More than 10 people have been killed who were on a mission to aid people who have been blockaded by Israel.

Here's the latest report from the BBC.

Israel had said it would stop the boats, calling the campaign a "provocation intended to delegitimise Israel".

Israel "delegitimizes" itself. It has mercilessly oppressed Palestinians since the before the creation of Israel.  It has become a criminal nation.

by EveningStarNM on 05/31/2010 03:29:53 AM EST

no doubt it got dmca'd to fuck or something. does anyone have a new link for it?

by kingbane on 05/31/2010 07:19:54 AM EST

I'm angry right now having just learned of this news and Israel's claim that it was attacked so this post may not be reasonable but I think it is time the world recognize Israel has become a rogue state and boycott it completely, including ending all U.S. aid. But that won't happen because Israel has proven it can do ABSOLUTELY anything and the U.S. will support it without question. Utterly disgusting.

by Corpusless on 05/31/2010 07:50:06 AM EST

Israel did not say the aid ships were attacking. They said they were an "armada of hate" and that Israel itself would deliver the stores of aid in the ships to Gaza. Really dangerous cargo that it was very important to kill people to prevent them from giving the cargo to an area Israel claims it gave up to the Palestinians. My god, the right wings of Israel are as depraved as the right wing of the U.S. A pox on all of them.

by Corpusless on 05/31/2010 07:56:10 AM EST

(I just post the whole article, because otherwise nobody's gonna read it)

Israeli commandos killed at least 10 and as many as 19 people when they stormed an activist flotilla carrying aid to the Gaza Strip on Monday. The European Union has called for an inquiry into the incident, while German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle says he is "deeply concerned."

European countries have condemned Israel's storming of an activist flotilla heading for the Gaza Strip early on Monday, which left at least 10 people dead. But an Israeli private television broadcaster is reporting that up to 19 may have died.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said he was "deeply concerned" about the Israeli operation. "The initial reports are disconcerting," Westerwelle said Monday in Berlin, adding that the Foreign Ministry was attempting to gain a comprehensive overview of the circumstances of the incident.

Westerwelle's French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner, condemned the incident and called for an immediate inquiry. "I am profoundly shocked by the tragic consequences of the Israeli military operation," Kouchner said in a statement. "Nothing can justify the use of violence such as this, which we condemn. The circumstances of this drama must be fully brought to light and we wish for a thorough inquiry to be put in place without delay."

The European Union has also called for an investigation into the incident. "High Representative Catherine Ashton expresses her deep regret at the news of loss of life and violence and extends her sympathies to families of the dead and wounded," said a spokesperson for Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief. "On behalf of the European Union she demands a full enquiry about the circumstances in which this happened."

Spain, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, condemned the storming of the flotilla as "unacceptable" and "very serious." "We have summoned the Israeli ambassador (to Spain) to give us explanations and, of course, we will investigate and will start handling this matter immediately," said Diego Lopez Garrido, a senior Foreign Ministry official responsible for EU affairs.

Israeli commandos stormed the largest of the flotilla's six ships in the early hours of Monday. The flotilla was carrying around 100 pro-Palestinian activists from the Free Gaza movement. The ships were heading for the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli blockade since the Islamist movement Hamas took control in 2007, and were carrying around 10,000 tons of relief supplies, including wheelchairs and medical supplies.

Israeli forces are reported to have killed at least 10 people and wounded dozens during the operation. Some reports put the death toll as high as 19. The incident apparently happened in international waters, around 40 miles (64 kilometers) out to sea.

The circumstances of the incident are unclear. Israel claims its troops came under heavy resistance from the activists, who allegedly shot at the commandos and attacked them with sticks and knives. The activists deny the accusations. "We were not going to pose any violent resistance," a spokesperson for the group told the BBC, adding there was "absolutely no evidence of live fire." A reporter who was on one of the boats told the Associated Press that the Israelis fired on the ship before boarding it.

Turkish television footage from the Turkish ship which is leading the flotilla appeared to show a number of injured people and fighting between the activists and Israeli soldiers.

