Wednesday, June 02, 2010 Israel Today Staff
Israeli intelligence revealed during a security cabinet meeting on Wednesday that most of those who attacked the Israeli boarding party on the Miva Marmara aid ship on Monday were Al Qaeda mercenaries.
Israeli officials said that a group of 40 of the more violent passengers were found to have no identification papers when they were arrested upon arrival in Israel. Nearly all members of that particular group were equipped with bullet-proof vests, night-vision goggles and various light weapons. Each also carried the same exact amount of money as the others in his pockets.
Intelligence officials were able to determine, either through previous intelligence or through interrogation, that the 40-man group was either aligned with or was an active part of Osama bin Laden's global terrorist network.
That did not surprise the Israeli cabinet much, since it had already been discovered that one of the organizations behind the so-called "aid" flotilla was the Turkish IHH, a movement that for years has supported anti-Western and anti-Israel terrorist organizations. At certain points in the past, the IHH has aided Al Qaeda.
source:http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=21215
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Israel expected protestors, but found terrorists aboard aid ship
A flood of information and contradicting reports have been hitting the media since Israel forcefully halted a flotilla of ships attempting to break the maritime blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Monday. Israel Today will try to break down that information and rebut any false claims so as to paint a clearer picture of what really happened for our readers.
Israel intercepts the ships
Israeli warships made contact with the six ships making up the first wave of the flotilla organized by the Free Gaza Movement late Sunday night. Israeli officers contacted the ships' captains by radio and ordered them to follow the Israeli ships back to port. The aid ship captains refused.
The Israeli army said that it expected the ships to refuse to return to port, and were ready with commando teams to board and seize control of the aid ships.
Israeli army officials later acknowledged that they had underestimated what they would face and had equipped their commandoes with only paintball guns for crowd dispersal and sidearms for self-defense as a last resort. The Israelis expected to face protestors, not armed and violent fighters.
Battle on the high seas
In a news brief published just after Israeli troops started boarding the ships, the Free Gaza Movement claimed that the crew of the Miva Marmara, the only ship that saw violence, was peacefully sleeping when the Israelis touched down on deck and opened fire indiscriminately.
The following video released by the IDF clearly shows that the crew of the Marmara was not sleeping, but rather was eagerly waiting and ready for a fight:
In the video, the Israeli commandoes are shown sliding onto the upper deck of the Marmara one-by-one, each soldier being grabbed and lynched as he reached the ship. The first soldier was severely beaten and then thrown over the side to a lower deck. He sustained serious injuries.
Knives, metal poles, baseball bats, firebombs, stun grenades and even firearms were also used against the commandoes in a clearly premeditated ambush.
This video shows a more close-up view of the violence:
In this video, one of the "peace" activists is seen stabbing an Israeli soldier in the back:
An Israeli soldier who took part in the raid gave this video testimony noting that he and his comrades were taken totally by surprise by the level of violence:
Only after the Israeli troops realized they were under life-threatening attack did they request authorization to use their sidearms in self-defense.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi debunked claims that Israel was the one bent on violence by pointing out that the other five ships were seized without a shot being fired.
Why was the Marmara different?
So, why did a violent confrontation take place only on one of the ships, the Miva Marmara?
The answer was made clear later in the day when it was revealed that the Marmara was controlled by and carrying most of the activists belonging to the IHH, a violent Turkish organization that supports Islamic terrorism.
The IHH, it turns out, had co-sponsored and organized the flotilla along with the Free Gaza Movement. This video shows IHH activists and their supporters chanting violent anti-Jewish slogans prior to the flotilla's launch from Turkey:
These guys were looking for a fight before ever setting off. As evidenced by this behavior and the presence of so many weapons onboard the Marmara, the IHH activists never intended to reach Gaza. Their goal was to pick a very public fight with Israel, and use the outcome to further besmirch the Jewish state in the media.
In that way, the tactics of the IHH mirror those of Hamas, which also publicly supported the flotilla and sent representatives to Turkey to bless its embarkation.
The legitimacy of the Israeli blockade
With details of Monday's battle cleared up, it is instructive to take a look at the legitimacy of Israel's maritime blockade.
