Israel: "Iran's aid ships are hardcore provocation" and "a threat made before deep thinking".

What we knew so far....

The iranian red crescent is planning to send humanitarian aid by sea to Gaza in a brazen challenge to Israel's sea blockade of the coastal enclave. The attempt to confront Israel's naval defences could escalate tensions between Israel and Iran, its greatest foe, and trigger a rerun of the bungled raid on a Turkish vessel bound for Gaza last week that left nine activists dead.

Iran prepares to confront Israel with aid flotilla - www.independent.co.uk...

Israel's response:

"If they actually send ships, it would mean they're looking for a confrontation," said Yigal Palmor, a foreign ministry spokesman. He did not indicate how Israel would respond, but officials have insisted that they will not allow any ships to break the blockade.

It remains unclear how Iran would move aid ships into the Mediterranean without the help of neighbouring countries. The most direct route is through the Suez Canal, which is governed by an international treaty, but Egypt, which has supported Israel's blockade of Gaza, would be likely to stop it.

At the weekend, Iran reportedly suggested that it might send the Iranian Republican Guard to protect future convoys, a move that would be viewed by Israel as a direct challenge to its authority.

Not really unexpected, but here we have it from Israel's foreign ministry spokesman.

The Iranian Red Crescent, which is backed by the Islamic regime, said on its website that it had been inundated with requests from volunteers to join its three-ship convoy to Gaza, and so has decided to extend the deadline by another two weeks. It could set sail later this month.

2 weeks to go then......

Next Saturday is the anniversary of last years Iranian election, so protests in Tehran next week and fireworks the week after.

[edit on 7-6-2010 by john124]

reply to post by john124


Here is a perfect example of Israel and Iran setting us up for a 'who is right and who is wrong' battle. A divide and conquer strategy actually that will pit large groups of people on either side against one another. All leading to more death and destruction of course.

A logical approach would be for Israel to take the Iranian regime at its word. That it wants to deliver humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza. It should hold an open press conference with the people involved and make it very public. Israel should address everyone and applaud the good intentions of the Iranian people.

Iran should then recognize that there is an element of mistrust between the two sides that must be addressed and worked out. They should agree to have inspectors from Israel come aboard their vessels and look for weapons. They should encourage people from Israel to join in their humanitarian efforts and even come along for the ride.

This should all be done with the full press corps in front of them. Instead we are going to be asked to take a side in this stupidity. The religious will see it as the beginning of Armageddon and the war mongers will not be able to hold their seats as they await the carnage. Are we really that stupid?

Edited for grammar.

[edit on 7-6-2010 by jackflap]

reply to post by john124


I had a look at the Iranian Red Crescent Society website and found this information.


Ready force of 8,000 people to participate in Gaza, registration deadline was extended to 2 weeks.

Welcome our people to participate in volunteer activities and humanitarian relief in Gaza City causing registration deadline was extended. According to public relations Red Crescent Society; since eight thousand citizens visiting the Red Crescent Society Youth Affairs centers across the country and complete the registration form, the applicant formally participate in the activities of humanitarian assistance in Gaza City in Palestine has been occupied.

(*Persian to English translation)

8,000 .... could very well be the case . Its a big country .

The figure isn`t mentioned in the Independent.co.uk article

The Iranian Red Crescent, which is backed by the Islamic regime, said on its website that it had been inundated with requests from volunteers to join its three-ship convoy to Gaza, and so has decided to extend the deadline by another two weeks. It could set sail later this month.

post by john124

2 weeks to go then...... Next Saturday is the anniversary of last years Iranian election, so protests in Tehran next week and fireworks the week after

That may be the case indeed. Give the masses a popular rallying point - a unifying event, negating the divisive memory of last years protests .

Meir Javedanfar, an expert on Iran, said that Tehran was seeking to steal back the limelight from Turkey. "If anything, the Iranians are going to damage the credibility of the Free Gaza Movement," he said.

link

There is also some truth to that imho. The cynic in me sees politicians of various nationalities , just doing what politicians do best .....






[edit on 7-6-2010 by UmbraSumus]

reply to post by jackflap


I see your post as spot-on. This is easily handled through transparency and diplomacy.

Israel doesn't need to be worried if multi-national observation of the contents of these aid/relief vessels is allowed. And I think no weapons would be found, if they (Israel) allowed searches.
I saw their Ambassador to US hedging his speech on whether things like spices, meats, certain other food items should be allowed through the so-called blockade (Monday 6/7/2010 CNN). He said "we weren't worried about chocolate getting through to Nazi Germany in WWII". Not exact quote but very close. Trying to equate Gaza's starving and medically deprived population with the 3rd Reich.
Go figure.

reply to post by jackflap


I disagree, this IS a clear provocation by Iran.

Iran knows full well Israel will not permit anything to enter Gaza from that country, and why would they. Its like letting Afghanistan send a freighter to the United States.

Iran are doing this purely because they saw Israel's response if the people on the aid ships fight back with basic means. I have no doubt Iran will send this aid ship, but there will not be a single gun onboard. It will however, be full of revolutionary guards and suicide army members willing to beat the crap out of Israeli's, and sacrifice their lives in the name of Allah.

