Former ‘Freedom Flotilla’ US Ambassador Held by the Israelis Speaks Out

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In the picture to the right, American Rachel Corrie is murdered by an Israeli attack with a bulldozer.

By Grant Lawrence

Bodhi Thunder

Former US Ambassador Edward Peck was a professional diplomat working under Presidents Carter and Reagan. He was also on board the ‘Freedom Flotilla’ in which Israel attacked and killed anywhere from 9 to 19 and injuring anywhere from 50 to 100 (depending on the reports). We really don’t know how many have been killed and injured on the ships because Israel has not been forthcoming with the facts or the figures.

But Ambassador Peck says in a recent interview with Democracy Now that the Israeli accounts are something that can be “found in a meadow somewhere where they keep large animals”

According to the former Ambassador:

….You know, here, one of the things I find that is the twist in this thing was that these peaceful, heavily armed commandos who were in international waters to capture a ship full of men and women, who were not bothering Israel, and who took what steps they could to try to prevent these pirates from doing it, are accused of attacking them. Mr.—the deputy ambassador, they were defending the ship. The Israelis were attacking it, and the passengers didn’t want them to do it. And to see somebody using a deckchair against a heavily-armed and armored Israeli soldier, I mean, my god, that’s a dangerous weapon. It’s called twisting the story. If you come to attack me and I defend myself, you know, that’s considered legal in law….(source: democracy now)

But what about the claim of Israel that they had the right to attack the ship under international law. The Israeli’s claim any country has the right to set up a blockade in their self defense under international law.

The Israelis don’t explain that they have violated numerous international laws and UN mandates, the most of any country (nearly 70 UN mandates, see list below).

Peck explains:

….The international law, he says, you know, you can do this if it’s provoking a danger, but Gaza does not belong to Israel. It is illegally occupied by international law, so you can’t really stop ships from going there. Well, you can, and they did, but if people try to resist what you’re trying to do, you cannot really accuse them of attacking your heavily armed soldiers. And they were heavily armed. On our little boat, a couple of them had paint guns attached to their submachine guns, along with stun grenades and the pepper spray and the handcuffs and the pistols, you know. So this is sort of a twisting reality, which of course I understand why they’re trying to do it. I’ve been a diplomat. But it’s laughable….(source)

It is laughable but it’s not funny.

Here we have a country, Israel, illegally occupying Gaza under international law. The Israelis then declare killing peace activists with humanitarian aid to an unlawfully occupied Gaza as justified under international law.

Former US Ambassador Peck also says that the United States should condemn Israel’s massacre on the Freedom Flotilla. He believes it would be good to show the world that the United States can have a foreign policy not dictated by Israel.

Incidentally, Peck points out that one of the peace activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla was a member of the USS Liberty. Peck says, “You may know that one of the gentlemen on our particular little boat was a veteran of the attack of—Israel’s attack on the USS Liberty in the ‘67 war, in which 200 American servicemen serving on a US Navy ship were killed or wounded.”

The USS Liberty has something in common with the murdered Rachel Corrie for whom an Irish ship with humanitarian supplies on its way to Gaza is named after. Both the 200 American serviceman and Corrie were murdered by Israel and their deaths have been lied about and covered up to this day.

Peck admonishes:

….So, the situation is imbalanced. You know, we’re not looking at our own interests the way we should. The President should pay perhaps a little more attention to how to advance America’s interests, rather than protect Israel, because this is costly. And The Rachel Corrie, if they attack The Rachel Corrie, named after—And that will be a tragedy for everyone. And I don’t want that. No one with half a brain wants anything bad to happen to Israel, but I fear that they’re going to happen….(source)

The former Ambassador is correct. The situation is presently highly dangerous and an attack on the Irish Ship, Rachel Corrie, bringing aid to Gaza would be disastrous.

But the Israelis don’t seem to mind disaster.

