Hamas Flotilla Captain Arrested on Felony Charge in Greece

[epicSocialism4tw]

"ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities have arrested the captain of a boat that part of a Gaza-bound flotilla trying to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, officials said Saturday.

The 60-year-old captain, whose name was not released by authorities, was being held at Piraeus police headquarters and will remain there until a court hearing Tuesday.

Greece’s coast guard said the captain of the “Audacity of Hope” faces charges of trying to leave port without permission and of endangering the lives of the boat’s passengers. The latter charge is a felony."

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/greece-arrests-gaza-bound-boat-captain-of-the-audacity-of-hope/

[cutthemdown]

Smart move by the authorities to head this off before it becomes some incident at sea.

[mhgaffney]

Epic is a liar.

The captain is a peace activist and has nothing to do with Hamas. Epic's thread smacks of the usual Zionist distortion of the facts.

If Epic understood his own Christian religion he would be supporting the flotilla --

[cutthemdown]

Israel allows trucking into GAZA, it isn't enough but if they worked with them a little on HAMAS it would increase back to pre blockade levels. No way Israel is allowing ships to come in just yet. The activists would be better off using the trucks to get the donated aid into the country. Really the flotilla is a political move. Come GAFF even you have to agree the way to stop bloodshed was just what Greece did, stop them from leaving. That was a responsible move by the authorities there to avert a showdown at sea where innocent peace activists will try and make an incident out of it. They will attack and Israeli attempt to board and shots will be fired. This is a great decision.

I also think though Obama should work more to just let the trucking increase, then saying give back land. Work in little steps to improve the lives of the people there, instead of how Hamas does. Keeping them in poverty in the hopes of hitting a home run someday and getting all the demands met. Just my opinion. Go ahead and post any good aid organizations that don't have terror ties and I will donate some money for the Palestinian cause this yr. There has to be at least one that only deals in food right? :)

[epicSocialism4tw]

http://www.flotillafacts.com/

[mhgaffney]

Israel allows trucking into GAZA, it isn't enough but if they worked with them a little on HAMAS it would increase back to pre blockade levels. No way Israel is allowing ships to come in just yet. The activists would be better off using the trucks to get the donated aid into the country. Really the flotilla is a political move. Come GAFF even you have to agree the way to stop bloodshed was just what Greece did, stop them from leaving. That was a responsible move by the authorities there to avert a showdown at sea where innocent peace activists will try and make an incident out of it. They will attack and Israeli attempt to board and shots will be fired. This is a great decision.

I also think though Obama should work more to just let the trucking increase, then saying give back land. Work in little steps to improve the lives of the people there, instead of how Hamas does. Keeping them in poverty in the hopes of hitting a home run someday and getting all the demands met. Just my opinion. Go ahead and post any good aid organizations that don't have terror ties and I will donate some money for the Palestinian cause this yr. There has to be at least one that only deals in food right? :)

BS. You fail to understand Zionism. You cannot work with the Zionists. They are Stalinists. They are not interest in compromise and will brook no dissent.

You have forgotten the Oslo Peace Process. At that time the PLO tried in good faith to work with the Zionists -- and they were betrayed. Israel promised to halt building new settlements -- then continued building them anyway. They lied.

The Zionists made a so called peace offer to Arafat that would have created a number of isolated Bantustans in the West Bank -- surrounded by razor wire and Israeli checkpoints. When Arafat refused to sign onto their offer -- they demonized him in the US press -- which the Zionists largely control.

Americans were told that Arafat had wrecked the peace deal. Clinton also played along with this sick lie -- which was nonetheless very effective from the standpoint of propaganda. The average American swallowed the lie -- and judging from the posts on this board -- they (you) still believe it.

The actual voice of the Palestinian people is rarely heard here in the US. We are fed half truths and lies -- mostly lies.

The only strategy that will work is to put political pressure on the Zionists to abide by the UN Security Council Resolutions on Palestine -- which call for an immediate withdrawal from territories seized in the 1967 war.

This is why Jewish peace groups are calling for a boycott of Israeli products - and for a suspension of US aid to Israel. Continued aid must be made conditional. Nothing else will work.

The Zionist control of the US Congress is ironic -- because the state of Israel is in truth totally dependent on the US.

The last president to apply pressure was HW Bush -- in around 1990-91. The Mossad responded by hatching a plot to assassinate Bush in Madrid. Fortunately, the renegade Mossad agent Victor Ostrovsky -- got wind of the plot and warned the White House.

The Israelis will stop at nothing to achieve their political ends. And I mean nothing. You naive people do not understand what you are up against. You need to wake up.

