American Ken O'Keefe beaten brutally; describes disarming Israeli commandos

PressTV



An Irish-American activist, who was among hundreds of abducted aid activists on the Freedom Flotilla seeking to break the siege of the Gaza Strip, was brutally beaten by Israeli security forces.

Ken O'Keefe said on Saturday that he was brutally attacked by Israeli soldiers at the airport before being sent off to Turkey.

O'Keefe underwent physical violence at least three times after being escorted off the ship. He was hospitalized after allegedly suffering beatings.

The Gaza Freedom Flotilla, which was stormed by Israeli troops on May 31, was attempting to deliver 10,000 tons of humanitarian supplies to the besieged people of Gaza.

The brutal assault carried out by Israeli commandos left at least nine activists dead and more than 40 others injured... Full story

Ken O'Keefe Statement from Istanbul: Defenders of the Mavri Mamarra and So Much More

......When I was asked, in the event of an Israeli attack on the Mavri Mamara, would I use the camera, or would I defend the ship?

I enthusiastically committed to defence of the ship.; Although I am also a huge supporter of non-violence, in fact I believe non-violence must always be the first option.

Nonetheless, I joined the defence of the Mavri Mamarra understanding that violence could be used against us and that we may very well be compelled to use violence in self defence.

I said this straight to Israeli agents, probably of Mossad or Shin Bet, and I say it again now, on the morning of the attack I was directly involved in the disarming of two Israeli Commandos.

This was a forcible, non-negotiable, separation of weapons from commandos who had already murdered two brothers that I had seen that day. One brother with a bullet entering dead center in his forehead in what appeared to be an execution.

I knew the commandos were murdering when I removed a 9mm pistol from one of them. I had that gun in my hands and as an ex-US Marine with training in the use of guns it was completely within my power to use that gun on the commando who may have been the murderer of one of my brothers.

But that is not what I, nor any other defender of the ship did.

I took that weapon away, removed the bullets, proper lead bullets, separated them from the weapon and hid the gun.

I did this in the hopes that we would repel the attack and submit this weapon as evidence in a criminal trial against Israeli authorities for mass murder.

I also helped to physically separate one commando from his assault rifle, which another brother apparently threw into the sea. I and hundreds of others know the truth that makes a mockery of the brave and moral Israeli military. We had in our full possession, three completely disarmed and helpless commandos. These boys were at our mercy, they were out of reach of their fellow murderers, inside the ship and surrounded by 100 or more men. I looked into the eyes of all three of these boys and I can tell you they had the fear of God in them. They looked at us as if we were them, and I have no doubt they did not believe there was any way they would survive that day. They looked like frightened children in the face of an abusive father.

But they did not face an enemy as ruthless as they. Instead the woman provided basic first aid, and ultimately they were released, battered and bruised for sure, but alive. Able to live another day. Able to feel the sun over head and the embrace of loved ones. Unlike those they murdered. Despite mourning the loss of our brothers, feeling rage towards these boys, we let them go....

Full Statement

I have for many years understood that we, people of conscience, are the true holders of power in this world. Frustratingly however we have largely  relinquished that power and failed to reach our full potential.  Our  potential to create a better  world, a just world.   Nonetheless I have conspired with others of like mind to reveal and  exercise our true power.

In  2002 I  initiated the TJP Human  Shield Action to Iraq because I knew that the invasion of Iraq had been  planned well in advance, that it was part of a ‘Global Spectrum  Dominance’ agenda as laid out by the Project  For A New American Century.  I knew that protests had no chance of  stopping the invasion, and that largely these  protests were just a way  of making us feel better about the coming mass murder; by being able to  say I protested against it.  With  that understanding I argued that the  only viable way to stop the invasion was to  conduct a mass migration to Iraq.  A migration in which people from  around the world, especially western  citizens, would position  themselves at sites in Iraq that are supposed to be protected by  international law, but which are routinely bombed when it is only Iraqi,  Palestinian,  generally non-white, western lives who will  be killed.  I felt 10,000 such people could stop the invasion, or at the  very least, expose the invasion for  what it was from the start, an act of  international aggression, a war crime  and a crime against humanity.

When  our two double decker buses traveled from London to  Baghdad through Turkey,  it was ever clear that the people of Turkey also could sense the power  of this act, and they were the biggest participants in it.  In the end  we did not get the numbers required to stop the war, with at least one  million Iraqi’s  dead as a result, but I remain convinced  that it was within our power to prevent the  invasion.  A massive opportunity lost as far as I am concerned.

In 2007 I joined the Free Gaza  Movement with its plan to  challenge the blockade of  Gaza by travelling to Gaza by sea.  From the moment I heard of the plan I  knew it could succeed and  ultimately I served as a  captain on the first attempt.  The Israeli government said throughout  our preparation that we were no  better than pirates and  they would treat us as such.  They made clear we would not reach Gaza.   And still I knew we could succeed.  And  we did.  Two boats with 46 passengers  from various countries managed to sail into  Gaza on August 23, 2010; this was the first time this had been done in  41 years.

The truth is  the blockade of Gaza  is far more than three years old, and  yet we, a small group of conscientious  people defied the Israeli machine and celebrated with tens of thousands  of Gazans when we arrived that day.  We proved that it could be done.   We  proved that an intelligent plan,with  skilled manipulation of the media, could render the full might of the  Israeli Navy useless.  And I knew then that this  was only the tip of the iceberg.