Israeli UN Resolutions and Condemnations against Israel

Source: realraptalk

1955-1992:
* * Resolution 106: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for Gaza raid”.
* * Resolution 111: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for raid on Syria that killed fifty-six people”.
* * Resolution 127: ” . . . ‘recommends’ Israel suspends it’s ‘no-man’s zone’ in Jerusalem”.
* * Resolution 162: ” . . . ‘urges’ Israel to comply with UN decisions”.
* * Resolution 171: ” . . . determines flagrant violations’ by Israel in its attack on Syria”.
* * Resolution 228: ” . . . ‘censures’ Israel for its attack on Samu in the West Bank, then under Jordanian control”.
* * Resolution 237: ” . . . ‘urges’ Israel to allow return of new 1967 Palestinian refugees”.
* * Resolution 248: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for its massive attack on Karameh in Jordan”.
* * Resolution 250: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to refrain from holding military parade in Jerusalem”.
* * Resolution 251: ” . . . ‘deeply deplores’ Israeli military parade in Jerusalem in defiance of Resolution 250″.
* * Resolution 252: ” . . . ‘declares invalid’ Israel’s acts to unify Jerusalem as Jewish capital”.
* * Resolution 256: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israeli raids on Jordan as ‘flagrant violation”.
* * Resolution 259: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to accept UN mission to probe occupation”.
* * Resolution 262: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for attack on Beirut airport”.
* * Resolution 265: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for air attacks for Salt in Jordan”.
* * Resolution 267: ” . . . ‘censures’ Israel for administrative acts to change the status of Jerusalem”.
* *Resolution 270: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for air attacks on villages in southern Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 271: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel’s failure to obey UN resolutions on Jerusalem”.
* * Resolution 279: ” . . . ‘demands’ withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 280: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israeli’s attacks against Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 285: ” . . . ‘demands’ immediate Israeli withdrawal form Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 298: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s changing of the status of Jerusalem”.
* * Resolution 313: ” . . . ‘demands’ that Israel stop attacks against Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 316: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for repeated attacks on Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 317: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to release Arabs abducted in Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 332: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel’s repeated attacks against Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 337: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for violating Lebanon’s sovereignty”.
* * Resolution 347: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israeli attacks on Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 425: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 427: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon.
* * Resolution 444: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s lack of cooperation with UN peacekeeping forces”.
* * Resolution 446: ” . . . ‘determines’ that Israeli settlements are a ’serious obstruction’ to peace and calls on Israel to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
* * Resolution 450: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to stop attacking Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 452: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to cease building settlements in occupied territories”.
* * Resolution 465: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s settlements and asks all member states not to assist Israel’s settlements program”.
* * Resolution 467: ” . . . ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s military intervention in Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 468: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to rescind illegal expulsions of two Palestinian mayors and a judge and to facilitate their return”.
* * Resolution 469: ” . . . ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s failure to observe the council’s order not to deport Palestinians”.
* * Resolution 471: ” . . . ‘expresses deep concern’ at Israel’s failure to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention”.
* * Resolution 476: ” . . . ‘reiterates’ that Israel’s claim to Jerusalem are ‘null and void’”.
* * Resolution 478: ” . . . ‘censures (Israel) in the strongest terms’ for its claim to Jerusalem in its ‘Basic Law’”.
* * Resolution 484: ” . . . ‘declares it imperative’ that Israel re-admit two deported Palestinian mayors”.
* * Resolution 487: ” . . . ’strongly condemns’ Israel for its attack on Iraq’s nuclear facility”.
* * Resolution 497: ” . . . ‘decides’ that Israel’s annexation of Syria’s Golan Heights is ‘null and void’ and demands that Israel rescinds its decision forthwith”.
* * Resolution 498: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to withdraw from Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 501: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel to stop attacks against Lebanon and withdraw its troops”.
* * Resolution 509: ” . . . ‘demands’ that Israel withdraw its forces forthwith and unconditionally from Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 515: ” . . . ‘demands’ that Israel lift its siege of Beirut and allow food supplies to be brought in”.
* * Resolution 517: ” . . . ‘censures’ Israel for failing to obey UN resolutions and demands that Israel withdraw its forces from Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 518: ” . . . ‘demands’ that Israel cooperate fully with UN forces in Lebanon”.
* * Resolution 520: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel’s attack into West Beirut”.
* * Resolution 573: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel ‘vigorously’ for bombing Tunisia in attack on PLO headquarters.
* * Resolution 587: ” . . . ‘takes note’ of previous calls on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and urges all parties to withdraw”.
* * Resolution 592: ” . . . ’strongly deplores’ the killing of Palestinian students at Bir Zeit University by Israeli troops”.
* * Resolution 605: ” . . . ’strongly deplores’ Israel’s policies and practices denying the human rights of Palestinians.
* * Resolution 607: ” . . . ‘calls’ on Israel not to deport Palestinians and strongly requests it to abide by the Fourth Geneva Convention.
* * Resolution 608: ” . . . ‘deeply regrets’ that Israel has defied the United Nations and deported Palestinian civilians”.
* * Resolution 636: ” . . . ‘deeply regrets’ Israeli deportation of Palestinian civilians.
* * Resolution 641: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s continuing deportation of Palestinians.
* * Resolution 672: ” . . . ‘condemns’ Israel for violence against Palestinians at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount.
* * Resolution 673: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s refusal to cooperate with the United Nations.
* * Resolution 681: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s resumption of the deportation of Palestinians.
* * Resolution 694: ” . . . ‘deplores’ Israel’s deportation of Palestinians and calls on it to ensure their safe and immediate return.
* * Resolution 726: ” . . . ’strongly condemns’ Israel’s deportation of Palestinians.
* * Resolution 799: “. . . ’strongly condemns’ Israel’s deportation of 413 Palestinians and calls for there immediate return.

