GRITtv: Richard Falk, Huwaida Arraf & Norman Finkelstein on the Freedom Flotilla

GRITtv » Blog Archive » Richard Falk, Huwaida Arraf & Norman Finkelstein on the Freedom Flotilla

by admin was published on June 1st, 2010

In the middle of the night Monday, Israeli commandoes boarded ships in the "Freedom Flotilla" attempting to bring humanitarian aid to residents of still-blockaded Gaza. The aggressive response by Israel turned deadly, after with at least nine activists killed. The international community has reacted with shock and outrage; protests have erupted around the world outside Israeli embassies, with protesters even teargassed in Paris. Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled a meeting with President Obama and headed back to Israel to do damage control, and Turkey, from where the flotilla departed, has recalled its ambassador and issued a travel warning to its citizens.

Huwaida Arraf was on one of the ships; she joins us via phone from Ramallah, along with Norman Finkelstein, to tell us what happened to her and offer some analysis on the situation. Then we speak to Richard Falk, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, for more on the international reaction and the U.S.'s involvement.

Finally, Laura reminds us all of some words on the U.S./Israel relationship from General David Petraeus.

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