[epicSocialism4tw]

BS. You fail to understand Zionism. You cannot work with the Zionists. They are Stalinists. They are not interest in compromise and will brook no dissent.

You have forgotten the Oslo Peace Process. At that time the PLO tried in good faith to work with the Zionists -- and they were betrayed. Israel promised to halt building new settlements -- then continued building them anyway. They lied.

The Zionists made a so called peace offer to Arafat that would have created a number of isolated Bantustans in the West Bank -- surrounded by razor wire and Israeli checkpoints. When Arafat refused to sign onto their offer -- they demonized him in the US press -- which the Zionists largely control.

Americans were told that Arafat had wrecked the peace deal. Clinton also played along with this sick lie -- which was nonetheless very effective from the standpoint of propaganda. The average American swallowed the lie -- and judging from the posts on this board -- they (you) still believe it.

The actual voice of the Palestinian people is rarely heard here in the US. We are fed half truths and lies -- mostly lies.

You're right. We arent told that Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and Iran have discriminated against the Palestinians and deny them citizenship in their own countries. The Israelis provided them a home until radical islamofascists and Iran started using the Palestinians as a way to launch terrorist attacks inside Israel.

[mhgaffney]

You're right. We arent told that Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and Iran have discriminated against the Palestinians and deny them citizenship in their own countries. The Israelis provided them a home until radical islamofascists and Iran started using the Palestinians as a way to launch terrorist attacks inside Israel.

You need to show some humility and acknowledge that you are basically at square one -- and have no familiarity with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict./

[sirhcyennek81]

BS. 1. You fail to understand Zionism. You cannot work with the Zionists. 2. They are Stalinists. They are not interest in compromise and will brook no dissent.

You have forgotten the Oslo Peace Process.3. At that time the PLO tried in good faith to work with the Zionists -- and they were betrayed. Israel promised to halt building new settlements -- then continued building them anyway. They lied.

The Zionists made a so called peace offer to Arafat that would have created a number of isolated Bantustans in the West Bank -- surrounded by razor wire and Israeli checkpoints. 4. When Arafat refused to sign onto their offer -- they demonized him in the US press -- which the Zionists largely control.
5. Americans were told that Arafat had wrecked the peace deal. Clinton also played along with this sick lie -- which was nonetheless very effective from the standpoint of propaganda. The average American swallowed the lie -- and judging from the posts on this board -- they (you) still believe it.

The actual voice of the Palestinian people is rarely heard here in the US. We are fed half truths and lies -- mostly lies.

6. The only strategy that will work is to put political pressure on the Zionists to abode by the UN Security Council Resolutions on Palestine -- which call for an immediate withdrawal from territories seized in the 1967 war.

The last president to apply pressure was HW Bush -- in around 1990-91. The Mossad responded by hatching a plot to assassinate Bush in Madrid. Fortunately, the renegade Mossad agent Victor Ostrovsky -- got wind of it and warned the White House.

7. The Israelis will stop at nothing to achieve their political ends. And I mean nothing.
You naive people do not understand what you are up against. 8. You need to wake up.


1. According to you, Zionism is Godless. Yet Zionism in its purest form is establishing a Jewish state according to God's law. Do you not see the contradiction in declaring a group godless and then bashing them for establishing a "biblical state"?

2. Says the guy who is repeating the "western colonizers" line that came from the Kremlin to forment communist revolutions in former colonial areas.

3. Arafat said the Oslo peace accords were an opportunity to pretend to peace while his grip on the PLO tightened, as well as put themselves in a better tactical situation against Israel. If you understood Islam, you would know that.

4. Odd how Arafat outright stole aid and you accuse us of lying about him. He is dead. He doesnt care if you carry water for him, gaff.

5. He did.

6. Which seems oddly out of whack about Israel. The UN can ignore North Korean, Iranian, Syrian and Libyan weapon programs but sees no issue condemning Israel for existing.

7. Glad to see you stopped using the Zionist pretense. Admitting you are a nazi is the first step to realizing how ****ed up you are.

8. For a man who criticizes other people's Christianity its amazing how blind you are to scriptural reality.

Stop being a dick, you waste of space.

:Broncos:

[epicSocialism4tw]

You need to show some humility and acknowledge that you are basically at square one -- and have no familiarity with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict./

You need to show some humility and aknowledge that you have sold your self down the river to shill for this Iranian and Hamas cause.

[barryr]

Strange how Israel doesn´t seem to want those that want them dead to sail into their country and/or supply arms to terrorist groups. How dare Israel want to be left alone and not have bombs lobbed at them daily. I am sure the terrorist groups will play fair, since they are really for peace and love, and not try to smuggle weapons onto supposed humantarian ventures.

