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Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/06/03/us.groups.flotilla.reaction/index.html
U.S. Groups React to Gaza Flotilla Violence
(CNN) Paul Frysh - "Many countries have had naval blockades," said Malcolm Hoenlein, president of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. "Few are more justified than Israel facing a terrorist organization [Hamas]...and denying them access to the missiles." The thousands of rockets fired into Israel by Hamas show that the threat is a real one, Hoenlein said. "Do you know how many ships have smuggled arms into Gaza under the guise of humanitarian aid, under all sorts of subterfuges: fishing boats, commercial vehicles?...There is a long track record and history of the smuggling that goes in by sea." Israel, said Hoenlein, told members of the flotilla that it would allow the aid into Gaza but simply wanted to inspect it first and send it through the Israeli port city of Ashdod. "If they were really interested in getting humanitarian aid into Gaza, why didn't they simply go into Ashdod port, unload onto trucks, ride with the trucks into Gaza? Because that's not what their interest was."