Philip Weiss complains today about how the Washington Post and the New York Times have ignored the story of the Spirit of Humanity, the relief boat headed for Gaza that the Israelis commandeered on the high seas yesterday. Why the mainstream media are sinking:
Washington Post treats Israel's seizure of the Gaza-bound boat "Spirit of Humanity" as an occasion for snarky review of the career of Cynthia McKinney. No mention of the Gaza boat on the NY Times website, that I could find anyway.
And a commenter in the forum adds that there's nothing in the Guardian either.
However, the Irish Times did a lot of reporting on the matter today. Irish people are able to sympathize with fellow victims of colonial oppression.
The paper reports on how the Irish Foreign Minister is seeking the release of the two Irish people who were among those on the boat who were kidnapped by the Israelis. Martin seeks release of Irish pair:
Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin called today for the immediate release of a Nobel laureate and former Irish soldier detained by Israel on board a boat carrying humanitarian aid.
Mairead Maguire and Derek Graham sailed on a ferry from Cyprus in a bid to break the blockade on the Gaza Strip with a consignment of aid. The pair were stopped 24 miles from shore and are waiting to be deported.
Note the confirmation -- implicitly reflecting the view of the Irish government -- that the seizure occurred in international waters.
Further, the paper's correspondent in Nicosia, Cyprus (from which the boat sailed) reports that Nobel laureate Mairéad Maguire was handcuffed after being kidnapped by the Israelis. Maguire handcuffed by Israelis after protests:
IRISH NOBEL Peace Prize laureate Mairéad Maguire was yesterday taken to an unknown location by the Israeli authorities after being handcuffed and forcibly removed from a holding facililty at Ben Gurion airport.
Ms Maguire was among 21 passengers and crew seized on Tuesday from a Gaza-bound ferry attempting to break Israel’s tight blockade of the Strip. She was handcuffed when she protested at being separated from the rest of the group of peace activists, but was soon reunited with the rest at another facility.
Today's paper has further reporting on the situation in Gaza. Israel 'wantonly' destroyed Gaza - Amnesty:
Amnesty International said today Israel inflicted "wanton destruction" in the Gaza Strip in attacks that often targeted Palestinian civilians during an offensive in December and January in the Hamas-run enclave.
Amnesty says Israel's Gaza action breached laws of war:
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL holds that Israel’s offensive on Gaza, launched without warning on December 27th last year, breached the laws of war. When ceasefires were imposed on January 18th, Amnesty says in a 117-page report published today, the "first comprehensive report" on the conflict, 1,400 Palestinians, most of them civilians, had been killed, including 300 children.
Israel accused of terrorism over Gaza:
SEANAD REPORT: ISRAEL WAS pursuing a policy of "official terrorism" in relation to Gaza, a Government member said. Labhras Ó Murchú (FF) joined party colleagues in seeking a debate on the Middle East.
Terry Leyden (FF) said Israeli forces had boarded a boat carrying humanitarian aid for the 1.5 million people trapped in despair in Gaza. Gaza was an open prison, with the inhabitants being confined by the Israeli government.
David Norris (Ind) said his former partner, Israeli peace activist Ezra Nawi, was about to be sentenced by a court in Jerusalem. His so-called crime had been to participate in a non-violent demonstration against the demolition of two elderly Palestinians’ homes.
Mr Leyden was correct about the piracy committed by the Israeli navy against the Spirit of Humanity. The boat was carrying medicine, food and toys for people in despair, added Mr Norris.