The Free Gaza Movement insists that the blockade is illegal and oppressive, thus necessitating efforts such as its own to bring essential goods to the residents of Gaza.
But Israeli Foreign Ministry legal advisor Sarah Weiss Maudi explained why Israel has every right to impose a maritime blockade on Gaza under international law:
Maritime blockades are a legitimate and recognized measure under international law, and may be implemented as part of an armed conflict at sea [which presently exists between Israel and Hamas].
Under international maritime law, when a maritime blockade is in effect, no vessels can enter the blockaded area. That includes both civilian vessels and enemy vessels. Any vessel that violates or attempts to violate the maritime blockade may be captured or even attacked.
Various naval manuals, including the naval manuals of the US and UK, recognize the maritime blockade as an effective naval measure that can be implemented in times of armed conflict. And those manuals give various criteria for making a blockade valid, including the requirement to give due notice of the blockade. Israel, in accordance with the requirements of international law, has publicized the existence of the blockade currently in effect, and has published the exact coordinates of the blockade via the accepted international professional maritime channels.
Furthermore, just days before the Free Gaza flotilla set off from Turkey, Israel published details of ongoing humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza via southern Israel. The residents of Gaza receive enormous amounts of essential goods, much more than the flotilla could have hoped to deliver.
In fact, enough goods have been delivered over the past 18 months to provide every man, woman and child in Gaza with one ton of humanitarian aid each.
What the media and Free Gaza don't say is that Israel's blockade of Gaza is really a very limited embargo targeting only those items that could and have been used by Hamas and its terrorist allies to prepare rockets and bunkers.
Israel tried to explain this to the Free Gaza Movement, and offered to add the permitted goods they had collected to the daily aid truck convoys. But the activists refused, because actually getting supplies to the residents of Gaza was not their primary objective.
The aftermath
Unfortunately, none of these facts will ultimately make an impact on world leaders, who have already begun to play to Muslim sensitivities and their own anti-Israel biases by demanding commissions of inquiry into the Israeli raid.
The last commission of inquiry ordered against Israel was the UN's Goldstone Commission sent to investigate the month-long Gaza war that ended in January 2009. The commission's conclusions were enormously influenced by unsubstantiated Hamas claims that the investigators failed or refused to demand proof of. And while many of the report's points have since been refuted, the damage to Israel has already been done.
Any commission of inquiry into the raid on the aid flotilla can be expected to reach similar biased conclusions that will lead to demands that Israel unconditionally end its limited embargo of the Gaza Strip, enabling Hamas to once again stockpile weapons that will eventually result in another war.
source:http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=21197
Israel intercepts the ships
Israeli warships made contact with the six ships making up the first wave of the flotilla organized by the Free Gaza Movement late Sunday night. Israeli officers contacted the ships' captains by radio and ordered them to follow the Israeli ships back to port. The aid ship captains refused.
The Israeli army said that it expected the ships to refuse to return to port, and were ready with commando teams to board and seize control of the aid ships.
Israeli army officials later acknowledged that they had underestimated what they would face and had equipped their commandoes with only paintball guns for crowd dispersal and sidearms for self-defense as a last resort. The Israelis expected to face protestors, not armed and violent fighters.
Battle on the high seas
In a news brief published just after Israeli troops started boarding the ships, the Free Gaza Movement claimed that the crew of the Miva Marmara, the only ship that saw violence, was peacefully sleeping when the Israelis touched down on deck and opened fire indiscriminately.
The following video released by the IDF clearly shows that the crew of the Marmara was not sleeping, but rather was eagerly waiting and ready for a fight:
In the video, the Israeli commandoes are shown sliding onto the upper deck of the Marmara one-by-one, each soldier being grabbed and lynched as he reached the ship. The first soldier was severely beaten and then thrown over the side to a lower deck. He sustained serious injuries.
Knives, metal poles, baseball bats, firebombs, stun grenades and even firearms were also used against the commandoes in a clearly premeditated ambush.
