The Ships Raid By Israel

While the world has been condemning Israel for its actions over the ships bound for humanitarian aid in Gaza, I've read a confession by an Israeli official detailing what really happened behind the scenes. It was really a real confession by someone who wished that they would have do something else rather than raiding the ships bound for the flotilla.

Quoted from his confession article, there were actually three solutions to be considered by the Israeli government prior to the raid:

1. Allow the ship to pass - this would end the blockade. The cabinet secretary supported it but in the end more ships and bigger ones will come.

2. Stop the ship - check for suspected weapons and terrorists before letting them go. This would not break the blockade principle but raises vague suspicions. Obviously this was the best choice of the three.

3. Capture the ships and bring them to Ashdod, risking fights from the activists.

What he admitted in the end is true. Whatever decisions made from step one is wrong. But we do know that Netanyahu's government is very hawkish in nature. Hawkish in the sense, that of all the alternatives presented, the worst of all would be chosen.

If Binyamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, the Chief of Staff and the commander of the navy did not understand that this would lead to killing and wounding people, then it must be concluded - even by those who were reluctant to consider this until now – that they are grossly incompetent. They must be told, in the immortal words of Oliver Cromwell to Parliament: “You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!”

If we go back in history, way back from the historical times, the Jews were persecuted everywhere, particularly in World War II, towards the year prior to the foundation of the state in 1948. Towards the period of persecution, the have developed the mentality and  desire to remain independent - having their own sub-camp, to stand up for themselves and so forth. And there is also a desire to protect their people from threats from enemies, sometimes in the form of hitting back the same way as it does (a.l.a. eye of an eye).

Operation Wrath of God - launched in the aftermath of the Munich 1972 Olympic games massacre of 11 athletes is an example of how Israel hits back at the suspected members of the Black September - in a preemptive manner. Malaysiakini has an article whereby a volunteer claims that there was a list of nine activists that Israelis had marked to be killed. Operation Wrath of God is very similar, but not in the scale where Mossad agents go around and hunt down Black September members or so forth.

Perhaps Malaysians should have been given the chance to understand the modus operandi and how the Israeli officials think. The Steven Spielberg-directed Munich film was the closest people could have been access to have the knowledge. Obviously, Malaysia still has the animosity towards Israel, for example when Mahathir decided not to allow Schindler's List to be played in Malaysian cinemas at the end of 1993. They offered to censor sensitive portions, but given Spielberg's reputation of not allowing people to cut against his will, his decision was take or leave thing. When Syed Hamid Albar's ministry decided not to do so, it was a double-edge sword implication - avoiding the Muslim sensitivities but not allowing people to understand the workings of Israel - since it was accurate in details of what they do there.

While I am happy that Malaysians who are part of the journey to the flotilla save, with except of one or two who gets hit by rubber bullets by Israeli commandos, the ball is now in America and Obama's floor to tame the wild dog, the loose cannon is Israel. Some say that Israel is America's extension. And look at how they reacted towards world criticism as if the world is a nobody thing there. The catch is that attempting to go through the blockade has raised the eyebrows of many people. Turkey is already in anger over the killing of nine people on board. Mahathir, with its Perdana NGO-funded people getting caught in the raid is of course not happy at Israel as well, so what's there to say?

If we all condemn Israel for what they have done to Palestine, why is Malaysia still behaving exactly like what Israel is doing? This nothing more than not walking the talk. But we do know how the UMNO mentality is, to show how great they are as if behaving like village kids, each trying to show off how great they are in the village. And why aren't people from the own UMNO party dares to say that they are not doing what they preach? Silence in exchange of loyalty and rewards? It is nothing more than hypocrisy being shown.