So even if the boat was full of "terrorists" (which it was not - there is ample evidence that those killed, largely men in their 40s, against this lie) the attack made by Israel was stupid and illegal. So why not address this basic issue in your article?
6. Great Article
Johnny ,   Nazareth   (06.14.10)
The best article post-flotilla I've read till now! Israel must act. Silence means that our government approves the Israel haters and terrorists acts! If necessary elections must be held.
7. Yes, agree
Yossef ,   Rehovot, Israel   (06.14.10)
and may be we must insist for an inquiry into the turkish government for its involvement in the sending of this flotilla.
8. WOW Love it:!
Arrow   (06.14.10)
Finally someone who knows why, where, when and what to say! That's the spirit! (those in power, take notes)
9. #5 International waters
Sol ,   Toronto   (06.14.10)
Sorry that argument just will not fly. Before pontificating you should read the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea. The law is actually pretty clear that where there is a declared naval blockade interception of vessels that specifically express a desire to break the blockade can occur in international waters, and if the ships or persons on the ships resist inspection they can be attacked - lawfully. For proof just look at other blockades and recent ship interceptions having nothing to do with Israel.
10. Sammy in NY
legalese   (06.14.10)
There is nothing illegal about intercepting a ship in international waters if it is clear its intention is to breach a legitimate naval blockade. Israel and Hamas are in a state of war. The ship has declared intention to breach the naval blockade and refused to turn away. This interception was absolutely legal under international law. Before you ask stupid questions, do some research - otherwise you only embarass yourself with your ignorance.
11. how about...
Rob R ,   New York, USA   (06.14.10)
Israel demand an inquiry of the Turkish government and their collusion with IHH. Where did they get the money? Where did they get their permits? Who authorized the voyage? Eye for an eye is what they called it, I believe. Agree - this is a bad mood, and a bad precedent. What happened to Israeli resolve and not giving into the rest of the world? This leftist tide is temporary, and the Israelis just need to power through it. The elections in the Netherlands and UK are the beginning of the end of it. Hang tough.
12. No self-respecting nation would do this.
Steve   (06.14.10)
Mr. Wegman is right. No other nation does what Israel's leaders are doing. No other nation feels obligated to justify its self-defense in the face of dedicated, mortal enemies like Israel's enemies. No other self-respecting nation worries what other nations think of them when they defend themselves. Israel's leaders are behaving as though they are "galut" Jews. "Galut mentality" is often used derisively to refer to diaspora Jews who will not support or defend Israel out of fear of what non-Jews will think. Galut Jews seek to appease, to apologize or to justify their acts self-defense when they know they are in the right. This self-abasement whets the appetites of Israel's enemies who will only intensify their immoral demands and issue further denunciations.
13. Important Lesson
Ehoop ,   UK   (06.14.10)
14. You don't seem to care much about Palestinians' sovereignty
(06.14.10)
Why should anyone care about yours?
15. to #14
Michael ,   New York   (06.14.10)
There is not now, nor has there EVER been such a thing as Palestinian sovereignty in the history of the world. Do some reading and research before posting stupid comments.
16. Yehuda Wegman
Joshua ,   USA   (06.14.10)
Very well said. I only wish the shmucks in power will take notice and cancel the comission of inquiry, thus restoring Israel's dignity and pride!
17. Agreed!
Allan ,   Ft Lauderdale   (06.14.10)
18. To: No. 14
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (06.14.10)
Palestine is not a sovereign state. (Please see the second paragraph of the post at No. 10.)
19. Stop
(06.15.10)
killers,pirates,warmungers
20. Is the Blockade of Gaza Illegal?
k1w1 ,   NZ   (06.15.10)
The very people defending Israel’s right to intercept these vessels are the same ones who have been insisting that Israel no longer occupies the Gaza Strip since the withdrawal of its colonists and occupation forces from the territory in 2005. If that were really the case, however, Israel would have no legal right to prevent ships entering Gaza’s waters. You can’t have it both ways. You can either acknowledge that the Gaza Strip remains occupied territory since Israel has it under a sea blockade, or you can acknowledge that the ships have a right to enter Gaza’s port unimpeded.