This video shows a more close-up view of the violence:
In this video, one of the "peace" activists is seen stabbing an Israeli soldier in the back:
An Israeli soldier who took part in the raid gave this video testimony noting that he and his comrades were taken totally by surprise by the level of violence:
Only after the Israeli troops realized they were under life-threatening attack did they request authorization to use their sidearms in self-defense.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi debunked claims that Israel was the one bent on violence by pointing out that the other five ships were seized without a shot being fired.
Why was the Marmara different?
So, why did a violent confrontation take place only on one of the ships, the Miva Marmara?
The answer was made clear later in the day when it was revealed that the Marmara was controlled by and carrying most of the activists belonging to the IHH, a violent Turkish organization that supports Islamic terrorism.
The IHH, it turns out, had co-sponsored and organized the flotilla along with the Free Gaza Movement. This video shows IHH activists and their supporters chanting violent anti-Jewish slogans prior to the flotilla's launch from Turkey:
These guys were looking for a fight before ever setting off. As evidenced by this behavior and the presence of so many weapons onboard the Marmara, the IHH activists never intended to reach Gaza. Their goal was to pick a very public fight with Israel, and use the outcome to further besmirch the Jewish state in the media.
In that way, the tactics of the IHH mirror those of Hamas, which also publicly supported the flotilla and sent representatives to Turkey to bless its embarkation.
The legitimacy of the Israeli blockade
With details of Monday's battle cleared up, it is instructive to take a look at the legitimacy of Israel's maritime blockade.
The Free Gaza Movement insists that the blockade is illegal and oppressive, thus necessitating efforts such as its own to bring essential goods to the residents of Gaza.
But Israeli Foreign Ministry legal advisor Sarah Weiss Maudi explained why Israel has every right to impose a maritime blockade on Gaza under international law:
Maritime blockades are a legitimate and recognized measure under international law, and may be implemented as part of an armed conflict at sea [which presently exists between Israel and Hamas].
Under international maritime law, when a maritime blockade is in effect, no vessels can enter the blockaded area. That includes both civilian vessels and enemy vessels. Any vessel that violates or attempts to violate the maritime blockade may be captured or even attacked.
Various naval manuals, including the naval manuals of the US and UK, recognize the maritime blockade as an effective naval measure that can be implemented in times of armed conflict. And those manuals give various criteria for making a blockade valid, including the requirement to give due notice of the blockade. Israel, in accordance with the requirements of international law, has publicized the existence of the blockade currently in effect, and has published the exact coordinates of the blockade via the accepted international professional maritime channels.
Furthermore, just days before the Free Gaza flotilla set off from Turkey, Israel published details of ongoing humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza via southern Israel. The residents of Gaza receive enormous amounts of essential goods, much more than the flotilla could have hoped to deliver.
In fact, enough goods have been delivered over the past 18 months to provide every man, woman and child in Gaza with one ton of humanitarian aid each.
What the media and Free Gaza don't say is that Israel's blockade of Gaza is really a very limited embargo targeting only those items that could and have been used by Hamas and its terrorist allies to prepare rockets and bunkers.
Israel tried to explain this to the Free Gaza Movement, and offered to add the permitted goods they had collected to the daily aid truck convoys. But the activists refused, because actually getting supplies to the residents of Gaza was not their primary objective.
The aftermath
Unfortunately, none of these facts will ultimately make an impact on world leaders, who have already begun to play to Muslim sensitivities and their own anti-Israel biases by demanding commissions of inquiry into the Israeli raid.
The last commission of inquiry ordered against Israel was the UN's Goldstone Commission sent to investigate the month-long Gaza war that ended in January 2009. The commission's conclusions were enormously influenced by unsubstantiated Hamas claims that the investigators failed or refused to demand proof of. And while many of the report's points have since been refuted, the damage to Israel has already been done.
Any commission of inquiry into the raid on the aid flotilla can be expected to reach similar biased conclusions that will lead to demands that Israel unconditionally end its limited embargo of the Gaza Strip, enabling Hamas to once again stockpile weapons that will eventually result in another war.
source:http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=21197
Monday, May 31, 2010
IDF Forces Met With Pre-Planned Violence When Attempting to Board Flotilla
31 May 2010 , 09:59
Early this morning (May 31) the Israel Navy intercepted the flotilla after the protesters on board ignored Israeli warnings. IDF forces met with severe pre-planned violence from the demonstrators, including use of live fire and light weaponry.
