This morning Jeremy Scahill, investigative journalist and author, was on MSNBC to debate the flotilla incident with former NY City Mayor Ed Koch and things became heated, fast.
Over the Jump---
*Sorry, I would go more in depth but I have to run. Just wanted to spread this.
From Mediaite:
After Monday’s conflict over a Gaza-bound flotilla, the effects on the cable news world of having what is possibly the single most emotionally charged issue in international politics– the Israeli-Palestinian conflict– front and center in the news cycle, are pretty clear. Earlier today on MSNBC, Willie Geist had former New York mayor Ed Koch and author Jeremy Scahill on to talk about the flotilla incident, and the heated exchange inevitably growing from Israel’s right to self defense to its right to exist at all.
Somehow Ed Kock managed to dodge every question asked to him from both anchor Willie Geist and Scahill himself.
Moreover---this ugliness also came up:
But his most troubling comment came during the commercial break–apparently Koch was too chicken to say it publicly.
During the break on MSNBC, Ed Koch called me a "terrorist supporter"I said, "Say it on the air."
http://pulsemedia.org/...
Pathetic.
Anyways, when Scahill asked Koch directly why Isreal banned items like sage, cardamom and toys---Koch changed the entire subject.
List of items prohibited by the blockade, including:
* sage
* cardamom
* cumin
* coriander
* ginger
* nutmeg
* chocolate
* seeds and nuts
* fishing rods
* various fishing nets
* fabric (for clothing)
* sewing machines and spare parts
* size A4 paper
* writing implements
* notebooks
* razors
* toys
Scahill takes apart Koch's argument point for point.
After the debate Scahill had to say:
On MSNBC today, I debated former New York Mayor Ed Koch about the deadly Israeli attack on the humanitarian Flotilla attempting to deliver much needed goods to the people of Gaza, who are forced to live under a constant state of siege and blockade imposed by Israel. Among the dead is reportedly a 19-year old US citizen, Furkan Dogan, who was shot four times in the head and once in the chest.
Israel and its apologists like Mayor Koch attempt to portray the humanitarian Flotilla as terrorist-affiliated, a "hate boat" in the words of Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu, "capable of smuggling large amounts of weapons" that "was trying to break the naval blockade of Gaza, not bring humanitarian aid." But Koch and the Israeli spokespeople conveniently leave out the fact that there were no weapons being smuggled on the Flotilla and that members of the Flotilla included former US diplomat Ann Wright, who helped reopen the US embassy in Kabul after 9-11 and former US ambassador to Iraq Ed Peck, as well as a member of the Israeli parliament and other international politicians and diplomats.
Full Article: http://www.thenation.com/...