by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
From: Palestinian Media Watch

Participants chanted Islamic battle cry invoking killing of Jews and called for Martyrdom

On the day before the Gaza flotilla confronted the Israeli navy, Al-Jazeera TV documented the pre-battle atmosphere created by men on board the flotilla, chanting a well known Islamic battle cry invoking the killing and defeat of Jews in battle:

“[Remember] Khaibar, Khaibar, oh Jews! The army of Muhammad will return!”

Khaibar is the name of the last Jewish village defeated by Muhammad’s army in 628. Many Jews were killed in that battle, which marked the end of Jewish presence in Arabia. There are Muslims who see that as a precursor for future wars against Jews. At gatherings and rallies of extremists, this chant is often heard as a threat to Jews to expect to be defeated and killed again by Muslims.

Al-Jazeera also interviewed a woman who said that the flotilla participants’ goal was “one of two happy endings: either Martyrdom or reaching Gaza.”

Click here to view Islamic battle cry on Gaza flotilla.

The following is the transcript from Al-Jazeera TV:

Reporter: “Despite the Israeli threats and several unexpected delays, the arrival of the ships at the meeting point before sailing to the Gaza Strip inflamed the emotions and the enthusiasm of the participants.”

Visuals from Gaza flotilla ship of young Muslims shouting Islamic battle chant invoking the killing and defeat of Jews in battle:

“[Remember] Khaibar, Khaibar, oh Jews! The army of Muhammad will return!”

[Khaibar is the name of last Jewish village defeated by Muhammad’s army and it marked the end of Jewish presence in Arabia in 628.]

Reporter: “While singing songs reminiscent of the Palestinian Intifada (Palestinian terror war against Israel, 2000 – 2005), participants expressed their longing to reach Gaza.”

A participant: “Right now we face one of two happy endings: either Martyrdom or reaching Gaza.” [Based on Islamic call before battle: “Either victory or Martyrdom”.]

[Al-Jazeera TV, May 29, 2010]

Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV chose to glorify flotilla participants who shouted the Islamic battle cry by broadcasting an interview with a university lecturer who referred to them as “those with faith and will.”

Dr. Abd Al-Fatah Shayyeq Naaman, lecturer in Shari’ah law at a university in Sanaa:

“Yesterday I followed the news agencies and they conveyed Zionist threats to stop the convoy and prevent it from entering Gaza; on the other side, those with faith and will once again call out upon hearing the reports of the threats: ‘[Remember] Khaibar, Khaibar, oh Jews! The army of Muhammad will return!'”

Hamas TV Host: “Strong motivation.”

Shayyeq Naaman: “One woman standing on the ship said that now we are awaiting one of two happy endings: either Martyrdom or the beaches of Gaza.”

[Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas), May 30, 2010]

Al-Jazeera also reports that before the confrontation, flotilla participants announced that they would use “resistance” against Israel. Mukawama (resistance) is the Arabic term used by Palestinians to refer to all violence against Israel, including suicide terror.

“The flotilla includes hundreds of Arab and foreign solidarity activists from more than 40 countries … They have announced their determination to use resistance to any attempt at piracy by the Israeli occupation.”

[Al-Jazeera website, May 29, 2010]

From: ICEJ

Israeli naval forces finally intercepted the “Free Gaza” flotilla around 2:00 AM on Monday morning and, upon boarding the flagship of the six vessel convoy, discovered some passengers were “anything but peace activists,” as the IDF personnel were met by a “well-planned lynch,” leaving at least 10 people dead and dozens more injured in the ensuing melee.

Although some Arabic media reports claim the Israeli troops opened fire upon boarding, the IDF insists that its troops were first attacked by a mob of activists on board the Mavi Marmara armed with knives, bats, and metal pipes, and that shots were also fired at the IDF forces. An initial IDF statement added that activists also began shooting with a gun wrested from an IDF soldier.

“The demonstrators had clearly prepared their weapons in advance for this specific purpose,” said the IDF Spokesman. “As a result of this life-threatening and violent activity, naval forces employed riot dispersal means, including live fire.”

“It was like a well-planned lynch,” one IDF officer said. “These people were anything but peace activists.”

According to early reports, at least ten pro-Palestinian activists were killed and dozens more were wounded in the resulting skirmish, while six naval personnel were injured, one suffering a critical head wound. All of the injured, Israelis and foreigners, were being evacuated by helicopter to hospitals in Israel. Foreign reports claim that the number of dead may be up to 19.

Al Jazeera on Monday broadcast footage from the Mavi Marmara showing Israeli Navy commandos rappelling down ropes from a hovering helicopter and boarding the ship.

After the skirmish, all passengers were ordered inside the cabins, and the IDF indicated the incident is not considered over as some activists may still be armed. The IDF is towing the ships to the port of Ashdod, where the cargo will be inspected and transferred to the Gaza Strip via land crossings, despite this morning’s violence. In the coming hours, Israeli authorities will identify the people on board the ships and most will be given the option of a free flight home or being arrested.

