Breaking News: Olmert Gets Something Right
Contrary to the Free Gaza tools’ claims that Israel backed down from threats to deny them entry to Gaza only after we realized we could not operate outside of Israel’s territorial waters, the real reason has emerged.
And in another flying pig moment, it looks like soon-not-to-be Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made a correct decision.
A boat carrying 27 far-left protesters docked in Gaza Wednesday morning, after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reversed course and decided against barring the vessel’s entrance.
This was the third small boat chartered by the US-based Free Gaza movement that has sailed from Cyprus to Gaza to draw attention to the Israeli blockade of the Strip.
Two other boats that set sail together in August were also let in by the Israeli authorities, who wanted to deny the protesters publicity.
Government officials said that a decision was taken “at the highest governmental levels” a number of days ago to stop this new boat and arrest the protesters.
But Olmert – after consultations with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi – changed the decision at the last moment, apparently concerned about the negative publicity.
Representatives of the National Information Directorate, as well as the media specialists at the Foreign Ministry, who were preparing for the boat to be intercepted at sea, were not involved in the consultations.
One senior government official said Israel’s decision to let the boat pass was made after it became clear exactly who and what were on the boat.
He also said Israel “wants to keep these agitators guessing, and not play into their hands.”
The official said that the decision to let the boat in Wednesday was made on a one-time basis, and did not represent a blanket policy. He added that no decision has been made whether Israel would allow the boat to sail back, as it did in August.
Now if the government would only take my advice. Which they don’t seem to be doing at this stage.
Olmert’s spokesman Mark Regev, meanwhile, said that the protesters and organizers of the boat were not the only ones who wanted a “free Gaza.”
“We are also interested in freeing Gaza,” Regev said. “We want to free the civilian population of the Gaza Strip from the authoritative, totalitarian, Taliban-type regime that is oppressing it.”
Acknowledging that the protesters and organizers of the boat want a “free Gaza” makes it sound like this is really all they want. We should be mentioning that really what they want is a”free palestine”, meaning the end of the state of Israel.
Filed Under: General
About the Author: An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.
You are right Dave. The best thing to do is to ignore these idiots. As long as Israel does not confront them, they will remain ineffective and a lot poorer. Stan
Why don't these protesters land in Cuba and free the Cuban people from the oppressive gov't of Castro. Or land in Zimbawbwe and free that country from Mugabe. Or land in Libya and free them free Qadaffi. Or North Korea from Kim Il Son. Etc… Cubans and the others have serious shortage of food and medicine. Give me a break. Gaza has a lower infant death rate than Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Egypt.
what israel really needs to do now is not let them out. let them "go hungry and starve" (http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/tony-blairs-sister-i...” target=”_blank”>with ” target=”_blank”>http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/tony-blairs-sister-i...with their new friends.
I am skeptical about their so-called "debt". I think they have a few wealthy donors and use the "debt" card to gain sympathy or possibly get some more $. They would not have done a second round if they were in debt.
I second that emotion.
I totally agree: the pictures of Lauren Booth bying her groceries in a fully stocked shop while stranded in Gaza couldn't have been a better demonstration of how wrong these idiots are …