Dozens of European politicians were reported to be on board the flotilla, including two members of the German parliament, Inge Höger and Annette Groth, both of whom belong to the far-left Left Party. Left Party floor leader Gregor Gysi called for the German government to demand an immediate stop to the violence. A spokesperson for the party said that they currently had no contact with the two lawmakers.

Other prominent members of the convoy are the Swedish crime novelist Henning Mankell, Nobel peace laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire from Northern Ireland and the 85-year-old Holocaust survivor and activist Hedy Epstein.

Several of the ships were sailing under Turkish flags, and Ankara was quick to react. "We strongly condemn these inhumane practices of Israel," the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement. "This deplorable incident, which took place in open seas and constitutes a flagrant breach of international law, may lead to irreparable consequences in our bilateral relations. (...) Israel will have to bear the consequences of this behavior, which constitutes a violation of international law." Turkey and Greece have summoned Israeli ambassadors to their foreign ministries.

Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said Israel "regrets any loss of life and did everything to avoid this outcome." Hamas has called on Muslims and Arabs to "rise up" in response to the incident, while Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas described Israel's actions as a massacre.

In Turkey, dozens of protesters tried to storm the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. Afterwards around 10,000 people marched from the consulate toward the city's main square shouting anti-Israeli slogans, the Associated Press reported.

Israel has said it will tow the boats to the port of Ashdod, from where the passengers will be deported, and that the flotilla's aid will be delivered to the Gaza Strip.

dgs - with wire reports

"The first thing Fascists usually try to do is silencing the opposition."

by opposition on 05/31/2010 08:16:32 AM EST

Isn't this a war crime? Unprovoked attack on a civilian ship?

I'm gonna go ahead and call bullshit on the idea of the aid workers firing first...just on a hunch like

by PhoenixIreland on 05/31/2010 09:19:11 AM EST

Here's a live stream if anyone wants to follow the fall out of this "event". read: war crime.

The Turks are pissed. There are reports of attacks on the Israeli embassy in Istanbul. If Iran attacked civilian ships massacring civilians, imagine the US response.

IDF did more today to help Hamas than Hamas rockets ever could.

by designs on 05/31/2010 10:14:04 AM EST

Israel has been a middle eastern South Africa for a very long time and few in this country are willing to admit it. 

I know the history and support a Jewish state, but the actions of Israel has been unsupportable for years now.

I really hate to think of my tax dollars going toward this state.  There might have been a point many years ago, but no longer.  No amount of geopolitical "realpolitic" excuses is worth the insanity of our position.

A wire in the fire room

by blueheartinaredstate on 05/31/2010 10:27:10 AM EST

Right now I am so angry about this that all I can really must is: I share the rage expressed here.

by high5apparatus on 05/31/2010 11:45:53 AM EST

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel and called for an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council as criticism and condemnations arose across Europe and the Arab world Monday over Israel's deadly commando raid on ships taking humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Turkey's prime minister described the raid as "state terrorism," saying that Israel had violated international law and shown that it does not want peace in the region.

"This attack is state terrorism, violating international law," Erdogan said. "It should be known that we are not going to remain silent in the face of this inhumane state terrorism."

Good on Turkey.

by designs on 05/31/2010 11:53:48 AM EST

What has happened? Nothing! Why?

"Freedom is a Road that is seldom traveled by the Multitude"  PE

Israel is the reason that at times I would like to deny my humanity.

by sulmagnificent on 05/31/2010 12:03:24 PM EST

Their behavior is atrocious they are committing genocide and we're giving them billions so they can.

by LesbianBondageFiasco on 05/31/2010 03:52:18 PM EST

"No, you are a paid blogger assigned to counter anyone that posts something negative about the government or Obama." by Mcamelyne II on 05/17/2011

by Robrob on 05/31/2010 06:18:24 PM EST

obama & biden might be reluctant to offer up comments or criticisms in light of this youtube clip. NOTE: POSTING THIS CLIP IS NEITHER AN ENDORSEMENT OR CRITICISM OF THE EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS. REBEL IS SIMPLY OFFERING A SUGGESTION AS TO THE LACK OF STRONG STATEMENTS BY WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS AT THIS TIME.

by rebel2rebel on 05/31/2010 09:52:36 PM EST