[cutthemdown]

You can see that the flotilla is not about food and medicine when Gaff gets upset. Once I talked about trucking and how they should use that to get medicine in he goes off about how this is about freedom! See its not about food its about trying to force the Israeli hand. The activists only put the food and medicine on there to make a point. If they really cared about that cargo they would not have put it on those boats. They knew in reality the boats would never reach the Palestinians.

[barryr]

You can see that the flotilla is not about food and medicine when Gaff gets upset. Once I talked about trucking and how they should use that to get medicine in he goes off about how this is about freedom! See its not about food its about trying to force the Israeli hand. The activists only put the food and medicine on there to make a point. If they really cared about that cargo they would not have put it on those boats. They knew in reality the boats would never reach the Palestinians.

Great point! :thumbsup:

[mhgaffney]

Strange how Israel doesn´t seem to want those that want them dead to sail into their country and/or supply arms to terrorist groups. How dare Israel want to be left alone and not have bombs lobbed at them daily. I am sure the terrorist groups will play fair, since they are really for peace and love, and not try to smuggle weapons onto supposed humantarian ventures.

No -- the flotilla was to sail to Gaza -- with no plan to enter Israeli waters.

You should recall that Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2002. So -- are you saying that Gaza is still part of Israel? The Israelis say otherwise -- even while they strafe and bomb the place.

Check out this just posted piece by Ray McGovern, from the US ship Audacity of Hope -- still in Athens. In case you don't know -- McGovern had a 20 year career as a CIA agent.

MHG


A July Fourth Shame on the Founders

By Ray McGovern

July 04, 2011 "Information Clearing House" -- Yes, that was I standing before the U.S. Embassy in Athens on the eve of the July Fourth weekend holding the American flag in the distress mode — upside down.

Indignities experienced by me and my co-guests on “The Audacity of Hope,” the American boat to Gaza, over the past ten days in Athens leave no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama’s administration has forfeited the right to claim any lineage to the brave Americans who declared independence from the king of England 235 years ago.

In the Declaration of Independence, they pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to a new enterprise of freedom, democracy and the human spirit. The outcome was far from assured; likely as not, the hangman’s noose awaited them. They knew that all too well.

But they had a genuine audacity to hope that the majority of their countrymen and women, persuaded by Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and the elegant words of Thomas Jefferson, would conclude that the goal of liberty and freedom was worth the risk, that it was worth whatever the cost.

These days we have been seduced into thinking that such principles have become “quaint” or “obsolete” – words used by President George W. Bush’s White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to make light of important international agreements like the Geneva Conventions.

As every American should know, and remember, the principles enshrined in the Declaration of Independence were based on the firm belief that ALL men are created equal, that they have UNALIENABLE rights — among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Not just “all Americans,” mind you, but all people. The Declaration of Independence was meant to be a statement expressing the “self-evident” rights of all mankind. Those principles had a universality that was a beacon to the world.

True, American democracy and, indeed, the Founders themselves were far from perfect. In the early decades of the Republic, basic rights were denied to women, to black slaves, to Native Americans and to many of the poor. But Americans worked on building that “more perfect union” and are still working on it.

Justice was always at the heart of the American ideal. That we still have a long way to go in securing that justice must not be allowed to obscure the fact that ours is a noble and courageous experiment. Or at least it was.

That President Barack Obama would have popularized the phrase “audacity of hope,” after which we named our boat, now seems a cruel hoax, particularly as many of us recalled the high hopes we had once harbored for Obama the candidate. Instead of an “audacity of hope,” Obama the president has often displayed a “paucity of courage.”

But it’s not just Obama. Sadly, all too many of Americans now think of the sacred principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence as applying to Americans, but not to many others — like the 1.6 million people locked in the narrow confines of Gaza.

The tendency is to think of ourselves as “exceptional” — so special that we need not care about suffering elsewhere in the world, including the suffering enabled by our own tax dollars.

It is also sad that many U.S. politicians — from the Chief Executive to members of Congress — have been seduced by money and political expediency into disregarding our first president’s farewell address, George Washington’s warning to avoid what he called “entangling alliances” and a “passionate attachment” to goals of another country.

At the time, it was France that Washington had in mind. Today, the “entangling alliance” and “passionate attachment” relate to Israel. Common values are adduced to try to justify conflating U.S. objectives and actions with the goals and behavior of our “ally,” Israel.

Why the quotation marks around “ally?” Because decades ago, when the U.S. government broached the possibility of a mutual defense treaty with the government of Israel, it refused to go along. Mutual defense treaties, you see, require internationally recognized borders and normally a mutual commitment to avoid attacking other countries at will and without forewarning.

