Israel regrets Bianca Zammit's shooting
The Israeli Foreign Minister has expressed "regret" at the shooting of Maltese national Bianca Zammit by Israeli soldiers in Gaza, saying "the inquiry" into the incident was now "in front of the Attorney General's office".
"We regret it when civilians are injured and we hope the results of the inquiry will be made public soon," Avigdor Lieberman said following talks with Foreign Minister Tonio Borg.
Ms Zammit was shot in the leg by Israeli soldiers who opened fire on Gazans protesting against the imposition of a 300-metre security zone along Gaza's border with Israel, effectively denying them the right to till the land.
Mr Lieberman did not say whether Israel considered Ms Zammit's peaceful actions - she and others in the protest were unarmed - an act of provocation. However, he did use that term to describe the latest incident during which Israeli commandos killed a number of peace activists when they raided a flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza.
He denied there was a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and defended his position by saying there were "very expensive restaurants in Gaza" and the "iPhone was seen in Gaza before it appeared in Tel Aviv".
"We only blockade armaments. Food and other aid is free," Mr Lieberman said.
Taking the cue from Mr Lieberman's reply, Dr Borg reiterated Malta's view that the Gaza blockade was "unsustainable" and welcomed Israel's latest policy change to ease the restrictions.
Dr Borg said the investigation into the shooting incident involving Ms Zammit was progressing well and Malta would "await the outcome of the investigation" before considering what action to take.
Iran was also discussed between the two foreign ministers, with Dr Borg insisting that the policies of the Iranian government were creating a threat to the region and Malta supported the new UN sanctions against the Islamic republic.
Mr Lieberman yesterday also visited President George Abela and the two held private talks.
The Israeli Foreign Minister's visit to Valletta yesterday was characterised by a heavy police presence after protesters had tried to block his access to the Prime Minister's Office at the Auberge de Castille on Thursday.
There were no incidents yesterday but a restaurant owner in St George's Square was miffed because for more than an hour the police blocked access to the square while Mr Lieberman was meeting Dr Abela at the Palace.
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Martin Cassar
Jun 26th 2010, 20:16
In my book, a drop of Bianca zammit’s blood = dozen of battalion of ‘Israel’s’ soldiers. I sincerely wish you luck in your sterling mission to show the entire world the real terror face of the Zinosit gangs.
For many decades and more than once, border-less Israel (state to be) managed to paint the Palestinians as devils, and perfectly played the victims of terrorism. However this doesn’t hold water any more. Thanks to the media and special thanks go to the internet and peoples like Bianca Zammit that gave us the opportunity to see Israel’s terrorism in slow motion.
The Zionists have spent billions of dollars to portray a good image for the victims of the holocausts and all went in vain in the last abattoir against Gazans and the latest cold-blooded murder of civilian activists from over forty countries.
Along with the good Jews you have all love and support.
Jesmond Micallef
Jun 26th 2010, 15:16
This evening I will watching the world cup football in the very beautiful Frankonian city of Nürnberg, in peace and comfort, sipping a nice cool drink.
The Gaza strip should have its own tourist industry. I notice alot of tourists that visit Nürnberg and its very special places of interest. The Norisring is a spectacular racing event that happens on the ex parading grounds of this ex nazi capital.
I beleive in human progress and in "whatever it takes" to become part of the proud developed elite. With equal magnitude and order, I expect this on every little corner of the earth, including strips, of course.
Joe Grima
Jun 26th 2010, 14:16
Lieberman's statements are hypocritical when he invites our acquiescing Minister of Foreign Affairs to await the results of the enquiry about the shooting of Bianca Zammit. Lieberman is an Israeli supremacist and as such, is not interested in any fair outcome of any enquiry unless that enquiry approves and enforces the illegal acts of the Israeli military. Lieberman represents the mother of all hardliners in Israel and is a great force against negotiations and peace, He may be easily compared with a leader of the klu klux clan in the US. I am ashamed of my Government for having received him and even more ashamed of my Prime Minister for having accepted an invitation to pay an official visit ot this murderous, wayward state.
J.F. Vassallo Ebejer
Jun 26th 2010, 13:58
Israel has killed thousands of unarmed civilians – be they men, women, children, peace activists, charity workers etc.
They have even used the passports of innocent Jewish civilians in a recent murder they carried out in one of the Gulf countries, thus exposing their own people to possible retaliation.
And they talk of regret, yeah sure………….
Charles Sammut
Jun 26th 2010, 12:12
"Iran was also discussed between the two foreign ministers, with Dr Borg insisting that the policies of the Iranian government were creating a threat to the region and Malta supported the new UN sanctions against the Islamic republic."
If Iran's policies are creating a threat to the region, what are Israel's policies creating? But there are no UN sanctions against Israel because the US vetoes them all. And then the Americans wonder why they are the main targets for Arab retaliation conveniently termed terrorism.
Some of Avigdor Lieberman's infamous statements:
In 1998, Lieberman called for the flooding of Egypt by bombing the Aswan Dam in retaliation for Egyptian support for Yasser Arafat.
In 2002, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted Lieberman in a Cabinet meeting saying that the Palestinians should be given an ultimatum that "At 8am we'll bomb all the commercial centers ... at noon we'll bomb their gas stations ... at two we'll bomb their banks ..."
In 2003, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Lieberman called for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel to be drowned in the Dead Sea and offered to provide the buses to take them there.