Early this morning, IDF Naval Forces intercepted six ships attempting to break the maritime closure of the Gaza Strip. This happened after numerous warnings from Israel and the Israeli Navy that were issued prior to the event. The Israeli Navy requested the ships to redirect toward Ashdod where they would be able to unload their aid supplies which would then be transferred over to the Gaza Strip after undergoing security inspections.
During the boarding of the ships, demonstrators onboard attacked the IDF Naval personnel with live fire and light weaponry including knives and clubs. Additionally, one of the weapons used was grabbed from an IDF soldier. The demonstrators had clearly prepared their weapons in advance for this specific purpose.
As a result of this life-threatening and violent activity, naval forces first employed riot dispersal means, followed by live fire.
According to initial reports, these events resulted in over ten deaths among the demonstrators and numerous injuries. In addition, five naval personnel were injured, some from gunfire and some from various other weapons. Two of the soldiers were seriously wounded and the remainder sustained moderate injuries. All of the injured parties, Israelis and foreigners, are currently being evacuated by helicopter to hospitals in Israel.
Reports from IDF forces at the scene indicate that some of the participants onboard the ships were planning to lynch the forces
.
The events are ongoing, and information will be updated as soon as possible. Israeli Naval commander, Vice Admiral Eliezer Marom is overseeing the events.
In the coming hours, the ships will be directed to the Ashdod port, while IDF naval forces perform security checks in order to identify the people on the ships and the cargo brought on board. The IDF Spokesman emphasizes that this event is currently unfolding and further details will be provided as soon as possible.
This IDF naval operation was carried out under orders from the political leadership to prevent the flotilla from reaching the Gaza Strip and breaching the maritime closure.
The boarding of ships in the flotilla followed numerous warnings given to the organizers of the flotilla before leaving their ports as well as while sailing towards the Gaza Strip. In these warnings, it was made clear to the organizers that they could dock in the Ashdod Sea Port and unload the equipment they are carrying in order to deliver it to the Gaza Strip in an orderly manner, following the appropriate security checks. Upon expressing their unwillingness to cooperate and arrive at the port, it was decided upon to board the ships and lead them to Ashdod.
IDF naval personnel encountered severe violence, including use of weaponry prepared in advance in order to attack them, as well as having their weapons stolen by protesters and used against them. The forces operated in adherence with operational commands and took all necessary actions in order to avoid violence, but to no avail.
source:http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/today/10/05/3101.htm
Early this morning (May 31) the Israel Navy intercepted the flotilla after the protesters on board ignored Israeli warnings. IDF forces met with severe pre-planned violence from the demonstrators, including use of live fire and light weaponry.
Early this morning, IDF Naval Forces intercepted six ships attempting to break the maritime closure of the Gaza Strip. This happened after numerous warnings from Israel and the Israeli Navy that were issued prior to the event. The Israeli Navy requested the ships to redirect toward Ashdod where they would be able to unload their aid supplies which would then be transferred over to the Gaza Strip after undergoing security inspections.
During the boarding of the ships, demonstrators onboard attacked the IDF Naval personnel with live fire and light weaponry including knives and clubs. Additionally, one of the weapons used was grabbed from an IDF soldier. The demonstrators had clearly prepared their weapons in advance for this specific purpose.
As a result of this life-threatening and violent activity, naval forces first employed riot dispersal means, followed by live fire.
According to initial reports, these events resulted in over ten deaths among the demonstrators and numerous injuries. In addition, five naval personnel were injured, some from gunfire and some from various other weapons. Two of the soldiers were seriously wounded and the remainder sustained moderate injuries. All of the injured parties, Israelis and foreigners, are currently being evacuated by helicopter to hospitals in Israel.
Reports from IDF forces at the scene indicate that some of the participants onboard the ships were planning to lynch the forces
.
The events are ongoing, and information will be updated as soon as possible. Israeli Naval commander, Vice Admiral Eliezer Marom is overseeing the events.
