(Jerusalem Post) Jonathan Spyer - Journalists who covered the previous "aid convoy" to Gaza - George Galloway's "Viva Palestina" extravaganza last year - were the least surprised by the flotilla events. On that convoy, there was a very notable divide between young, Western leftist participants, and a hard-core group of Turkish Islamists who were there courtesy of IHH, who openly proclaimed their commitment to jihad and fighting Israel. The Turkish group was centrally involved in clashes with Egyptian security forces at that time, in which one Egyptian policeman was killed. Western participants in the convoy were afraid and depressed by their unexpected companions.
2010-06-07 10:08:27Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive