Jun 15, 2010
As all civilized countries agree, seizing ships on the high seas is a very bad thing.
This sentiment was greatly strengthened in 1985 when Palestinian gunmen seized the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro and killed a disabled American passenger. An outraged international community came together to make it an international crime (under the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Maritime Navigation Safety) to seize control of a ship or to harm its passengers.
Canada has been part of this consensus, and in recent years has sent warships to thwart Somali pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden.
Yet there hasn't been a murmur of protest from Canada over the Israeli seizure of a Turkish ship in international waters late last month, and the shocking killing of nine peace activists on board.
While governments around the world denounced the Israeli attack and Turkey decried it as an act of "state terrorism," Prime Minister Stephen Harper cheerfully followed through with a planned meeting the next day with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Appearing with Netanyahu, Harper merely expressed regret about the loss of life and the fact that it interfered with Netanyahu's visit to Canada: "I'm sorry this has coloured this [visit]," said Harper, "but delighted you were able to join me at least last night and today, and we've had some important talks, so welcome to Canada."
Welcome to Canada?
Needless to say, it's hard to imagine Harper being so welcoming and convivial had, say, the Iranian navy -- or Somali pirates -- seized a ship in international waters and killed nine people on board.
There is a compelling need for a serious, UN-mandated investigation of these killings, which are as horrific as the killing on the Achille Lauro.
Three of the victims on the Turkish ship bled to death after other passengers spent hours pleading in vain with Israeli commandos to get medical assistance, according to Al Jazeera reporter Jamal Elshayyal, who was on board the ship.
Both Elshayyal and Canadian activist Kevin Neish, also on-board, report that the attack began with Israeli commandos firing live ammunition onto the darkened ship from helicopters above, before descending onto it.
Israel has appointed its own inquiry -- a move that an editorial in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz dismissed as a "farce."
But Canada will give legitimacy to that "farce" by allowing Ken Watkin, former judge advocate general of the Canadian military, to serve on it.
The Haaretz editorial noted that Israel wants to put the focus on the activists, not on the decision-making that led to the ship's takeover.
Let's not lose sight of what was going on. Nearly 700 activists from 50 nations took great personal risks in order to bring humanitarian aid -- including medical supplies and wheelchairs -- to the 1.5 million blockaded people of Gaza, whose plight has been largely ignored by the world.
This unarmed "freedom flotilla" wasn't planning to attack heavily armed Israel.
The allegation of weapons on board turned out to be as mythical as Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.
But while the flotilla posed no physical threat to Israel whatsoever, it did pose another very real threat -- drawing world attention to the suffering caused by Israel's blockade.
Israel is desperate to refocus the story, to turn the humanitarians -- nine of whom are now dead -- into the aggressors. And it looks like our Prime Minister is delighted to help.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
© 2023 TheStar.com
Linda Mcquaig
Linda McQuaig is an author, journalist, and former NDP candidate for Toronto Centre in the Canadian federal election. The National Post has described her as "Canada's Michael Moore." She is also the author of "The Sport and Prey of Capitalists: How the Rich Are Stealing Canada's Public Wealth" (2019), "War, Big Oil and the Fight for the Planet: It's the Crude, Dude" (2006) and (with Neil Brooks) of "Billionaires' Ball: Gluttony and Hubris in an Age of Epic Inequality" (2012).
As all civilized countries agree, seizing ships on the high seas is a very bad thing.
This sentiment was greatly strengthened in 1985 when Palestinian gunmen seized the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro and killed a disabled American passenger. An outraged international community came together to make it an international crime (under the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Maritime Navigation Safety) to seize control of a ship or to harm its passengers.
Canada has been part of this consensus, and in recent years has sent warships to thwart Somali pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden.
Yet there hasn't been a murmur of protest from Canada over the Israeli seizure of a Turkish ship in international waters late last month, and the shocking killing of nine peace activists on board.
While governments around the world denounced the Israeli attack and Turkey decried it as an act of "state terrorism," Prime Minister Stephen Harper cheerfully followed through with a planned meeting the next day with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Appearing with Netanyahu, Harper merely expressed regret about the loss of life and the fact that it interfered with Netanyahu's visit to Canada: "I'm sorry this has coloured this [visit]," said Harper, "but delighted you were able to join me at least last night and today, and we've had some important talks, so welcome to Canada."
Welcome to Canada?
Needless to say, it's hard to imagine Harper being so welcoming and convivial had, say, the Iranian navy -- or Somali pirates -- seized a ship in international waters and killed nine people on board.
There is a compelling need for a serious, UN-mandated investigation of these killings, which are as horrific as the killing on the Achille Lauro.
