Israel regrets the casualties on both sides of this tragic incident, although responsibility rests solely with Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization, and the participants who organized this flotilla. Israel labored intensely to persuade the demonstrators to convey the flotilla’s cargo to Israel where, after proper screening, it would be transferred to responsible parties in Gaza. Unfortunately, the organizers were not interested in providing humanitarian aid to the civilians of Gaza, but rather in staging a premeditated and highly publicized provocation of Israel.

Each day some 100 trucks, laden with food and medicine, enter Gaza from Israel. Israel has never banned such food and medicine from Gaza, but rather only those items that can assist Hamas in reinforcing its illegal rule, or enabling it to achieve its stated goal of destroying Israel. If Hamas, which has fired more than 7,000 rockets at Israeli civilians, would renounce violence and join the peace process, then Israel would gladly remove all such restrictions.

Israel regrets having to make these tough decisions and run the risk of incurring casualties. In intercepting the flotilla, Israel acted as any state, including the United States, would. But given the option of either running such risks or endangering the lives of its citizens, Israel has no choice.

74 people like this post.

Unlike

Every year, Israel allows over 100,000 tons of humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza through Israel.  Anyone wishing to donate aid to Gaza may do so by receiving proper permission (essentially filling out customs papers).  However, when a group claiming to want to give aid to the Palestinians, but refusing the Israeli offer to dock in Ashdod and have their shipment cleared for delivery, trouble was sure to ensue.

As the flotilla approached, the Israeli navy called for the boat to dock in Ashdod.  These calls were ignored.

Click here to view the video. (http://www.youtube.com/idfnadesk#p/a/u/0/qKOmLP4yHb4)

Israel was left with no choice by to react.

Once on board, the Israeli commandos discovered that the passengers on the biggest ship had awaited their arrival with bats, clubs, and slingshots with glass marbles, assaulting each soldier as he disembarked. The Israelis were nabbed one by one and were beaten up badly.  Only after an Israeli soldier sustained serious wounds, did the commandos get the order to use additional force.

Click here to read more about how the events on the boat unfolded. (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3896796,00.html)

32 people like this post.

Unlike

Yeshiva University Commencement Address

May 26, 2010

By Dr. Michael B. Oren

Ambassador of Israel

As many of you know, I came to the position of ambassador after many years of writing history. As an historian, I always said, my main job was making decisions.

How is that possible, you might ask—historians are decision-makers? What are they, prime ministers? No, an historian is not the prime minister, though some of them seem to think they’d do a better job. Historians are decision-makers because they are confronted with masses of information and from those masses must select the most relevant and compelling passages. continue reading…

3 people like this post.

Unlike

Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Michael B. Oren, gave a series of uplifting and enlightening words to this year’s graduating class at Brandeis University this past Sunday. The full text of his commencement speech appears below.

Brandeis University Commencement Address

May 23, 2010

Dr. Michael B. Oren

Ambassador of Israel

People—young people especially—seem fascinated with the fact that I was a paratrooper. “Cool,” they say, “How many times did you jump?” But invariably I disappoint them. “I rarely jumped,” I say. “Most times, two large gentlemen on either side of the door pushed me out.”

You, too, now stand at the door—outside the darkness is howling, you’re far from the ground with a chute that you hope will properly open. At such anxious times, it helps to think back and remember the transformative moments in your life—we all have them—that inspired or motivated you and animated your dreams. A transformative moment, perhaps, brought to you to this open door you’re about to exit. continue reading…

Like

Unlike

Appearing in today’s Miami Herald, Ofer Bavly, Consul General of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico explains why the peace process is so important, stating “time does not favor us as radicalism continues to spread around the world.” With the proximity talks, mediated by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, having just recently started, Mr. Bavly notes that the “constant obstacle to peace is the weakness of the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (P.A.) and the violent takeover of the Palestinian Gaza Strip by the Iran-backed Hamas terror organization.”

While Palestinian leadership refuses to meet with Israeli officials directly, “only realism and a courageous Palestinian leadership will lead to direct talks, to the creation of mutual trust and ultimately to true and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

To read more, check out the full Op-Ed in the Miami Herald by clicking here.

2 people like this post.

Unlike

Peace is a vision that we all share, a vision of two states—Jewish and Palestinian living side-by-side free of the fear of violence and further territorial claims. But realizing that vision will require painful sacrifices. But while our arms are extended in peace  Israel is faced with another battle, namely  the escalating campaign to deny it legitimacy—to strip Israel of its right to defend itself, even its right to exist.

We are all familiar with the Goldstone report, the spurious charge-sheet compiled by a UN council that has condemned Israel more frequently than all other countries—Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Libya—combined; the report that found Israel guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity even before it began its deliberations; the tribunal whose so-called judges included one who claimed that Hamas had only fired “one or two rockets” into Israel and that the Jews dominated British foreign policy. continue reading…

5 people like this post.

Unlike