Could this provoke a serious response from Iran?

This... will be a Cuban missile crisis...

The Iranian leadership is way too cocky, they will get their butts kicked in a fight with Israel so why do they continue to antagonize?

reply to post by Agit8dChop

Iran knows full well Israel will not permit anything to enter Gaza from that country, and why would they. Its like letting Afghanistan send a freighter to the United States.

That is what has got to change. The perception that they are Israel's enemy. Why not make this a huge media event and applaud the good intentions of the Iranian people? Say that this kind of thing is what being human is all about. Helping one another.

Bring the people that are coordinating the efforts of this event to the podium and let them tell us all why it has been laid on their hearts to help the Gazan's. Let them tell us how they want to bring food to the hungry and medicine to the sick. Let them encourage others to do the same.

Set aside the differences for now about why the blockade is in place and encourage the humanitarian efforts. Israel would be in a position to be one hundred percent sure that there are no weapons and would be giving the world hope that us humans will not end up killing ourselves. It would open a new chapter in Israeli and Iranian relationships.

With the world watching would one side do anything to provoke an incident at that point? No way. There would be cameras rolling to show us the entire event and show us the human heart at its very best. Those leaders cannot hold their positions of power without conflict though and we are their cannon fodder.

We need a huge voice to bring reason to the table and shed light on some of the policies that have a stranglehold on our very existence.

reply to post by jackflap


I couldn’t agree more, but I personally feel that Irans intentions are to provoke rather than aid. They saw what happened to the flotilla, they want to force Israel into doing the same thing to them, thus presenting an opportune moment to play the victim card, or force Israel to allow shipments effectively ceasing the blockade, its win win for Iran.

The only thing I fault the flotilla on, is that Israel gave them the choice of having their cargo inspected at a port then transported across the border into gaza by Israel.

Now, the obvious issue there is that Israel would make it a dog and pony show for the media, then stop all aid when it arrives in Gaza, so does that mean I can fault the flotilla if they don’t trust them? no, but i cant say that’s actually what Israel will do.

Right or wrong, it doesn’t matter who agree's or disagrees with Israels blockade. If the US backs it, it don’t mean jack how legal it is.
Israel will stare down Turkey and that little event will die down, until it becomes a past memory.

But, Iran now have seen how much the world reacts to Israel boarding and shooting foreign nationals. That’s why Iran have, in the time of a finger snap, loaded up a boat full of aid and 'innocent activists' with the aim of reproducing Israel's massacre.

The world will then be forced to choose, side with the US and Israel, or side with the rest of the world...

When is this ship from Iran arriving again?

The aid is apparantly to be taken in via the Rafah crossing. This means going through the Suez and the Med so the Iranian ships would travel off the Israeli coast rather than through Israel's territorial waters. source


Plus Egypt lifts blockade

I'd gather from these two bits of info that the mission might not culminate in the dire predictions some people are suggesting, or am I missing something...?

reply to post by cosmicpixie


Yer, it puts Egypt in a pickle... and Iran is trying to put pressure on the bloackaid of the Rafah crossing, as although the crossing is open, the blockaid of certain goods is still in place..

So what happens if the Iranian aid is made up of prescribed goods?

Not sure how much whiggle room Egypt has.

Originally posted by jackflap
reply to post by john124

 

Here is a perfect example of Israel and Iran setting us up for a 'who is right and who is wrong' battle.

Oh come on. They've been doing that for a while now. This whole flotilla incident for one. I'm growing very tired of both sides and their rhetoric. Especially you people from Megaphone, you disgust me and don't do your "country" any favours.

Israel is currently seen as a totally immoral and belligerent aggressor, causing unjustifiable hardship. They will need to be very careful about how they handle this situation.

I don't think Iran is looking for a confrontation. I think they're looking for another PR coup to distract attention away from the issue of Nuclear proliferation. Also I think they're looking to take some humanitarian supplies to Gaza and provide them with a hospital ship and some relief workers.

Israel is clearly being baited. And this move is nothing but what we on the internet like to call "troll bait" if Israel responds to this at all it's going to be painted badly. If they do it violently again as they did with the first ships of the convoy they will merely be playing into Irans hands.

Israel is losing the "who is right and wrong" war badly. And if they do anything to attack these ships it will be a mistake. If they do nothing, the blockade will be broken and they will lose face.

It seems this situation has Israel stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Unless Israel can do something to appear to be more open or compliant, their only real option is to either stage a false flag or just go ahead with the attack on Iran and take some returning fire to appear as though they are the victims, which they do very well and have been doing for many years now.

I sincerely hope the Israeli's realise the situation they are in and choose to back down. But they aren't known for doing that and I don't believe they will.

reply to post by john124



Iran are certainly getting cocky as expected.

Iranian political rhetoric is not that refrained, but this is an act of stupidity.

IF this goes ahead, there will soon be a modern day 'Cuban Missile Crisis' in back-channel intelligence affairs.

Kind regards,

Skellon



[edit on 8-6-2010 by Skellon]