by Stephen Lendman

A separate article discussed Israeli commandos lawlessly interdicting the Swedish Marianne Ship to Gaza humanitarian mission in international waters - a blatant act of high-seas piracy, never justifiable for any reason despite Israeli claims otherwise.

You have to be a moron or hate-mongering racist to believe anything Israeli officials say - an over-the-top fascist bunch belonging in prison, not high office.

Netanyahu disgraces the office he holds - an unindicted war criminal multiple times over. Anti-Muslim viciousness defines his agenda - intolerant and ruthless by any standard. He issued a statement following Israel's high-seas piracy. It included a litany of Big Lies, saying:

"I would like to commend the sailors and commanders of the Israel Navy for their determined and efficient action in detaining the passengers on the ship that tried to reach the Gaza coast in contravention of the law.

This flotilla is nothing but a demonstration of hypocrisy and lies that is only assisting the Hamas terrorist organization and ignores all of the horrors in our region.

Preventing entry by sea was done in accordance with international law and even received backing from a committee of the UN Secretary General.

Israel is a democracy that defends itself in accordance with international law. We are not prepared to accept the entry of war materiel to the terrorist organizations in Gaza as has been done by sea in the past.

Just last year we foiled an attempt to smuggle by sea hundreds of weapons that were destined for use in attacks against Israel's citizens.

There is no siege on Gaza. Israel assists in transferring goods and humanitarian equipment to Gaza - approximately 800 trucks a day that have recently brought into Gaza more than 1.6 million tons of goods.

Moreover, Israel assists in hundreds of humanitarian projects, through international organizations, including the building of clinics and hospitals.

Israel is a state that seeks peace and acts in accordance with international law so that its people can live in safety and its children grow up in peace and quiet."

It bears repeating. Only morons or hate-mongering racists can believe this disgusting rubbish - a beginning-to-end pack of Big Lies.

Fact: Israeli commandos committed high-seas piracy - a blatant bandit act contravening international law.

Fact: Hamas is Palestine's legitimate government - not illegitimate PA enforcers collaborating with Israel against their own people.

Fact: Ship to Gaza Marianne acted according to international law bringing vital aid for people needing far more than any number of flotillas can provide - symbolically calling on the international community to end Gaza's blockade and free its 1.8 million people.

Fact: Israel violates international law multiple times daily - terrorizing West Bank and East Jerusalem communities, Gazan ones, its fishermen, farmers in their fields, young children for the crime of being Palestinian.

Fact: So-called Israeli democracy is pure fantasy. None whatever exists.

Fact: No evidence corroborates Netanyahu's claim about flotillas or other sea initiatives smuggling weapons to Gaza.

Fact: Claiming "no siege on Gaza" exists exceeds absurdity.

Fact: Saying Israel "assists in transferring goods and humanitarian equipment to Gaza" is polar opposite truth.

Fact: A ruthless, lawless blockade prevents most goods getting in and the ability of Gazan businesses to export to the West Bank and foreign markets.

Fact: Israel systematically blocks reconstruction and vital humanitarian projects.

Fact: It seeks war, not peace. It prevents Gazan children from "grow(ing) up in peace and quiet." Neither exists.

Below is a copy of a letter Israel wrote for Marianne activists - something only a despotic regime could issue. Its willful misinformation and Big Lies speak for themselves, saying:

"You seem to have gotten lost. Perhaps you meant to sail to a place not far from here - Syria, where Assad’s army is slaughtering its people every day, and is supported by the murderous Iranian regime.

Here in Israel we face a reality in which terrorist organizations like Hamas try to kill innocent civilians. We defend our citizens against these attempts in accordance with international law.

Despite this, Israel transports goods and humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip - up to 800 trucks a day. In the past year we enabled the entry of over 1.6 million tons of products, an average of one ton per person in the Gaza Strip. By the way, these supplies are equivalent to 500,000 boats like the one you came in on today.

Israel provides assistance to hundreds of humanitarian projects through international organizations, including the building of clinics and hospitals.

However, we will not allow the terrorist organizations to transfer weapons into the Gaza Strip by sea. Only one year ago, we thwarted an attempt to smuggle hundreds of weapons into the Gaza Strip by ship. These weapons were meant to target innocent Israeli civilians.

There is no siege on the Gaza Strip, and you are welcome to transfer any humanitarian supplies for the Gaza Strip through Israel.

Barring the entrance of boats and ships into the Gaza Strip is in accordance with international law, and was even backed by a committee commissioned by the United Nations Secretary General.

If you were truly concerned about human rights, you would not be sailing in support of a terrorist regime which summarily executes citizens in the Gaza Strip, and uses children as human shields.

If you were to travel around in Israel, you would see for yourself that the only stable democracy in the Middle East guarantees equality for all its citizens and freedom of worship for members of all religions; it is a country that upholds international law so that its people can live in safety and its children grow up in peace and quiet."

Rogue regimes substitute propaganda for hard truths too disturbing to reveal. America and Israel are Exhibits A and B.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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