I/P news

The Libyan-chartered, Moldovan-flagged freighter, Amalthea, is about 95 miles due north of Alexandria, traveling at 8.5 knots, on a course of about 106 degrees. It is about 250 miles from the Gaza shore.

Al Jazeera’s 45 minute-long documentary on the seizure of the ships and boats of the Gaza flotilla concentrates on events aboard the MV Mavi Marmara. This is because most of Al Jazeera’s team was on the small cruise ship, and footage smuggled out by member of Cultures of Resistance came from that vessel. In the documentary there is evidence of war crimes by the IDF.

Israel’s blockade of Gaza is not related to any potential security threat.

Some Americans may be surprised to see Turkey playing a more independent role. Liz Cheney says Turkey is part of a new axis of evil that wants to destroy Israel. It’s quite opportune that Stephen Kinzer has a new book out this week that argues the opposite case: Turkey’s more independent policy is good for America.

Obama on Gaza’s “economic problems.”

U.S., Israel relations

In order to prop up the IDF’s storyline that it and not the Freedom Flotilla was attacked first in international waters, the Israeli government has been trying to deny media access to the flotilla survivors — but their effort to create an information blockade is failing. The survivors’ stories are getting out, and they all debunk the IDF’s claims.

US responds to Israeli attack.

Beginning May 16th, I wrote a series of diaries here that sought to heighten awareness of the renewed and refreshed strident militance being shown by the Israeli government toward critics, and sought to bring more attention to the flotilla of boats and ships determined to lift the illegal siege of Gaza.