The expert panel appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council to look into the deaths resulting from the Israeli attack on the flotilla of vessels bringing relief supplies to Gaza has issued its report on September 27. You can see my series of posts (scroll down) on this tragedy from June 1 through June 10. Scott Horton at Harper’s has read the report and says, “The persons who prepared this report are eminent figures with no obvious prejudices one way or the other on the Gaza controversy. Their report is a model of clarity and masters an impressive body of evidence.”
Horton flags this excerpt:
The circumstances of the killing of at least six of the passengers were in a manner consistent with an extra-legal, arbitrary and summary execution. Furkan Dogan and Ibrahim Bilgen were shot at near range while the victims were lying injured on the top deck. Cevdet Kiliçlar, Cengiz Akyüz, Cengiz Songür and Çetin Topçuoglu were shot on the bridge deck while not participating in activities that represented a threat to any Israeli soldier. In these instances and possibly other killings on the Mavi Marmara, Israeli forces carried out extra- legal, arbitrary and summary executions prohibited by international human rights law, specifically article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
…
two of the passengers killed on the top deck received wounds compatible with being shot at close range while lying on the ground: Furkan Dogan received a bullet in the face and Ibrahim Bilgen received a fatal wound from a soft baton round (beanbag) fired at such close proximity to his head that parts such as wadding penetrated his skull and entered his brain.
Considering that one of the dead (Furkan Dogan) was a US citizen, the lack of outrage from the Obama administration and the Congress and the silence of the media about the report is noteworthy.
Compare this with the fuss raised about the three Americans held by Iran for crossing into that country illegally, even though there is no indication that they were treated particularly badly and one was released on bail and allowed to leave the country for health reasons. Just imagine if Iran had done to them what Israel did to the people on the Mavi Marmara. We would be at war already.
The difference testifies to the fact that Israel can do what it likes to the US and its citizens or even its armed forces (as in the case of the USS Liberty) without fear of repercussions.
When it comes to Iran. Please judge that brutal government based on what they have done. Do not compare with Israel or any other country.
The Iranian government under the Mullahs brought nothing to Iran except destruction.
Ali,
Very few people would doubt that the Iranian mullahs are a very bad influence on that country.
The point was to compare the double standards in the US to how Israel is treated compared to other countries.
Manu,
I understand your point. However, I have seen more often than not the “intellectual community” who were tired of US policy of Bush and his war with Iraq to defend the Iranian regime. This is wrong approach. The war was wrong, defending Iranian Mullahs is wrong. US policy in middle east need a major change of direction to include all in peace process.
Assuming you think the U. S. blockade of Cuba is immoral and / or stupid, what would the U. S. do if a flotilla of aid ships, with or without American crew members, tried to run our blockade of Cuba?
Cole,
I do think the embargo/blockade of Cuba by the US is immoral and should be lifted but I cannot predict what the US would do.