Congressman wants Americans on Gaza flotilla prosecuted

[slipslidingaway]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/101633-congressman-wants-americans-on-gaza-flotilla-prosecuted

"Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) — one of Israel's staunchest defenders in Congress — wants Americans who were aboard the Gaza flotilla ships prosecuted.

On a conference call organized by The Israel Project on Friday, Sherman said that any U.S. citizen aboard the ship should be considered aiding Hamas, an Islamic extremist organization that controls Gaza...

...“The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 makes it absolutely illegal for any American to give food, money, school supplies, paper clips, concrete or weapons to Hamas or any of its officials,” Sherman said on the Israel Project call, conflating Hamas and Gaza’s civilian population. “And so I will be asking the Attorney General to prosecute any American involved in what was clearly an effort to give items of value to a terrorist organization.”

Sherman also said that he plans on working with the Department of Homeland Security to make sure that any non-U.S. citizen involved with or aboard the Flotilla are excluded from entering the U.S..."


Gaza Freedom Flotilla protest at Congressman Brad Sherman's office
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NPuFyduZI4

“Arrest Me, I am a Terrorist”

http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/06/11/arrest-me-i-am-a-terrorist/

"Americans who supported, organized, or were on the flotilla headed to Gaza with humanitarian aid stormed the office of U.S. Congressmen Brad Sherman and turned themselves in for their “crimes.” The stunt was in response to Sherman’s call for Americans on the flotilla be arrested for helping “terrorists.” ...."

[Dawson Leery]

1. I would not cast a vote for Brad Sherman is his seat was

under threat from a Republican.

[slipslidingaway]

4. And he does not deserve the votes if this is his thinking. n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. The "terrorists" in this case were the ones who murdered those delivering humanitarian aid.

[slipslidingaway]

5. Agreed n/t

[aquart]

10. You will believe any and everything an anti-Israeli says.

All Palestinians and pro-Palestinians are saints with no axe to grind and no story to tell but the pure and shining truth.

[Chulanowa]

15. So how much do you question Israel's account of events, Aquart?

I asked you this two days ago, I don't think you answered, though.

[Scurrilous]

3. Schumer Says It ‘Makes Sense’ To ‘Strangle (Gaza) Economically’ Until It Votes The Way Israel Wants

<snip>

"This past Wednesday, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) delivered a wide-ranging speech at an Orthodox Union event in Washington, D.C. The senator’s lecture touched on areas such as Iran’s nuclear program, the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and several domestic policy issues.

During one point of his speech, Schumer turned his attention to the situation in Gaza. He told the audience that the “Palestinian people still don’t believe in the Jewish state, in a two-state solution,” and also that “they don’t believe in the Torah, in David.” He went on to say “you have to force them to say Israel is here to stay.”

New York’s senior senator explained that the current Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip — which is causing a humanitarian crisis there — is not only justified because it keeps weapons out of the Palestinian territory, but also because it shows the Palestinians living there that “when there’s some moderation and cooperation, they can have an economic advancement.” Summing up his feelings, Schumer emphasized the need to “to strangle them economically until they see that’s not the way to go”:

SCHUMER: The Palestinian people still don’t believe in the Jewish state, in a two-state solution. More do than before, but a majority still do not. Their fundamental view is, the Europeans treated the Jews badly and gave them our land — this is Palestinian thinking <...> They don’t believe in the Torah, in David <...> You have to force them to say Israel is here to stay. The boycott of Gaza to me has another purpose — obviously the first purpose is to prevent Hamas from getting weapons by which they will use to hurt Israel — but the second is actually to show the Palestinians that when there’s some moderation and cooperation, they can have an economic advancement. When there’s total war against Israel, which Hamas wages, they’re going to get nowhere. And to me, since the Palestinians in Gaza elected Hamas, while certainly there should be humanitarian aid and people not starving to death, to strangle them economically until they see that’s not the way to go, makes sense.

Schumer is simply factually incorrect that the “majority” of Palestinians refuse to accept a two-state solution. Recent polling has found that 74 percent of the Palestinian population wants to see a two-state solution with an Israeli and Palestinian state side by side. It is also the position of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and there is evidence that Gaza’s Hamas rulers may be compelled to support such a solution as well."

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/06/11/schumer-strangle-gaza-economically/

[slipslidingaway]

6. Disgusting comment by Schumer. n/t

[aquart]

12. So economic solutions don't work for you, massacre is better?

With the optimum solution being the massacre of the Israelis, the Palestinians moving in and pretending they never existed at all? Except for the universities and hospitals and stuff.

I love the airy-fairy idiocy that goes on here.

Everything the Palestinians say is true. Everything the Israelis say is a lie. Palestinians are pure and good. Israelis are evil and cruel.

When a suicide bomber blew up Israeli people, Israelis responded by tearing down houses. Buildings for lives. Monsters. What monsters.

[Chulanowa]

14. To-MAY-to, to-MAH-to

Economic warfare kills and destroys just as well as martial warfare. Ask the people of Bolivia or South Africa. or Greece. or Iraq. Or Honduras.

[Ani Yun Wiya]

16. Perhaps Chuck should spend some "quality time" in Gaza...

with no housing
with no money
with no credit card
with no cell phone
with no means other than that available to the others there for his very sustenance.

Who knows maybe he could then tell us all how it is to live in Gaza.

[Chulanowa]

17. He could eat at Roots!

I'm sure he'll give him complimentary cream of spinach soup and beef stroganoff for the duration of his stay!

[EFerrari]

7. Edit.

[slipslidingaway]

8. Be careful ...

:hi:

[EFerrari]

13. Good call.

:hi:

[Catherina]

9. What a filthy low-life n/t

[kenny blankenship]

11. Truly it is written: An eye for an eye; four shots in the head for a humanitarian gesture.

It's a very old and proven system.