Israel is braced for rioting by Israeli Arabs today as the leader of the radical Islamic Movement in Israel was wounded in the clash and is undergoing an urgent operation.

Activists aboard the ships had repeatedly said beforehand that they would not respond with violence to the navy’s interception of their flotilla.

Al-Jazeera reported Turkish leaders called an emergency meeting to discuss responses to the attack at sea. The Israeli ambassador in Turkey was called in to offer explanations.

Hamas Prime Minister Haniyeh also came on Al-Jazeera to condemn the “brutal attack” and called on the UN to intervene on the activists’ behalf.

“The interception of 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,” noted the IDF. “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 to board the ships and lead them to Ashdod.”

From: Doris Wise Montrose
Children of Jewish Holocaust Survivors

May 31, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Omri Ceren
Phone: 213-984-1918, [email protected]

Children of Jewish Holocaust Survivors is calling on the Obama administration to demand answers from the government of Turkey regarding Ankara’s role in supplying the Gaza Flotilla that yesterday violently clashed with America’s ally Israel.

The group of six ships departed from Turkey and attempted to violate Israel’s internationally-recognized blockade on the Gaza Strip, the territory controlled by Iranian-backed Hamas Islamists who have repeatedly pledged to wipe out the Jewish State. Israel offered to allow the group to unload its ostensibly humanitarian cargo at the Israeli port of Ashdod, after which the goods would be inspected for weapons and sent to Gaza via overland routes. When the fleet explicitly declared its intention to run the blockade, they were intercepted and stopped by the Israeli Navy.

The ostensibly non-violent group of activists and militants then attacked the Israelis with knives and clubs, stabbing at least one soldier in the stomach. A firefight erupted after the gun of another Israeli soldier was torn from his hands and turned on the rest of the Israeli contingent. As of this morning dozens are reported wounded or killed, from both sides.

“Turkey is supposed to be one of our NATO allies, and President Obama has gone out of his way not to offend the Turkish people or the Erdogan government,” said Doris Montrose, President and founder of the Los Angeles-based non-profit. “But here we have Turkey inciting anti-Israel violence, supplying anti-Israel thugs, and then spearheading an international campaign to completely delegitimize the Jewish State.”

Montrose added: “now is not the time for the White House’s famed delicate touch, which has already pushed Turkey into the Iranian orbit and away from America and the West. Over the last year we’ve seen an erosion of US power and influence across the Middle East, not least of all because this administration refuses to back our actual allies and call out our genuine enemies.”

“Turkey’s ambassador recently returned to DC after a month-long snit over the House’s Armenian genocide resolution. If President Obama is truly a friend of Israel, the Ambassador will be spending today providing ‘clarifications’ as to why his government is providing succor to genocidal enemies of our ally Israel.”

CJHS grounds its mission in the core insistence that the last Holocaust imposes upon all people of good will a moral and political imperative to prevent the next one. It works to bring public awareness to the diplomatic, geopolitical, and military dynamics that threaten the American way of life, the existence of the Jewish State, and the freedom of all Westerners. Find out more at www.cjhsla.org.

Hat Tip: Gateway Pundit

All Jews have been asked by Israel to leave Turkey immediately for their safety…

From the IDF website:

Early this morning, IDF Naval Forces boarded 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 action. The Israel Navy requested the ships to redirect toward Ashdod where they would be able to unload their aid supplies which would then be transferred over land after undergoing security inspections.

During the boarding of the ships, the 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 employed riot dispersal means, as well as live fire.

According to initial reports, these events resulted in the deaths of nine demonstrators and seven naval personnel were injured, some from gunfire and some from various other weapons. Two of the soldiers are moderately wounded and the remainder sustained light injuries. All of the injured, Israelis and foreigners have been evacuated by helicopter to hospitals in Israel.
Reports from IDF forces on the scene are that it seems as if part of the participants onboard the ships were planning to lynch the forces.

The interception of 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 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 and to harm them. The forces operated in adherence with operational commands and took all necessary actions in order to avoid violence, but to no avail.

Early this morning, IDF Naval Forces boarded 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 action. The Israel Navy requested the ships to redirect toward Ashdod where they would be able to unload their aid supplies which would then be transferred over land after undergoing security inspections.
During the boarding of the ships, the 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 employed riot dispersal means, as well as live fire.
According to initial reports, these events resulted in the deaths of nine demonstrators and seven naval personnel were injured, some from gunfire and some from various other weapons. Two of the soldiers are moderately wounded and the remainder sustained light injuries. All of the injured, Israelis and foreigners have been evacuated by helicopter to hospitals in Israel.


Reports from IDF forces on the scene are that it seems as if part of the participants onboard the ships were planning to lynch the forces.

The interception of 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 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 and to harm them. The forces operated in adherence with operational commands and took all necessary actions in order to avoid violence, but to no avail.

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