Victorian Liberal Senator Scott Ryan last night told the Australian Senate that there was “a highly orchestrated media campaign to vilify Israel” in the wake of the Gaza Flotilla Incident.
Of course it was, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out but the simple reality is that the flotilla did not vilify Israel, Israel did that all on its own through its actions in this case.
It is like saying that the Nazi's were not responsible for the holocaust because the Jews were because they showed up at the concentration camps thus provoking them into a reaction.
As for the rest of the article it is the selective facts argument that permeates the region "Palestinians don't recognise Israel therefore Palestinians are wrong" well heres the thing Palestinians don't recognise Israel because Palestinians believe that the land Israel is on is their land, it is that simple and before people waffling on about biblical prophecy even if we were to accept this fairy tale the simple reality is that the crowd that showed up after 1945 have no relationship to the crowd that got high and saw "god" 3000 years ago.
However lets see I am not sure I read anywhere in there that Scott Ryan had ever been to Gaza so lets see what a neutral group that is operating in region has to say...
ICRC says Israel's Gaza blockade breaks law
Page last updated at 04:01 GMT, Monday, 14 June 2010 05:01 UK
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By Imogen Foulkes
BBC News, Geneva
The ICRC paints a bleak picture of conditions in Gaza
Israel's blockade of Gaza is a clear violation of international humanitarian law, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said.
In a statement, the ICRC describes the situation in Gaza as dire, saying the only sustainable solution is a lifting of the blockade.
It says Israel is punishing the whole civilian population of Gaza.
It also urges Hamas movement to allow ICRC delegates to visit a detained Israel soldier Gilad Shalit.
Key message
The ICRC, a traditionally neutral organisation, paints a bleak picture of conditions in Gaza: hospitals short of equipment, power cuts lasting hours each day, drinking water unfit for consumption.
"The whole of Gaza's civilian population is being punished for acts for which they bear no responsibility. The closure therefore constitutes a collective punishment imposed in clear violation of Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law," the agency said in the statement.
And the ICRC blames differences between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority for some of Gaza's shortages.
But the key message from the body which rarely publicly criticises governments is that Israel's blockade of Gaza must be lifted.
That message is yet another indication of growing international concern over conditions in Gaza - just last week US President Barack Obama called the situation there unsustainable.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/10306193.stm
Now I have no doubt that Benjamin Completeyahu can paint the Red Cross as a terrorist organisation but can you?