1993 to 1995 :

* UNGA Res 50/21 – The Middle East Peace Process (Dec 12, 1995)
* UNGA Res 50/22 – The Situation in the Middle East (Dec 12, 1995)
* UNGA Res 49/35 – Assistance to Palestinian Refugees (Jan 30 1995) l
* UNGA Res 49/36 – Human Rights of Palestinian Refugees (Jan 30 1995)
* UNGA Res 49/62 – Question of Palestine (Feb 3 1995)
* UNGA Res 49/78 – Nuclear Proliferation in Mideast (Jan 11 1995)
* UNGA Res 49/87 – Situation in the Middle East (Feb 7 1995)
* UNGA Res 49/88 – The Middle East Peace Process (Feb 7 1995)
* UNGA Res 49/149- Palestinian Right- Self-Determination (Feb 7 1995)
* UNGA Res 48/213 – Assistance to Palestinian Refugees (Mar 15, 1994)
* UNGA Res 48/40 – UNRWA for Palestinian Refugees (Dec 13, 1993)
* UNGA Res 48/41 – Human Rights in the Territories (Dec 10 1993)
* UNGA Res 48/58 – The Middle East Peace Process (Dec 14 1993)
* UNGA Res 48/59 – The Situation in the Middle East (Dec 14 1993)
* UNGA Res 48/71 – Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Mideast (Dec 16 1993)
* UNGA Res 48/78 – Israeli Nuclear Armanent (Dec 16 1993)
* UNGA Res 48/94 – Self-Determination & Independence (Dec 20 1993)
* UNGA Res 48/124- Non-interference in Elections (Dec 20 1993)
* UNGA Res 48/158- Question of Palestine (Dec 20 1993)
* UNGA Res 48/212- Repercussions of Israeli Settlements (Dec 21 1993)

More resolutions:

# Resolution 1701 (11 August 2006) called for the full cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

# Resolution 1860 (9 January 2009) called for the full cessation of war between Israel and Hamas.

On Thursday, UN Security Council, after days of diplomatic wrestling, adopted resolution 1860 calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza” leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces.”

The 15-nation council approved the resolution with 14 voting in favor. The United States abstained.