Even When the Real Facts Are Made Known about Ship to Gaza, Most Can’t Be Bothered to Change their Minds

As reported in the blog “Fred i Mellanöstern” (Peace in the Middle East) the U.N. has now clearly taken a stance against the Ship to Gaza Movement which continues to provoke Israel for political gain. Still, it seems as if most people in Sweden still see Israel as the “bad guy” in the Ship to Gaza event.

At last Friday’s briefing, Martin Nesirky the Spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, made a second statement. He clearly stated that both the U.N. and U.N.R.W.A.—the U.N. organization dedicated solely to the Palestinian refugees—reject the methods used by Ship to Gaza.
The statement reads:

“We have repeatedly said….There are established routes for supplies to enter by land and the Secretary-General and others, not least from U.N.RWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East], have made it clear that this is the way aid should be delivered to the people of Gaza who undoubtedly, urgently need it.”

The Ship to Gaza movement claims it wants to aid starving Palestinians and some of them were more than willing to become martyrs in the process. Hamas- which totally controls the Gaza Strip- regularly receives tons of aid from Israel and the U.N. In fact, Hamas chose to reject the aid from the Ship to Gaza organization which further shows the inhumane and devious nature of the militant organization. While continuing its rule of terror in the Strip, Hamas instead of investing in its fellow Palestinians decided to build a shopping mall for its population. This while complaining they don’t have building materials for houses and schools…

Earlier this year, Hamas violently evicted many Palestinian families from their private homes and later demolished them in order to make room for a new prison. But the left-wing media never runs stories like this about Hamas.

The latest in the armada of ships that aimed to reach the Gaza Strip illegally  while claiming to bring humanitarian aid to the Palestinian came from Libya as noted by blogger Ilya Meyer;

“While a ship from Libya is heading for the Gaza Strip, it is appropriate to remember that the same Libya has for decades provided and funded Irish terrorists who murdered and maimed thousands of civilians in Northern Ireland and England as part of promoting their own political objectives . And that's before we even take up Libya's role in the bombing of Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland city, an act of terrorism in which all aboard were killed...”

Also Lebanon wants to send a ship to the Gaza Strip, this even though, as further noted by Meyer:
”Palestinians in Lebanon are denied basic human rights such as citizenship, the right to pursue certain jobs and professions, the right to own property or a home.”

Yes, it certainly seems like most countries such as Sweden and also many politicians, in particular Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt were eager to demonize Israel after it attacked the initial Ship to Gaza flotilla. Bildt and the Swedish foreign ministry officials knew that the flotilla was a provocation, even if they may not have been familiar with the highly suspect links between the main Turkish organizers IHH and terrorist organizations.

The Israeli government warned the flotilla organizers in advance that they would not be allowed to enter Gaza. However, Israel offered that the flotilla land at the Israeli port of Ashdod. The Israeli authorities would then inspect the cargos for weapons and subsequently deliver the humanitarian goods to Gaza by road. Israel additionally offered to coordinate with a third party representing an independent organization such as the United Nations during the proposed goods transfer. Yet the flotilla organizers rejected the offer.

The official Swedish reaction to the flotilla , includes Bildt extendes warm in-person greeting to the Flotilla participants upon their arrival in Turkey. This highly personal support was unique as no other politicians in Sweden came out to personally congratulate the so-called humanitarians. This was one more in a lengthy chain of acts demonizing Israel which have been perpetrated by Swedish governments since the late Olof Palme compared Israel to the Nazis. These are all signs of how false is Sweden’s claim to being a state possessing only the highest morals.

Yes, it certainly seems like most countries, such as Sweden, were eager to demonize Israel after the initial Ship to Gaza convoy. It didn’t matter that they had almost no understanding of the non-humanitarian,  political nature of the convoy, and were lacking even a few basic facts about the situation in Gaza. Sadly, the general public in Sweden will most probably not go out of their way to take a look at just a few basic truths despite all the information brought to light after the event. Ignorance may be bliss in Sweden, but it’s also a symptom of bigotry and closed minds.

Bildt’s demonizing efforts of Israel have thus once again been successful.