While Israel’s military confiscated the vast majority of the video footage and photographic evidence of last week’s attack on the Mavi Marmara, Iara Lee managed to smuggle roughly 15 minutes of never before seen footage out, which was released today.
The video shows a largely calm civilian crew in the lead up to the attack and the panic that ensued. It also shows two people from the ship using the infamous "slingshots" to fire at the Israeli helicopter. Mostly the scene breaks down from there, with people in life jackets running around and the occasional wounded person.
Though one 15 minute video can never possibly be an all-encompassing view of what really happened, it certainly underscores passengers’ claims that they weren’t "preparing for battle," and nowhere to be seen are the mythical 50 Turkish soldiers, which Israel at one point claimed were hiding on board armed to the teeth.
Israeli Attack on the Mavi Marmara, May 31st 2010 // 15 min. from Cultures of Resistance on Vimeo.
On the night of Sunday, May 30, showing a terrifying disregard for human life, Israeli naval forces surrounded and boarded ships sailing to bring humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip. On the largest ship, the Mavi Marmara, Israeli commandos opened fire on civilian passengers, killing at least 9 passengers and wounding dozens more. Others are still missing. The final death toll is yet to be determined. Cultures of Resistance director Iara Lee was aboard the besieged ship and has since returned home safely.
Despite the Israeli government’s thorough efforts to confiscate all footage taken during the attack, Iara Lee was able to retain some of her recordings. Above is 15 minutes of footage from the moments leading up to and during the Israeli commandos’ assault on the Mavi Marmara.
0 Have Your Say!:
Post a Comment