by: Refaat Alareer
The timing, which comes days before Flotilla II, and the irreparable damage the crime did the Palestinians tell of the Israeli hand lurking behind the doers.
I do not know Vittorio Arrigoni in person, but me tears and heart do. Thousands of Gazans cried over his tragic and untimely death. Many, appalled by the crime, are still trying to make sense of what happened. Nothing makes sense. It was a murder that shocked Gaza. One glance at google pictures will show that this courageous man not only was very prof-Palestinian but also was helping Palestinians more than we Palestinians can help ourselves. Who in Gaza would not mourn the man who we saw on every boat and every vessel defying Israeli naval siege? Who did not see Vittorio participating in popular protests against Israeli buffer zones near Gaza borders? How many of us, Palestinians, held Palestinian flag protesting Israeli occupation and inhumane measures against us? Vittorio did. Who did not cross his or her fingers when he was kidnapped by the Israeli navy and injured by the Israeli occupation forces for helping the people of Gaza? One word only was repeated in the previous questions: Israel. Yes, the Israeli occupation is the only party benefiting from the willful murder of this freedom activist.
The timing, which comes days before Flotilla II, and the irreparable damage the crime did to Gaza and the Palestinians tell of the Israeli Mossad hand lurking behind the doers. For Israel, the best way to prevent a second encounter with a freedom fleet is to scare the participants way. Imagine how many people will either in fear or in protest stop joining the flotilla. But that is a secondary issue now, for Vittorio is gone. Also imagine how many articles will be written to prove that the people of Gaza are a bunch of bigots who do not deserve a helping hand let alone sacrificing one’s life for. But does that matter? For Vittorio is no more. Imagine how much damage this act of barbarity does to the image of Gaza. Yet that is not the concern, for Vittorio is dead.
Gaza alone will pay for the premature death of comrade Vittorio. Gaza alone will suffer the dire consequences. Gaza alone will have to bear the responsibility. And Gaza and Gazans are only being used in a dirty game dictated on some bigots from a man sitting behind a laptop somewhere in Tel Aviv or Eretz. The killers must have received their orders and support from websites and forums which, as has been proved in some circumstances, are run or overshadowed by CIA and Mossad agents. They think they are following the orders of a sheikh somewhere in Iraq or Afghanistan, but in fact they are being used as pawns. The question every Gazan is asking now is what have those people done to resist the Israeli occupation? Nil, zilch, nada, nothing. Does not that cast doubts on their agendas and goals; while they caused the death of many Palestinians, the Israeli occupation remains and untouched by this handful of extremists.
But still could the murderers have done it? They did. Did they plan it themselves? I doubt it. Vittorio’s death means one thing: the death sentence for the killers. The clash between this group and Hamas government in 2008 proves that Hamas will not have mercy upon anyone who tries to disturb the (already shaken) security of Gaza. They have learnt the lesson the hard way. And another stupid mistake like killing an innocent Italian activist who left his home and family behind to help is the final blow for those people. Everyone in Gaza knows that. And the criminals are too. By so doing, they are either too stupid to see their end coming or so blinded that they were tricked into a mistake that will be their last.
The only people smiling now are the Israeli politicians and Mossad agents. But we say to the world that there is a huge difference between Palestinians and Israel. The killings of foreign journalists and activists by Israel were both systematic and premeditated and done by the Israeli army establishment. No one was brought to justice. In Gaza, the doers of this shameful event are very few and do not represent the Palestinian people. And we are sure they will be brought to justice and punish accordingly. Or else we will be like the rogue state of Israel. No one can forget Israeli long history of killing and attacking journalists and peace activists such as Rachel Corrie, James Miller, Raffaele Ciriello, the flotilla activists and others.
Now as Gazans and friends of Vittorio Arrigoni, we demand the government of Gaza to
1- Bring the doers to justice and punish them. And yes, we use the death penalty in Gaza.
2- Apologise for his family and the Italian people on behalf of the people of Palestine
3- Name a street after Vittorio
4- Name a school after him
5- Declare a day of mourning
6- Grant Vittorio the Palestinian nationality
While that will show how much we care and how much Vittorio means to Gazans, it will not compensate us or his family or his friends for the loss of a great man, a man who stood bare-chested in front of the Israeli machine guns, a man who was beaten and arrested by Israelis for the sake of Gaza, a man who loved Gaza and whom Gaza will never forget.
Vittorio Arrigoni , We are sorry. Italy, we are sorry. Italians, we are sorry. Free people of the world, Gaza is sorry. Everyone will make sure this thing does not happen again. We won’t rest until those criminals are brought to justice. And we promise not to let a handful of misguided fanatics determine the future and destiny of Gaza until Gaza is free.