The difficulties, which we on “The Audacity of Hope” have encountered at the hands of the Greek government, are clearly a result of Israeli pressure with a likely assist from Obama’s diplomats.

In my own writings, I have highlighted what I have learned about the extraordinary power of joint U.S.-Israeli influence. But it is something quite different to watch that influence be brought to bear on the government of Greece, a seafaring nation normally devoted to unfettered navigation.

And for what purpose? To prevent our “ally” Israel from being exposed for its brutish behavior vis-a-vis the people of Gaza.

I thought I’d seen everything. But the Israeli accusation that our Gaza flotilla is carrying sulfur to pour on Israeli commandos attempting to board our boats … well, that one takes the cake. Plus, the accusation by an Israeli official that we had vowed to shed the blood of Israeli Defense Forces. Amazing.

On the U.S. side, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appears as unconcerned about what might happen to us at the hands of Israeli (or Greek) commandos as she was on Feb. 15 as she watched me brutalized just 12 yards in front of her during a speech she was giving at George Washington University.

My offense then? Standing quietly — motionless, actually — with my back turned toward her, as a way of showing that not everyone in that audience was oblivious to the killing, maiming and other suffering inflicted on millions of people in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen … and the list goes on.

Last week, Clinton charged the international flotilla, of which “The Audacity of Hope” is a part, with planning to enter “Israeli waters” and warned of the consequences — in effect, giving Israel carte blanche to have its way with us.

Meanwhile, descriptions of last year’s violence, in which Israeli commandos staged a night-time boarding raid on the Turkish ship Mari Marmara in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea and killed nine passengers including one American, get expressed in the passive voice. Violence by whom, a Martian might ask.

In any event, we have long since made it abundantly clear that we had no intention to enter “Israeli waters.” Is it conceivable that Madame Secretary still doesn’t know that or is she simply spreading a falsehood meant to discredit our mission? Gazan waters are not Israeli waters. Neither, we thought, is the Aegean Sea.

Adding transparent insult to injury, eight days ago the State Department spokeswoman obfuscated when asked directly, twice, whether the U.S. government considered the Israeli blockade of Gaza legal. This determination to fudge on this key issue (the blockade is, on the face of it, against international law) has not stopped U.S. government functionaries from speaking as if the Israelis are well within their rights.

Worse still, we have learned that some U.S. officials wouldn’t shed a tear if we got our comeuppance at the hands of the Israelis.

Before leaving the United States, I was cautioned by a source with access to very senior staffers at the National Security Council that not only does the White House plan to do absolutely nothing to protect our boat from Israeli attack or illegal boarding, but that White House officials “would be happy if something happened to us.”

They are, I am reliably told, “perfectly willing to have the cold corpses of activists shown on American TV.”

So here we are, passengers and crew of “The Audacity of Hope,” awaiting further instructions from the local Greek authorities, some of whom have been quite candid in expressing their embarrassment and resentment at being manipulated by Washington/Tel Aviv in this new Great Game.

The instructions, of course, come from a weak Greek government unable to stand on principle because of the economic damage that can be done to Greece by the U.S.-dominated IMF, the European Union and Israel, a major trading partner.

We await a deus ex machina to extract us from this seemingly intractable situation. We remain determined to sail to Gaza at the earliest opportunity. And so do the passengers on the other boats in our international flotilla, at least on those boats that have not been physically sabotaged.

(No one has claimed credit for the damage to propeller shafts to two of the boats, but Israeli officials have been cagey about whether they have had a hand in any underwater operations.)

Delays seem to be built into the scenery in this part of the world. After all, It took Odysseus 20 years to get back to Ithaca.

In this day of instant communication, in which audacity can trump cowardice, we continue to hope. Whatever our circumstances, they are light-years better than the everyday experience in Gaza. We are holding that before our eyes. We do not intend to let the suffering Gazans down.

On Friday, the Audacity of Hope did make a move to set sail, before being turned back by the Greek coast guard. On Saturday, we were on a coast guard wharf with the boat impounded, the crew restricted, and the captain facing some significant charges.

The authorities said the guests were free to leave the boat, but it wasn’t clear that we’d be allowed back on. So, we decided not to leave the captain. We remain determined to go to Gaza.

It would be a fitting way to celebrate the Fourth of July.

Ray McGovern works with Tell the Word, a publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in inner-city Washington. He served as an Army officer and CIA analyst for 30 years and, in retirement, co-founded Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).