21. blockade
Leo ,   usa   (06.15.10)
US. President Roosevelt, blockade Japan and Pres. John Kennedy blocked Russia to Cuba because under international law it is allowed. So Israel did, and does the same but the world says it's not right. Hipocrocy of the world leaders. Face it. Israel don't have any friends in the world so why worry what the world says?
22. heros vs Terrorists
MO ,   Haifa/Palestine   (06.15.10)
the ship has no weapons ,cleared at several ports on the way and then nothing was found after the incident . the reactions of the activists on board was very normal ,just like the reactions of the Passengers on board of the (9/11 ) flight over pennsylvania ..in both cases civilians were attacked by armed men illegally without provocation ..that was the proper response ... in both cases they were Heros . what about the international water issue ,that is big . and finally ,the Goal was to kill Raed Salah and blame it on the Turks . a state led by Pirates and Bandits ..is what you Become .
23. Beauty in simplicity...great article!
Mark ,   Lodz, Poland   (06.15.10)
24. Is the Blockade of Gaza Illegal or Not?
k1w1 ,   NZ   (06.15.10)
The very people defending Israel’s right to intercept these vessels are the same ones who have been insisting that Israel no longer occupies the Gaza Strip since the withdrawal of its colonists and occupation forces from the territory in 2005. If that were really the case, however, Israel would have no legal right to prevent ships entering Gaza’s waters. You can’t have it both ways. You can either acknowledge that the Gaza Strip remains occupied territory since Israel has it under a sea blockade, or you can acknowledge that the ships have a right to enter Gaza’s port unimpeded.
25. age of israil
................ ,   ...................   (06.15.10)
62 years initiated by un it is okey but any other un law against israil will be blabla soverignetotati oh . oh .. you must agree with international decisions not forced one only
26. To: No. 20
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (06.15.10)
You are forgetting that Gaza is non-sovereign territory. Israel acquired Gaza in 1967 in the course of fighting a defensive war against Egypt (you will recall that Nasser closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli commercial shipping in late May 1967; that constitutes a casus belli under all recognized international convention. Israel's strike on June 5, 1967 was purely retaliatory; Nasser had already declared war upon Israel). So Israel is really the only nation in the region with any right of exercise over Gaza. Moreover, Gaza has been engaged in constant acts of belligerence against Israel since even before Israel's pullout. Israel exercises a declared embargo and blockade, and one which is fully legal under all recognized international convention. The ships do not have a right to enter Gaza's port unimpeded because Gaza is not a state and has no state port rights except those which Israel is willing to grant. Because of the sheer volume of weapons and other contraband that have in the past entered Gaza, Israel has chosen to seal the port. I trust it has not escaped your notice that the United States maintains a blockade and embargo over Cuba to this day. The United States and South Korea have imposed a blockade and embargo over North Korea. Similarly, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia maintain a blockade and embargo over Myanmar. I assure you that there is no "humanitarian crisis" in Gaza. The same cannot be said for North Korea (deep in the throes of a devastating famine) and Myanmar (the U.S., U.K. and Australia did not even lift the embargo following the devastating cyclone that destroyed much of Myanmar several years ago. So if the United States, the Untied Kingdom and Australia have a perfect legal right to embargo and blockade a sovereign state which has not engaged in military acts against any of the three blockading nations and which is thousands of miles from their shores -- I assure you that Israel has a perfect right to exercise a blockade and an embargo over a violent non-sovereign population right next door. Of course we can have it both ways. That's the point to imposing a blockade and an embargo. Duh.
27. #15 But there could be Palestinian sovereignty
(06.15.10)
and if you want to suppress it then don't be surprised that others want to suppress yours.
