Are Israel's 'friends' to blame for the Flotilla deaths?
| 09:17 UK time, Tuesday, 1 June 2010
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'It has never been about security. Not for one day. It has been about land and power...And now at least 10 people are dead because of the shame, because of the inability of Israel's best friends to look it in the eye and say: "Stop this insanity. Treat Palestinians like humans before you destroy not only them, but you."'
Israel has lost Turkey, , and it's on brink of .
It's .
As the U.N. Security Council call for an , it's becoming increasingly apparent that Israel needs its friends more than ever.
'Over the next few days, there is going to be a loud outcry from some quarters inside the United States that the US is not backing Israel enough, that they are letting Israel down,' . 'Those voices are wrong. The United States has already let Israel down, and so have the people who will complain that Israel is not getting enough support.The best friends are the ones who want the best for you, not the ones that want to make the biggest show of friendship. And when you're in need, the best friends are the ones who give the best help and the soundest advice...That advice includes talking sense to you when you need it, and the friend who won't or can't do that is a sorry friend to have.'
And many individuals who had some admiration for Israel, are starting to question their faith. ,
'Israel has, up to now, got away with its wildly disproportionate actions because it has powerful friends - most principally the United States. But the latest example of aggressive behaviour has shocked even its staunchest supporters, myself once among them...No one denies Israel is surrounded by enemies and has a right to defend itself against often intolerable provocation. But over the last 12 years, the country's behaviour has become more and more aggressively disproportionate, to the extent that I can no longer defend its behaviour.'
Others like maintain their support for Israel insisting that those on board were not peace activists but 'peace militants' out to damage Israel. in the Spectator agrees as do many of you on our blog.
Could the Flotilla deaths have been avoided if Israel's friends had spoken up?
