From Kenneth Ellman, email:ke@kennethellman.com, Box 18, Newton, New Jersey 07860
September 9, 2011 Comment to The Economist: “Can it get worse?”
Israel and Turkey, the New Nonsense. Same Old Story.
This is one of those interesting articles where the comments posted by readers tell more about the perception of the problem than the article itself. The Economist reports with clarity the facts of the United Nations Palmer Report commissioned by the U.N. Secretary-General, and the subsequent further deterioration in relations between Turkey and Israel . The 105 page United Nations Palmer Report was extraordinary for its unexpected honesty, veracity, fairness and accuracy. The Report speaks for itself and I have previously commented on it. It was a pleasure to read and a breadth of fresh air to move the stink of falsehood out. The Readers Comments here in The Economist, show perhaps why there is so little understanding and communication on any issue relating to Peace in the Middle East and why there may never be any. I doubt some of them even read the UN Palmer Report. When it comes to the Israeli/Muslim conflict the facts normally do not influence the discussion. The facts just do not matter since the goals of the Muslim conflict was the simple reality that only Muslim people and states will be tolerated by Muslims in the Middle East. And historically only dictatorial governments or laughingstock Kingdoms. Democratic Christian Lebanon, now only a memory, is a good example for the Christian world. But alas, Israel is in fact a Middle Eastern nation and the historical basis for thousands of years cannot be clouded by the Muslim conflict no matter how hard they may try. Israel was a nation in the Middle East long before the Koran or Muslim people existed and long before the war with Rome. That is why the Koran itself discusses the Jews and cannot escape the geographical reality. And why the Romans wrote books on their wars with the Jews. To a large extent the Muslim nations still want and enjoy suppression of their own citizens who have no law or rights to individual political expression. We are seeing some revolution in the Middle East, hopefully toward a democratic ideal and a legal system, but the result is still far, far from established. That is why Turkey has rejected the United Nations Report and why Turkey is withdrawing from friendship with Israel. Certainly not because of the facts of what happened. Turkey is changing. As Islamic political sentiment plays a greater role in Turkey and impairs the formerly secular and Western style government there, Turkey under Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will continue to care less about the law and facts of the Israeli/Muslim disputes. It will care more about having Turkey perceived by the Muslim world as a Muslim nation. Whether this will last in Turkey we do not know, it is up to the Turkish people to choose their direction. The reality of Israel is incompatible with the previous and current self degradation and self debasement of the Muslim people in the Middle East. The enemy of the Muslim people is not the Israeli or European or American people, but the self destructive nature of the governments that rule Muslim people. Such Muslim politics burns the Muslim people as a fire they cannot seem to extinguish and so they have never ending suppression of their own society and human development. There can be no peace unless the Muslim people there want that Peace and they never previously have. They simply do not seem to value life as lived in a world we know in what we call Western Civilization, which we have struggled so desperately to create. Perhaps they will change in the future, but they have not yet done so and we must live with the current reality. So Israel will continue to flourish in the Middle East as a nation contributing a wealth of knowledge and technology and thousands of years of history to the world, with or without Muslim participation. But the future of the Middle Eastern Muslim world does not lie with war with Israel or war with Western Civilization, which it can never win, but with ceasing to war with itself and to care for, educate and allow its own Muslim people to grow out of the culture of self immolation. Kenneth Ellman. Email:ke@kennethellman.com, Newton, NJ
From Kenneth Ellman, Email:ke@kennethellman.com, Box 18, Newton, New Jersey 07860
I previously wrote here about why I believed this conflict between Turkey and Israel will not be resolved upon the facts or applicable International Law. Here is my review of the UN Report itself. I have read the 105 page report of the Secretary-General’s Panel of Inquiry dated July 2011 on the “Flotilla” Incident and was somewhat shocked and impressed. I did not expect that the United Nations in such a matter of political controversy was capable of producing such a clear, concise, accurate and impartial document. Considering the circumstances the authors faced, the result of their efforts is of great benefit to all those who seek a truly impartial evaluation of the law and facts of this controversy. Combining careful review and consideration of the laws relating to Blockade which are applicable worldwide and a detailed examination of undisputed and admitted factual determinations, a significant conclusion was reached. Yes, the authors did also review the disputed facts and admitted that some issues could not be resolved. But I must agree with Chairman Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Vice Chairman Uribe that the truly significant issues were fully capable of apprehension and the report has definitively addressed those questions. It was truly enjoyable and refreshing to read and it came through so clearly that they analytically seized upon what could be determined with great reliability (those legal and factual questions) and took that to a final indisputable conclusion regardless of clouds, storms and political nonsense. It appears to have been a surprising search for the truth. SO, we now know that the United Nations is capable when given the chance to produce a publication that is entitled to respect.
The conclusions were clear that: (1) Israel was fully entitled under law to maintain and enforce the Blockade as it is in a state of war with Gaza and that Gaza has repeatedly launched attacks upon Israel that justify the Blockade; (2) That the so called “Flotilla” really had no ability to deliver any substantial “humanitarian” aid to Gaza and was primarily a bogus public relations circus which did nothing for the people of Gaza or anyone else; and (3) That Turkey as a member of the United Nations should not have allowed the “Flotilla” to leave its jurisdiction and violate a legal and authorized Blockade and then the consequent loss of life. Turkey could have and should have simply stopped the ships and diverted them to deliver the “Humanitarian Aid” to an authorized port or other legal and legitimate method. But Turkey did not do that and so we had this totally unnecessary confrontation with the Israel and International Law and death and injury.
The rebuke to Israel that it should have taken greater precautions in planning its seizing of the ships violating the Blockade to reduce the risk of civilian causalities was fully proper. Israel did the best it could at that time and in hindsight could have devised other effective and forceful methods to prevent and deal with the violation of the Blockade. With the leisurely perspective of over a year to review what occurred it will always reveal other and better planning and methods. Certainly lessons can be and were learned. Such criticism would apply to any nation, anywhere.
The Report leaves no doubt that Israel acted with full and complete legal authorization and in full and complete compliance with International Law. The fact that military tactics might have been improved upon to both increase the safety of the Israeli soldiers and the passengers on the “Flotilla” would be expected. A pleasant surprise in this simple, honest, well done and straightforward report from the Secretary-General of the United Nations and his appointed and Honorable Panel Chairman Palmer and Vice Chairman Uribe. Thank you Gentlemen and well done, well done.
Kenneth Ellman, email:ke@kennethellman.com, Box 18, Newton, New Jersey 07860
Subscribe to The Economist
Subscribe to Investor's Business Daily
Subscribe to Wall Street Journal