The Day In Israel: Monday June 14th, 2010

Today, the Israeli cabinet is set to approve the establishment of an independent public committee to investigate the IDF raid on the Gaza flotilla.

The announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office noted that the committee would be headed by former Supreme Court Justice Yaakov Tirkel. The committee will be comprised of professor of international law and Israel Prize laureate Shabtai Rosen, and Brigadier General (res.) Amos Horev, former president of Haifa’s Technion.

Two foreign observers will also be appointed: Lord William David Trimble, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and Ken Watkin, international lawyer and former judge advocate general for Canada. The observers will also take part in discussions and consultations.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the committee will:

1. Examine the security aspects of the naval blockade on Gaza and adjusting it in accordance with international law.
2. Examine Israel’s actions to enforce the naval blockade and prevent the international flotilla from reaching Gaza on May 31, 2010 with respect to international law.
3. Examine the actions of the organizers of the (Gaza) flotilla and identifying its participants.
4. Examine whether Israel’s process of looking into complaints of Israeli violations of the Laws of War – as was implemented during the said incident – corresponds with the country’s obligations vis-à-vis international law.

The PM said he was guided by two main principles in deciding on a public commission of inquiry into the Gaza sail events: “First of all, to maintain IDF soldiers’ free hand and protect the independence and credibility of the army’s operational probing body.

“Secondly, to provide a credible and independent response for questions raised by countries in the international community regarding the naval event and its compliance with international law norms,” he said.

Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)?

11:00PM: Help save Mosab Yousef. Details here.

10:58PM: PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has condemned today’s terror attack, characterizing it as a “disgraceful act.”

Because it harms palestinians interests.

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad denounced the shooting attack which took place south of Mt. Hebron Monday, calling it a “disgraceful act” and saying that the Palestinian Authority will continue to do all it can to prevent such incidents from taking place.

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Fayyad warned against deteriorating violence: “Past experience has proven that (violence) only hurts Palestinian interests and serves in favor of the Israeli settlement movement.”

The shooting, he added, contradicted the PA’s efforts to maintain Palestinian interests while living up to its obligations. “The Palestinian people is united in non-violent, pacifistic resistance against settlements, the occupation and the terrorist behavior of settlers.”

Terrorist behavior of “settlers”? Wow, talk about projection.

Meanwhile, the terror attack was perpetrated by Al Aqsa Martyr’s Brigades, affiliated with our Fatah “peace partners.”

9:22PM: Head Hamashole Ismail Haniyeh is apparently a real romantic.

Gaza government Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has reiterated his vow to find a Gaza wife for the Iraq journalist who threw a shoe at former US President George Bush, the Arabic language news site Elaph reported.

The Monday report said Haniyeh’s comments followed complaints from the journalist, Muntadhar Al-Zaidi, that the prime minister’s promise was “false propaganda,” and that he had yet to be hosted for his Gaza wedding.

In response, Haniyeh said “tell him [Al-Zaidi] that I am ready to host him in Gaza and take care of all his marriage expenses,” the news site quoted him as saying.

Al-Zaidi rose to prominence in 2008 after throwing his foot ware at Bush during his final news conference after a tour of Iraq and calling him a “dog.”

8:08PM: Real Hamas public advertisement warning people they will be killed if they look at porn, do drugs, or collaborate with Israel.

6:15PM: Last week, Iara Lee, a Brazilian-American filmmaker, posted one hour of unedited video online that shows the early stages of the Israeli commando raid on the Mavi Marmara.

While she seems to think it furthers the cause of those disputing Israel’s claims as to what transpired, it does nothing of the kind.

For a start, there is this bit of important information.

Since the camera was on a lower deck of the ship, it also shows but does not give a clear view of the violent confrontation and shootings that took place on the top deck of the ship, after Israeli commandos boarded from a helicopter and met with resistance from passengers on board. But the video, and accompanying audio, will help give a better sense of the timeline of the raid.

But more than that; as CIF Watch argues, it actually corroborates Israel’s version.

5:55PM: Quote of the day:

“Dark forces from the Middle Ages are raging against us. I have received calls from concerned officials in the Balkans and Eastern Europe who are very worried about these developments.”

“This committee strengthens our ability to fight in the international political arena. If we had done nothing, I assume we would have had worse problems in the world. There is a certain price we are paying, but under the present circumstances it is our best move.”

“The flotilla to Gaza was not a one-time thing. We find ourselves in the midst of a difficult and continuous battle against the State of Israel. The flood of hate is being led by Israel’s enemies all over the world.”

– Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu after announcing the establishment of the inquiry committee to probe the IDF’s flotilla raid.

5:38PM: More on Command Sergeant Major Yehoshua (Shuki) Sofer, the policeman killed by terrorists, including the fact he was to be married in 3 months time.

4:56PM: Separated at birth?

12:32PM: One of the policemen shot in the terror attack this morning has died of his wounds.

12:22PM: More than 1000 people have gathered in Sydney to show their support for Israel and the country’s “fight against terrorism.”

9:42AM: TERROR ATTACK: Terrorists have shot at a police vehicle outside of Hebron, wounding 4 officers, in what looks like a planned ambush.

Two of the policemen were shot in the chest, another was lightly injured from gunshots, and the fourth policeman was hurt by shrapnel. They have been evacuated by helicopter to Hadassa hospital in Jerusalem, with the most seriously injured in critical condition.

Police and IDF forces are combing the area for the terrorists.

5:48AM: Steven Colbert takes on the Gaza flotilla incident and talks to Israel’s ambassador to the US, Michael Oren.

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