28. To: No. 27
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (06.15.10)
Well, yes, there could be Palestinian sovereignty. Unfortunately, however, the Palestinians have rejected the offer of a two-state solution on no fewer than three occasions -- including one which would have awarded them over 90% of the West Bank and East Jerusalem as a capital. They are not interested in a two-state solution. They want the whole thing. The Arabs have tried six wars (in which they were the aggressor each time; each time they lost) and the Palestinians have engaged in sixty-two years of unrelenting terror on a global scale in their effort to dislodge the State of Israel. That's just not going to happen. So I guess the Palestinians will never be a sovereign people. They don't want it. They've proven it often enough. The Palestinians have a record of bad choices and bad decisions that is probably unparalleled in human history. Still -- we all make choices; we have to live with the consequences of those choices. So do the Palestinians. The world isn't going to fix their mistakes for them. You cannot put toothpaste back into the tube. The Palestinians have always been the architects of their situation. They have sown the wind. Now they have to reap the whirlwind.
29. #26. Sarah B.
k1w1 ,   NZ   (06.15.10)
I don’t agree with any blockade. I don’t think any embargo or blockade used as a tool to force policy change has ever been successful - I can’t think of one. Can you? Sarah, you are being disingenuous when you try and compare the suffering of innocent people in Burma and North Korea with the plight of innocent Palestinians in Gaza. Innocent people in those places are suffering because of atrocities committed on them by their own leaders, not because of any embargo or blockade. Also, other blockades do not prevent international humanitarian aid entering the targeted countries. The same cannot be said about Gaza. The leaders of Hamas, in spite of being culpable of many things, are not responsible for the suffering of innocent Palestinians in Gaza - the blockade imposed and enforced by Israel is responsible for that. The Gaza blockade, which Israel claims is to keep Israel secure by keeping weapons out of Gaza (that is, when Israel’s leaders aren’t joking about it “putting the Palestinians on a diet”) restricts 75% of all manner of goods entering Gaza and 100% of all exports out of Gaza. Also, according to the UN World Food Programme, 80% of Gazans, half of who are under 18yrs old, now depend on humanitarian aid and a bare minimum of 400 truckloads per week is required but Israel has allowed only an average of 171 trucks per week to enter Gaza. As a direct result of these harsh measures, 10% of children under 5yrs old in Gaza suffer from malnutrition and anaemia for children under the age of 5yrs is estimated at 48%. How does causing small children in Gaza to be sick and starving help make Israel more secure? How does restricting all exports out of Gaza help prevent weapons getting into Gaza? The blockade by Israel is not about keeping weapons out of Gaza. Israel has long been a world leader in the detection and prevention of cross-border weapons transfer, which is why weapons have always been smuggled into Gaza through tunnels. And weapons are still being smuggled into Gaza through those tunnels, just as they were before the blockade. The blockade of Gaza, along with Hamas suddenly being put on the list of terrorist organisations even though they had been in existence for 18yrs, was imposed only after the free election of 2006 when the people of Gaza voted for Hamas instead of (Israeli-endorsed) Fatah. This all points to the blockade of Gaza actually being collective punishment on the Palestinians of Gaza by Israel’s the dark regime - and collective punishment most definitely is illegal… by civilised standards anyway. Hopefully by your standards, too.
30. Obfuscation of true intent of the blockade
John R ,   NYC USA   (06.15.10)
If the problem was stopping weapons from reaching Hamas, Israel could maintain a moral high ground. What does the control of food, medicine, water ,power ,reconstruction material etc. have to do with self defense? No one is suggesting the materials found on these ships was weapons. Gaza today receives less than a quarter of the goods they received prior to the embargo. Some Israeli politicians have suggested you are putting Gaza on a diet. Fully 48% of the children in Gaza are now anemic. Operation Cast Lead destoyed the Namur well complex causing 95% of their ground water to be tained. Israel killed 31,000 chickens by bulldozing them. Is that for self defense?The world is condemning Israel because you are violating article 33 of the Geneva Convention through collective punishment. Your actions are breeding terrorists some of which are fighting America in Afganistan.
Next talkbacks
Back to article