[epicSocialism4tw]

You can see that the flotilla is not about food and medicine when Gaff gets upset. Once I talked about trucking and how they should use that to get medicine in he goes off about how this is about freedom! See its not about food its about trying to force the Israeli hand. The activists only put the food and medicine on there to make a point. If they really cared about that cargo they would not have put it on those boats. They knew in reality the boats would never reach the Palestinians.

Thats the way that Israel keeps weapons that Iran and Hamas supply to operatives from reaching Israel.

These flotilla clowns are not peace activists at all. They're trying to open up the shoreline for a flood of weapons.

[mhgaffney]

From reaching Israel?

What the **** are you talking about? (You don't know!)

Gaza is 100% sealed off from Israel. We are talking about razor wire and Israeli checkpoints. No way anything gets across that border. (True -- the occasional amateur out of control rocket may fly over-- but there is no smuggling of weapons.)

In fact, the Israelis shoot anything that moves within firing range of the border. This terrorism by Israel makes a large part of Gaza uninhabitable --

It's another reason why the Palestinians are living at subsistence level. A few meals away from starvation. They can't grow enough food-- because the land is too dangerous for crops. Too many Israeli sharpshooters who love nothing more than shooting Palestinian farmers -- when they are not shooting Arab children in the head.

It is only international (UN) food aid that keeps the Palestinians in Gaza from starving. As it is there is widespread malnutrition. As always the children suffer the most.

[mhgaffney]

Thats the way that Israel keeps weapons that Iran and Hamas supply to operatives from reaching Israel.

These flotilla clowns are not peace activists at all. They're trying to open up the shoreline for a flood of weapons.

More propaganda.

And you call yourself a Christian.

In name only. A stone beats in place of your spiritual heart.

[epicSocialism4tw]

More propaganda.

And you call yourself a Christian.

In name only. A stone beats in place of your spiritual heart.

Sorry, but you can't guilt trip someone into supporting terrorists.

[mhgaffney]

You are supporting Israeli terrorism -- under the catch all of quote "self defense."

The US does the same in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen etc etc -- though we call it quote "counter terrorism."

It's still terrorism to the innocent people who are being bombed and killed.

[SoCalBronco]

Haha....Gaffney telling other people to have humility.

The king of self promotion himself.

Good times. :)

[cutthemdown]

Those countries all had it coming, or still do. America has always been heavy handed. The notion that we are anything but an empire building superpower is naive. It's good to have gaffs in the USA though. That element that fights that reality is probably what keeps us from being even worst. Hell if it was up to me we would have taken over everything down to Brazil a long time ago. But I have played way to much Civilization V on my PC computer. All a country need do to have a great relationship with America is pucker up and kiss Obamas ass a little. You do that and we can be a really good friend to have.

[sirhcyennek81]

You are supporting Israeli terrorism -- under the catch all of quote "self defense."

The US does the same in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen etc etc -- though we call it quote "counter terrorism."

It's still terrorism to the innocent people who are being bombed and killed.


Oddly its only terrorism to you when Americans defend themselves.

19 Arabs kill 3,000 + Americans and its somehow the Jews who did it. You are a joke.

:Broncos:

[sirhcyennek81]

From reaching Israel?

What the **** are you talking about? (You don't know!)

Gaza is 100% sealed off from Israel. We are talking about razor wire and Israeli checkpoints. No way anything gets across that border. (True -- the occasional amateur out of control rocket may fly over-- but there is no smuggling of weapons.)

In fact, the Israelis shoot anything that moves within firing range of the border. This terrorism by Israel makes a large part of Gaza uninhabitable --

It's another reason why the Palestinians are living at subsistence level. A few meals away from starvation. They can't grow enough food-- because the land is too dangerous for crops. 1. Too many Israeli sharpshooters who love nothing more than shooting Palestinian farmers -- when they are not shooting Arab children in the head.
2. It is only international (UN) food aid that keeps the Palestinians in Gaza from starving. As it is there is widespread malnutrition. As always the children suffer the most.

1. Ahh, more propaganda. Nothing on arabs blowing up Israeli teenagers in malls, huh? They had it coming? Or do you only care about kids when their parents murder Jews?

2. That comes in white bags marked in red, white and blue and shipped there via American ships...

****tard.

:Broncos:

[mhgaffney]

Oddly its only terrorism to you when Americans defend themselves.

19 Arabs kill 3,000 + Americans and its somehow the Jews who did it. You are a joke.

:Broncos:

I never said the Jews did it. Don't put words in my mouth. You clowns do that all the time.

That said, ten years after 9/11 -- there is abundant evidence of collusion on Wall Street. It does no good to post the evidence. You clowns will not look at it.

You see what you want to see -- believe what you desperately want to believe. It's why I coined a new hybrid word: want-to-believers.

This means you.