An Israeli diplomat says it's unfortunate that during a time when the Jewish state is trying to defend its citizens from the terrorist organization Hamas, his government had to deal with the irresponsible behavior of former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.
Ambassador Reda Mansour is Consul General of Israel to the Southern United States. He says McKinney took it upon herself to commit an act of provocation when she led a small boat of supposed assistants into the combat zone to try to deliver medical supplies to Gaza. According to Mansour, McKinney endangered herself, her assistants, and the ship's crew. Her ship refused to respond to a warning from the Israeli navy and collided with an Israeli patrol boat, forcing it to sail to a Lebanese port. "Why take a small boat from Cyprus and sail in the middle of the night and surprise the Israeli navy near the coast of Gaza?" Mansour asks. "The only explanation we could think of is that it was an act of provocation to get some titles in the media," he contends. "It's just unfortunate. We also have to mention when she was escorted outside the Gaza area, instead of coming back to Cyprus she detoured the ship and went to Lebanon where she was received as a hero by Hezbollah leaders." Mansour adds about the same time McKinney was engaged in her publicity stunt, nearly 100 trucks entered Gaza to deliver aid to the Palestinian people. He points out the Israeli government is working with organizations like the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and the Red Cross to ensure the entry of the required aid, especially food and medical equipment. Except for a two-year period (2003-2005), McKinney represented two of Georgia's districts -- the 4th and the 11th -- starting in the early 1990s until January 2007. Later that year the Democratic lawmaker switched to the Green Party, and eventually became that party's presidential nominee in the November 2008 election. She is the first black woman to have represented Georgia in the U.S. House.
Ambassador Reda Mansour is Consul General of Israel to the Southern United States. He says McKinney took it upon herself to commit an act of provocation when she led a small boat of supposed assistants into the combat zone to try to deliver medical supplies to Gaza. According to Mansour, McKinney endangered herself, her assistants, and the ship's crew. Her ship refused to respond to a warning from the Israeli navy and collided with an Israeli patrol boat, forcing it to sail to a Lebanese port. "Why take a small boat from Cyprus and sail in the middle of the night and surprise the Israeli navy near the coast of Gaza?" Mansour asks. "The only explanation we could think of is that it was an act of provocation to get some titles in the media," he contends. "It's just unfortunate. We also have to mention when she was escorted outside the Gaza area, instead of coming back to Cyprus she detoured the ship and went to Lebanon where she was received as a hero by Hezbollah leaders." Mansour adds about the same time McKinney was engaged in her publicity stunt, nearly 100 trucks entered Gaza to deliver aid to the Palestinian people. He points out the Israeli government is working with organizations like the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and the Red Cross to ensure the entry of the required aid, especially food and medical equipment.
Except for a two-year period (2003-2005), McKinney represented two of Georgia's districts -- the 4th and the 11th -- starting in the early 1990s until January 2007. Later that year the Democratic lawmaker switched to the Green Party, and eventually became that party's presidential nominee in the November 2008 election. She is the first black woman to have represented Georgia in the U.S. House.
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