Media onslaught

MANILA, Philippines - Last week, we have witnessed an unprecedented media onslaught against Israel. All other stories, important as they might be, have been pushed aside in favor of what was depicted as humanitarian effort on behalf of the people of Gaza. In fact, nothing is further from the truth.

What you have witnessed was a boat of activists that was also carrying a bunch of provocateurs from a well-recognized Turkish terror-organization known as IHH. And although some naïve people with good intentions were onboard, they were not running the show. The militants from the IHH have gathered sticks, iron poles and all kinds of knives and got them ready to attack Israeli soldiers boarding their ship. At that time, the Israeli Army (IDF) was preparing to implement a military blockade that was created by Israel to stop the Hamas organization, which control Gaza, from getting more arms and ammunitions. For years, the Hamas launched missiles on Israeli civilians, terrorizing close to million of them on a daily basis. When the IDF soldiers reached the flotilla they were expecting indeed to encounter political activists. This is why they brought tasers, paint guns and non-lethal weapons use to restrain demonstrators. What they met on the boat was a group of violent IHH militants that attack them and put their lives in danger. Three of the soldiers were dragged into the lower deck, one of them was pushed overboard, and it was obvious that their lives were threatened. The very graphic pictures of these attacks on Israeli soldiers were shown in Turkish television in the last few days and the activists have been boasting about their brutality.

The situation in Gaza is bad. Mainly because it was taken over by Hamas terror regime, shortly after Israeli vacated the whole area completely and voluntarily in 2005. If it was not for the blockade, Hamas would keep this fight against Israel by terrorizing our citizens. The need for the blockade was clear also to Egypt which partnered with us on trying to restrain the Iranian-backed Hamas terror regime.

Every day, between 100 to 150 trucks are going from Israel to Gaza. And they amount to supplies to 15,000 tons entering Gaza every week, including food, medicines and other necessary supplies. People do not go hungry in Gaza, and if their medical need require higher expertise, they are brought to Israel for medical treatment. The people of Gaza need to be truly free again. They need to be freed from the Hamas. Israelis are no longer in Gaza for almost 5 years. And if Hamas would be banished, this could be a beginning of a brand new day for the citizens of Gaza.

Why, you probably wonder all other important stories have been pushed aside this week? What is the reason for this media onslaught? Well, it is a product of well-orchestrated PR and propaganda machine, bringing together European organizations from the far left of the political map with the extreme Islamic movement that understands the power of the media and the best way to use it for their own purpose. And of course, since Israel is a free society, images are in abundance. And what is our news without images?

I hope your readers are consuming their news cautiously and able to distinguish between the reality and the ridiculous circus we have witnessed in the last week.  Future activists who wish to really help the citizens of Gaza should simply bring their supply to the Israeli port of Ashdod were it will be checked and shipped to Gaza. Violent provocation will not improve the life of the people of Gaza one little bit.