According to CNN's Indian affiliate, IBN, Turkey has indicated that it may provide naval escorts for future Gaza aid ships. MV Rachel Corrie is about four days away from Gaza's territorial waters. IBN provides no Turkish government or military sources for the report. Also, Hamas is calling for the Rafah crossing to be kept open permanently by Egypt. If Egypt defies the US and Israel on this it could be the beginning of the end to the siege. However, Egypt has opened, and then closed, the crossing on many previous occassions. In another development, Nicaragua is suspending diplomatic relations with Israel. All Palestinian Israelis on the flotilla are still being held and may face serious charges.
Ankara warned that further supply vessels will be sent to Gaza, escorted by the Turkish Navy, a development with unpredictable consequences. moreAs usual Robert Fisk writes powerfully in the Independent condemning cowardly western leaders' failure to save lives.
But it is a fact that it is ordinary people, activists, call them what you will, who now take decisions to change events. Our politicians are too spineless, too cowardly, to take decisions to save lives. Why is this? Why didn't we hear courageous words from Messrs Cameron and Clegg yesterday?
For it is a fact, is it not, that had Europeans (and yes, the Turks are Europeans, are they not?) been gunned down by any other Middle Eastern army (which the Israeli army is, is it not?) there would have been waves of outrage.
And what does this say about Israel? Isn't Turkey a close ally of Israel? Is this what the Turks can expect? Now Israel's only ally in the Muslim world is saying this is a massacre – and Israel doesn't seem to care.
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