So  participating  in the Freedom Flotilla is like a family reunion to me.  It is my long  lost family whose conscience is their  guide, who have shed  the fear, who act with humanity.  But I was especially proud to join IHH  and the Turkish elements of the flotilla.  I deeply admire the strength  and character of theTurkish people, despite your  history having stains of  injustice, like every  nation, you are today from citizen to Prime Minister among the leaders  in the cause of humanity and justice.

I  remember being  asked durýng the TJP Human Shield Action to Iraq if I was a pacifist, I  responded with a quote from Gandhi by saying I am not a passive  anything.

To the  contrary I believe in action, and I also believe in  self-defence, 100%, without reservation.  I  would be incapable of standing by while a tyrant murders my family, and  the attack on the Mavri Mamara was like  an attack on my Palestinian family.

I  am proud to have stood shoulder to  shoulder with those who refused to let a rogue Israeli military exert  their will without a fight.  And yes, we  fought.

When I was  asked, in the event of an Israeli attack on the  Mavri Mamara, would I  use the camera, or would I defend the ship?

I enthusiastically committed to defence of the ship.  Although I   am also a huge supporter of non-violence, in fact I believe non-violence  must always be the first option.

Nonetheless  I joined the defence of the Mavri Mamarra understanding that violence  could be used against us and that we may very well be compelled to use  violence in self  defence.

I said this  straight to Israeli agents, probably of Mossad or  Shin Bet, and I say it again now, on the  morning of the attack I was directly  involved in the disarming of two Israeli Commandos.

This was a forcible, non-negotiable, separation of weapons from  commandos who had already murdered two brothers that I had  seen that day.  One brother with a  bullet entering dead center in his forehead,  in what appeared to be an execution.

I knew the commandos were murdering when I removed a 9mm pistol  from one  of them. I had that gun in my hands  and as an ex-US Marine with training in the  use of guns it was completely within my power to use that gun on the  commando who may have been the murderer of  one of my brothers.

But  that is not  what I, nor any other defender of the  ship did.

I took that  weapon away, removed the bullets, proper lead bullets, separated them  from the weapon and hid  the gun.

I did this  in the hopes that  we would repel the attack and submit this  weapon as evidence in a criminal trial against Israeli authorities for  mass murder.

I also helped  to  physically separate one commando from his assault rifle, which another  brother apparently through into the sea.   I and hundreds of others know the  truth that makes a mockery of the brave  and moral Israeli military.  We had in our full possession, three  completely disarmed and helpless commandos.  These boys  were at our mercy, they were out of  reach of their fellow murderers, inside  the ship and surrounded by 100 or more men.  I looked into the eyes of  all three of these boys and I can tell you they  had the fear of God in them.  They  looked at us as if we were them, and I  have no doubt they did not believe there was any way they would survive  that day.  They looked like frightened children  in the face of an abusive father.

But  they did not  face an enemy as ruthless as they.  Instead the woman provided basic  first aid, and ultimately they were  released, battered and  bruised for sure, but alive.  Able to live another day.  Able to feel  the sun over head and the embrace of loved ones.  Unlike those they  murdered.  Despite mourning the loss  of our brothers, feeling rage towards  these boys, we let them go.

The Israeli  prostitutes of propaganda can spew all of their disgusting bile all they  wish, the commandos are the murders,  we are the defenders, and yet we  fought.

We fought not  just for our lives,  not just for our cargo, not just for the people of Palestine, we fought  in the name of justice and humanity.  We  were right to do so, in every way.

While  in Israeli  custody I, along with everyone else was subjected to endless abuse and  flagrant acts of disrespect.  Women and elderly were physically and  mentally assaulted.  Access to  food and water and toilets was denied.   Dogs were used against us, we ourselves were  treated like dogs.  We were exposed to direct sun in stress positions  while hand cuffed to the point of losing circulation of blood in our  hands.  We were lied to  incessantly, in fact I am  awed at the routineness and comfort in their ability to lie, it is  remarkable really.  We were abused in just about every way imaginable  and I myself  was beaten and choked to the point of  blacking out… and I was beaten again while in my cell.

In all this what I saw more than  anything else were cowards…  and yet I also see my brothers.  Because  no matter how vile and wrong the Israeli  agents and government are, they are still my brothers and sisters and  for now I only have pity for them.  Because  they are relinquishing the most precious  thing a human being has, their humanity.

In conclusion; I  would like to challenge every endorser of Gandhi, every person who  thinks they understand him, who acknowledges  him as one of the great souls of our  time (which is just about every western  leader), I challenge you in the form of a question.

Please explain how we, the defenders of the Mavri Mamarra, are  not the modern example of Gandhi’s  essence?  But first read the words of  Gandhi himself.

I do believe that, where there is only a choice between  cowardice and violence, I  would advise violence.... I would rather have India resort to arms in  order to defend her honour than that  she should, in a cowardly manner, become or remain a helpless witness to her own  dishonour. – Gandhi

And lastly I  have one more challenge. I challenge any critic  of merit, publicly, to debate me on a  large stage over our actions that day.  I  would especially love to debate with any Israeli leader who accuses us of wrongdoing, it would be my tremendous pleasure to face off with you.

All I saw in Israel was cowards with guns, so I am ripe to see you in a new context. I want to debate with you on the largest stage possible. Take that as an open challenge and let us see just how brave Israeli leaders are.