In the coming hours, the ships will be directed to the Ashdod port, while IDF naval forces perform security checks in order to identify the people on the ships and the cargo brought on board. The IDF Spokesman emphasizes that this event is currently unfolding and further details will be provided as soon as possible.
This IDF naval operation was carried out under orders from the political leadership to prevent the flotilla from reaching the Gaza Strip and breaching the maritime closure.
The boarding of ships in the flotilla followed numerous warnings given to the organizers of the flotilla before leaving their ports as well as while sailing towards the Gaza Strip. In these warnings, it was made clear to the organizers that they could dock in the Ashdod Sea Port and unload the equipment they are carrying in order to deliver it to the Gaza Strip in an orderly manner, following the appropriate security checks. Upon expressing their unwillingness to cooperate and arrive at the port, it was decided upon to board the ships and lead them to Ashdod.
IDF naval personnel encountered severe violence, including use of weaponry prepared in advance in order to attack them, as well as having their weapons stolen by protesters and used against them. The forces operated in adherence with operational commands and took all necessary actions in order to avoid violence, but to no avail.
source:http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/today/10/05/3101.htm
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Family finally allowed visit imprisoned Uyghur Chinese church leader
by Staff
May 21, 2010
(christiansunite.com) - On April 20, the family of Uyghur house church leader Alimujiang Yimiti was allowed to visit with him for the first time since his arrest in January 2008.
Alimujiang was sentenced in October 2009 to 15 years' imprisonment for "providing state secrets to overseas organizations". Alimujiang's wife, Gulinuer, their two sons, and his mother and sister were only able to talk for 15 minutes by phone through a glass barrier.
The family reported that Alimujiang was noticeably thinner but in "good spirits." Officials have now granted Gulinuer and other close family members permission to visit him once a month. (Source: ChinaAid)
Enraged by the injustice they have faced, Gulinuer and her mother-in-law, Wushueran, are urging the international community to demand Alimujiang's release. The Voice of the Martyrs encourages you to stand with this family by signing a petition from our partner, ChinaAid.
By raising our voices in petition for Alimujiang Yimiti, we the international community can build a brighter, more peaceful future for China and for the world. Add your voice to the thousands around the globe calling for justice today! To sign the petition, learn more details on Alimujiang's case and discover other ways to get involved, please visit www.FreeAlim.com.
Praise God that Alimujiang was able to visit with his family. Pray that authorities will continue to allow this family to meet together. Pray that Alimujiang will be released. Pray that, in all things, he and his family will look to Christ for strength.
source:http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion09354.shtml
May 21, 2010
(christiansunite.com) - On April 20, the family of Uyghur house church leader Alimujiang Yimiti was allowed to visit with him for the first time since his arrest in January 2008.
Alimujiang was sentenced in October 2009 to 15 years' imprisonment for "providing state secrets to overseas organizations". Alimujiang's wife, Gulinuer, their two sons, and his mother and sister were only able to talk for 15 minutes by phone through a glass barrier.
The family reported that Alimujiang was noticeably thinner but in "good spirits." Officials have now granted Gulinuer and other close family members permission to visit him once a month. (Source: ChinaAid)
Enraged by the injustice they have faced, Gulinuer and her mother-in-law, Wushueran, are urging the international community to demand Alimujiang's release. The Voice of the Martyrs encourages you to stand with this family by signing a petition from our partner, ChinaAid.
By raising our voices in petition for Alimujiang Yimiti, we the international community can build a brighter, more peaceful future for China and for the world. Add your voice to the thousands around the globe calling for justice today! To sign the petition, learn more details on Alimujiang's case and discover other ways to get involved, please visit www.FreeAlim.com.
Praise God that Alimujiang was able to visit with his family. Pray that authorities will continue to allow this family to meet together. Pray that Alimujiang will be released. Pray that, in all things, he and his family will look to Christ for strength.
source:http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion09354.shtml
Iran drops apostasy charges against women converts
by Michelle A Vu, Christian PostPosted: Tuesday, May 25, 2010, 8:34 (BST)
Two female converts in Iran were acquitted of all charges and arrived safely in another country on Saturday.
Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh were cleared of apostasy, anti-state activities, and participating in illegal gatherings, according to Elam Ministries, an Iran-focused ministry that has followed the case since the beginning.
Iranian authorities warned the women that they faced serious consequences if they continue their Christian activities in Iran.
The founders of Elam Ministries, Sam and Lin Yeghnazar, received the two young women at an airport in an undisclosed country on Saturday. The name of the country was withheld for security reasons.
“It was very emotional when we first saw them,” said Lin Yeghnazar. “Now, we want to see them rest and recover.”
Rostampour and Amirizadeh were arrested in March 2009 on charges of anti-state activity and for “taking part in illegal gatherings”, in other words, involvement with house churches. They were detained in the notorious Evin prison, a facility known for its human rights violations, while their trial took place in Tehran.
The young converts suffered psychological abuse during their detainment, including sleep deprivation and intense interrogation lasting hours. They also suffered from health problems but were denied medical attention.
In prison, they were pressured to renounce their new Christian faith and to return to Islam but they repeatedly refused.
During an August 9 court hearing, they reportedly told the judge, “We love Jesus,” “Yes, we are Christians,” and, “We will not deny our faith.” In October they learned that a third charge of apostasy had been added.
They were conditionally released on November 18, but updates on their condition in April revealed that the two women were still in frail physical condition.
“We are most grateful to everyone who prayed for us,” said Amirizadeh in a statement Saturday. “I have no doubt that God heard the prayers of His people.”
Rostampour also thanked Christians worldwide for their prayers, which she credits for sustaining them throughout the ordeal. She said eventually they would like to share what occurred during their detainment, but for now they wanted to pray and “seek the Lord for His will”.
In Iran it is illegal for Muslims to convert to Christianity, although Christians are allowed to convert to Islam.
Over the past year, authorities have shut down at least three churches and accused them of converting Muslims. None of the three churches have been given permission to re-open yet.
source:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/iran.drops.apostasy.charges.against.women.converts/25960.htm
Two female converts in Iran were acquitted of all charges and arrived safely in another country on Saturday.
Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh were cleared of apostasy, anti-state activities, and participating in illegal gatherings, according to Elam Ministries, an Iran-focused ministry that has followed the case since the beginning.
Iranian authorities warned the women that they faced serious consequences if they continue their Christian activities in Iran.
The founders of Elam Ministries, Sam and Lin Yeghnazar, received the two young women at an airport in an undisclosed country on Saturday. The name of the country was withheld for security reasons.
“It was very emotional when we first saw them,” said Lin Yeghnazar. “Now, we want to see them rest and recover.”
Rostampour and Amirizadeh were arrested in March 2009 on charges of anti-state activity and for “taking part in illegal gatherings”, in other words, involvement with house churches. They were detained in the notorious Evin prison, a facility known for its human rights violations, while their trial took place in Tehran.
The young converts suffered psychological abuse during their detainment, including sleep deprivation and intense interrogation lasting hours. They also suffered from health problems but were denied medical attention.
In prison, they were pressured to renounce their new Christian faith and to return to Islam but they repeatedly refused.
During an August 9 court hearing, they reportedly told the judge, “We love Jesus,” “Yes, we are Christians,” and, “We will not deny our faith.” In October they learned that a third charge of apostasy had been added.
They were conditionally released on November 18, but updates on their condition in April revealed that the two women were still in frail physical condition.
“We are most grateful to everyone who prayed for us,” said Amirizadeh in a statement Saturday. “I have no doubt that God heard the prayers of His people.”
Rostampour also thanked Christians worldwide for their prayers, which she credits for sustaining them throughout the ordeal. She said eventually they would like to share what occurred during their detainment, but for now they wanted to pray and “seek the Lord for His will”.
In Iran it is illegal for Muslims to convert to Christianity, although Christians are allowed to convert to Islam.
Over the past year, authorities have shut down at least three churches and accused them of converting Muslims. None of the three churches have been given permission to re-open yet.
source:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/iran.drops.apostasy.charges.against.women.converts/25960.htm
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