Opinion Editorials, October 2010

Israel Can't Refute UN Flotilla Probe

By Rev Ted Pike

Al-Jazeerah, CCUN, October 8, 2010

On Sept 22, the United Nations Human Rights Council released its blistering, 56-page report on Israel’s attack of the Free Gaza flotilla. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu promptly proclaimed it “biased and distorted.” Israel directed all Zionist organizations worldwide to do likewise. Yet for nearly a week no substantive rebuttal has come from world Zionism. Even Israel’s dependable PR pit bull, the Anti-Defamation League, was silent—until Tuesday.

After six days of silence, here is the best defense ADL’ s Abe Foxman can muster:

Once again an investigative committee appointed by the Human Rights Council produced a predictably prejudiced report with one goal: to demonize Israel. Moreover, this report is unnecessary given the fact that Israel is currently conducting a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident through the Turkel Commission, and a committee was established by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to monitor the progress of the Israeli and Turkish investigations.

For the HRC to conduct its own investigation in light of these other efforts is superfluous. For it to issue its undeniably biased report now is disruptive of the recently resumed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. It is a travesty that the Human Rights Council wastes its time and funds with the sole intent of condemning and demonizing Israel.

The HRC report itself lacks any context. It fails to address legitimate Israeli security concerns, nor the terrorist nature of Hamas and its repressive rule over the people of Gaza, and glosses over the myriad of rockets that have rained down on Israeli civilians. The panel hypocritically relied on testimony from passengers aboard the very ship being investigated to draw its overwhelmingly biased conclusions against the Jewish State.

Usually able to cover its atrocities with obfuscation and counter-accusation, Israel has been silenced by the thorough, unbiased UN investigation. The report accurately portrays the government of Israel and IDF forces as brutal and even barbaric. Israel is rapidly losing the patience of many supporters who have been allowing her time to prepare a reasoned, unemotional rebuttal.

Israel and ADL claim such supporters will be satisfied by Israel's in-house probe. Yet, if any investigation is biased, it is Israel’s. The scope of the Turkel inquiry is not even intent on discovering what happened on May 31. Rather, it is directed primarily at justifying Israel under international law and vilifying the flotilla's sponsors. How can it even begin to discover what truly happened when it forbids any testimony from either IDF commandos or activist survivors?

Yet, if Israel's own investigation does not soon rebut the UN's, with extensive documentation, Israel’s silence will only further damage her reputation. This will heighten the conviction growing in Europe and now America that Israel is a rogue state—arrogant, persecutive and irresponsible—which should no longer be believed or supported.

As I earlier reported (See, Support for Israel Sags in US), the recent, Israel-endorsed Greenberg poll so shocked the Jewish state that it held a special meeting to contemplate its findings. Support for Israel among Americans had plunged from 63 percent before the raid to 51 percent in the following month. As a result of what they viewed as terrorism by Israel, up to 12 percent of Americans (about 37 million) decided the US should no longer support Israel militarily, morally or politically. If the poll may be broadly applied, 49 percent (over 150 million) of Americans do not support Israel.

Thus, what transpired on the darkened, rolling seas of the Mediterranean on May 31 precipitated a sea change in the thinking of Americans. Tens of millions became not simply critical of Israel; they washed their hands of any further obligation to the arrogant, rising juggernaut in the Middle East – a threat to Christianity and civilization which Revelation portrays as Babylon the Great. (See, 'Babylon the Great' is Israel) The nine Turkish peace activists slain that night did not lose their lives in vain.

New Opportunities for Truth

How will the new mood of criticism affect Americans’ view of Jewish matters? I believe it means growing receptivity for talk show hosts and writers who have been waiting to speak the whole truth but fear being tarnished “anti-Semitic.” On Jeff Rense’s radio show last week, (9-17-10, Available at Truthtellers.org) I suggested that, if for no other reason than career advancement and popularity, Alex Jones should give this rapidly growing audience what they now endorse: criticism of the bandit Jewish state. It is now possible to publicly express what was previously taboo: righteous indignation at a regime which too long received freedom from normal scrutiny or disapproval. As criticism of Israel increases, Americans also become more savvy and tolerant of vital education about the power of activist Jews in the US government, media and finance.

Some protest loudly, “This could lead to worldwide anti-Semitism—death camps and gas chambers!”

It will not. That scenario only exists in the twisted and manipulative minds of Zionist fear-mongers and myth-makers like Foxman, Wiesel, Netanyahu and the state of Israel. In reality, exposure to criticism only means that Israel and Jewish activists will face the same moral judgment and restraints placed on other nations. This will be a tremendous step toward morality and civilization—especially if criticism is moderated by an authentically Biblical perspective, such as Truthtellers.org attempts.

No one but the truly evil should have anything to fear from their actions being held up to scrutiny. For most, criticism of Israel and Jewish control will not lead to waves of violent, vulgar anti-Semitism. Instead, with Israeli and Jewish accountability comes the prospect of a return to sane American foreign policy.

With it also comes the chance of a safer, more just world -- a world which flotilla activists hoped to brighten by bringing relief to the victims of Zionist oppression.

Be sure to read the gripping, fast-moving UN summary of Israel’s brutality on the high seas as presented in Rev. Ted Pike’s abridged UN report (See, UN Report on Flotilla Raid Blisters Israel). It starts with Israel’s attack, ending with mistreatment of survivors before deportation from Israel. The entire UN report is available here.

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Rev. Ted Pike is director of the National Prayer Network, a Christian/conservative watchdog organization.

TALK SHOW HOSTS: Interview Rev. Ted Pike on this subject. Call (503) 631-3808.

The freedom-saving outreach of Rev. Ted Pike and the National Prayer Network is solely supported by sale of books, videos and your financial support. All gifts are tax-deductible.

NATIONAL PRAYER NETWORK, P.O. Box 828, Clackamas, OR 97015 www.truthtellers.org

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