I left after Kalin for a press gaggle that he and Celik did. That was interesting. More later. Main takeaway: More details about the contacts that the Turkish foreign minister and Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak had prior to the sailing of the Mavi Marmara about its imminent sailing, and Kalin’s clear recollection that “We understood from Barak that they would be acting towards the boats very differently from the way they did.”
I missed most of a panel discussion involving former Rep. Robert Wexler, the anti-Tehran Iranian activist Karim Sadjadpour, and Turkish journo Cengiz Candar, moderated by Steven Cook.
Apparently Wexler gave a strong defense of Israel’s (naval-gazing) self-enquiry.
A questioner just referred to Wexler’s angry tone there.
Now Wexler is talking again.
Here he is:
- Let’s look at objective facts.
Israel can’t maintain the blockade of Gaza on its own. Only because Egypt, a sovereign Arab nation, also maintains the siege of Gaza is the siege maintained.
Israel didn’t simply maintain a blockade on Gaza when Gaza elected Hamas but did so when Hamas took an Israeli corporal Shalit.
Hamas rejects the very peace process that America, Israel, and Turkey all support.
He is speaking in a very demagogic way– not answering the question but an anti-Hamas diatribe.
“Where’s the outrage against Hamas when they execute the supporters of Fateh?” etc.
We are seeing a very serious trend in Congress with folks who are strongly progressive on some important issues, but virulent regressives on Israel. The progressive community needs to take a strong stand, that you cannot be a progressive AND a defender of Israel’s crimes. If you defend Israel’s crimes, not only will we not support you, we will oppose you.