Three of the victims on the Turkish ship bled to death after other passengers spent hours pleading in vain with Israeli commandos to get medical assistance, according to Al Jazeera reporter Jamal Elshayyal, who was on board the ship.
Both Elshayyal and Canadian activist Kevin Neish, also on-board, report that the attack began with Israeli commandos firing live ammunition onto the darkened ship from helicopters above, before descending onto it.
Israel has appointed its own inquiry -- a move that an editorial in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz dismissed as a "farce."
But Canada will give legitimacy to that "farce" by allowing Ken Watkin, former judge advocate general of the Canadian military, to serve on it.
The Haaretz editorial noted that Israel wants to put the focus on the activists, not on the decision-making that led to the ship's takeover.
Let's not lose sight of what was going on. Nearly 700 activists from 50 nations took great personal risks in order to bring humanitarian aid -- including medical supplies and wheelchairs -- to the 1.5 million blockaded people of Gaza, whose plight has been largely ignored by the world.
This unarmed "freedom flotilla" wasn't planning to attack heavily armed Israel.
The allegation of weapons on board turned out to be as mythical as Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.
But while the flotilla posed no physical threat to Israel whatsoever, it did pose another very real threat -- drawing world attention to the suffering caused by Israel's blockade.
Israel is desperate to refocus the story, to turn the humanitarians -- nine of whom are now dead -- into the aggressors. And it looks like our Prime Minister is delighted to help.
Linda Mcquaig
Linda McQuaig is an author, journalist, and former NDP candidate for Toronto Centre in the Canadian federal election. The National Post has described her as "Canada's Michael Moore." She is also the author of "The Sport and Prey of Capitalists: How the Rich Are Stealing Canada's Public Wealth" (2019), "War, Big Oil and the Fight for the Planet: It's the Crude, Dude" (2006) and (with Neil Brooks) of "Billionaires' Ball: Gluttony and Hubris in an Age of Epic Inequality" (2012).
As all civilized countries agree, seizing ships on the high seas is a very bad thing.
This sentiment was greatly strengthened in 1985 when Palestinian gunmen seized the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro and killed a disabled American passenger. An outraged international community came together to make it an international crime (under the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Maritime Navigation Safety) to seize control of a ship or to harm its passengers.
Canada has been part of this consensus, and in recent years has sent warships to thwart Somali pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden.
Yet there hasn't been a murmur of protest from Canada over the Israeli seizure of a Turkish ship in international waters late last month, and the shocking killing of nine peace activists on board.
While governments around the world denounced the Israeli attack and Turkey decried it as an act of "state terrorism," Prime Minister Stephen Harper cheerfully followed through with a planned meeting the next day with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Appearing with Netanyahu, Harper merely expressed regret about the loss of life and the fact that it interfered with Netanyahu's visit to Canada: "I'm sorry this has coloured this [visit]," said Harper, "but delighted you were able to join me at least last night and today, and we've had some important talks, so welcome to Canada."
Welcome to Canada?
Needless to say, it's hard to imagine Harper being so welcoming and convivial had, say, the Iranian navy -- or Somali pirates -- seized a ship in international waters and killed nine people on board.
There is a compelling need for a serious, UN-mandated investigation of these killings, which are as horrific as the killing on the Achille Lauro.
Three of the victims on the Turkish ship bled to death after other passengers spent hours pleading in vain with Israeli commandos to get medical assistance, according to Al Jazeera reporter Jamal Elshayyal, who was on board the ship.
Both Elshayyal and Canadian activist Kevin Neish, also on-board, report that the attack began with Israeli commandos firing live ammunition onto the darkened ship from helicopters above, before descending onto it.
Israel has appointed its own inquiry -- a move that an editorial in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz dismissed as a "farce."
But Canada will give legitimacy to that "farce" by allowing Ken Watkin, former judge advocate general of the Canadian military, to serve on it.
The Haaretz editorial noted that Israel wants to put the focus on the activists, not on the decision-making that led to the ship's takeover.
Let's not lose sight of what was going on. Nearly 700 activists from 50 nations took great personal risks in order to bring humanitarian aid -- including medical supplies and wheelchairs -- to the 1.5 million blockaded people of Gaza, whose plight has been largely ignored by the world.
This unarmed "freedom flotilla" wasn't planning to attack heavily armed Israel.
The allegation of weapons on board turned out to be as mythical as Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.
But while the flotilla posed no physical threat to Israel whatsoever, it did pose another very real threat -- drawing world attention to the suffering caused by Israel's blockade.
Israel is desperate to refocus the story, to turn the humanitarians -- nine of whom are now dead -- into the aggressors. And it looks like our Prime Minister is delighted to help.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.