News Alert-Israeli Ambassador’s comments prove attack on ship was premeditated Oren says Marmara was ‘too large to stop by nonviolent means’

BREAKING NEWS ALERT

Israeli ambassador's comments prove attack on ship was premeditated
Oren says Marmara was 'too large to stop by nonviolent means'

(CHICAGO 6/2/2010) – Michael Oren, Israel's ambassador to the United
States, told National Public Radio's Diane Rehm Show today that the Mavi
Marmara was to big to stop without the use of military force.
"The particular ship that did encounter the violent incident was simply
too large to stop by nonviolent means. The others ships were not and that
is one of the reasons they were towed safely to port," Oren said on the
program that aired today.

The Diane Rehm Show was discussing Israel's Sunday attack on the Freedom
Flotilla, a fleet of vessels bound for the besieged Gaza with 10,000 tons
of humanitarian and medical aid.

The American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) believe Mr. Oren's comments
contradict his own country's public relations team that has been trying to
portray Israeli soldiers as the victims of unarmed humanitarian
passengers. His comments show that Israel's attack and use of deadly force
was premeditated and decided upon as a military course of action even
before the Israeli navy encountered the six Freedom Flotilla vessels in
international waters on Sunday.

"Every time the State of Israel perpetrates a massacre or wantonly kills
innocent civilians, its information ministry goes into overdrive to spread
misinformation and untruths designed to portray Israel as the victim,"
said Dr. Hatem Bazian, AMP chairman and professor of Near Eastern and
Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. "Mr. Oren's
statements are illuminating in that they throw into question Israel's
rhetoric that soldiers were only defending themselves."
Dr. Bazian added: "What was Israel trying to defend itself from –
wheelchairs and medicine?"

The United States supports Israel with more than $3 billion each year in
unconditional military aid. AMP calls upon the U.S. to withhold that aid
until Israel complies with international law by lifting the siege on Gaza
and ending its occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem.
AMP calls upon President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
and members of Congress to hold Israel accountable for its illegal and
egregious actions against the members of the Freedom Flotilla.