In Gaza, My Gaza! 
“And Gaza and Gazans are only being used in a dirty game dictated on some bigots from a man sitting behind a laptop somewhere in Tel Aviv or Eretz” this summarize the whole story. Thanks Mr. Refat and we all hope that those bigots will be punished for their brutality which has no place among the Gazans.
shame on all those criminals who do not know what being Palestinians mean. Just feeling that some of my gazans could do such things of unrespect to others who sacrifice everything they have to be with us, with our suffering, with our wanted rights. And at last, they are killed by the same hand they came to help and support. Mossad is behind these crimes, we assure, but we still the hand that carried out this harsh crime under the orders of Mossad. Thus again, everything in Gaza is sorry for what some of us have done.
You people are insane.
This guy was murdered by the very people he was trying to help.
Jihadis murdered this man, not the Israelis.
You see nothing but your own hate, and that is why you are so dangerous…
what is even worse than us is the occupation that uses some idiots to do their dirty laundry. There is much evidence that such guys take orders from websites and forums whose moderators are CIA and Mossad agents..
why are you here hick, go away.
Is it impossible to deal with this tragedy honestly? The takfiri culture of the al Qaeda supremacists is responsible for his death as well as thousands of others around the world who are lost or subjugated to al Qaeda’s imperialism.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/15/vittorio-arrigoni-dead-gaza_n_849642.html
The abduction highlighted challenges that Hamas – an Iran-backed group with a militant Islamist ideology, considered a terrorist organization by the U.S., the European Union and Israel – has faced from smaller Islamic factions in Gaza who see Hamas as too pragmatic and lenient. Some of these, including the one apparently behind Arrigoni’s abduction, are inspired by al-Qaida and the world jihad movement.
“The takfiri culture of the al Qaeda supremacists is responsible for his death”
isn’t it wonderful how the takfiri and the zionists have the same enemies! how lucky for you they work together so well Alia. are you busy today running around the blogisphere posting this important information everywhere lest people get the impression everyone thinks israel was involved?
busy busy narrative bees buzzing their hasbarista news for all the world to read. here is a fun story for you:
” Iraqi terrorist exposed as a sham
By Thomas Frank – USA Today
Posted : Friday Jul 20, 2007 5:27:50 EDT
BAGHDAD — Over the past year, Iraqis heard several audio recordings by a mysterious terrorist leader named Omar al-Baghdadi singing the praises of al-Qaida and urging his followers to attack U.S. troops.
The whole thing was a sham, the U.S. military said Wednesday. Al-Baghdadi was actually a fictional character dreamed up by al-Qaida to bolster its local credibility because the group is largely run by non-Iraqis. The voice heard in the recordings belonged to an Iraqi actor, the military said.
The character was “a creation of al-Qaida in Iraq leadership to help put an Iraqi face on … their efforts here,” Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner told reporters. ”
oh wow why didn’t i think of that! after arresting and killing him around 10 times people started to notice he never died!
bye
I left you the comment about your post on mondoweiss.
i wanted to share with you something else. back in 09 a commenter on our site linked to a report of a racist group called “Stop the ISM” described at “sort of American-Jewish Ku Klux Klan”. they had a “Hit Llist’ which i saw last night when i visited their site, the list is now scrubbed.
“”The call is clear: to kill a group of people, with their first and last name, habits and ideas, political affiliations and pictures easily identifiable. They also demand informers’ cooperation so as to complete the list with addresses. The dossiers are openly addressed to the Israeli military so as to help them eliminate “dangerous” targets physically, unless others see to it first: the foes to be hit are western activists—health assistants and other volunteers—who work and are witnesses to what is unfolding in the Occupied Territories.
You may read all this on a website, run by a group of extremists, a sort of American-Jewish Ku Klux Klan: Stop the ISM. It may be worth noting that an Italian, Vittorio Arrigoni, whose touching reports from Gaza we have read, is amongst those targeted.
The person who runs the site is Lee Kaplan.”
here is a cached report. a youtube capture of the hitlist before it was scubbed last night here, includes other names of activists on the list.
in solidarity
annie
This tragedy moves every true Gazan to tears. Whoever did this is absolutely not a Gazan. I guess What Ken O’keef said is quite enough for those who doubt that we, Palestinians, could murder such a hero.
and Yes Israel is the only one who stands to benefit.
Thank You, sir. You spoke up our minds.
Pingback: Gaza mourns Vittorio Arrigoni « Silver Lining
You are the very definition of “useful idiot.” Your own side murders one of your own guys, and you twist and turn to blame it on the Jews. Pathetic. But Hitler’s pal the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem would be proud, so there’s that.
seems you do not follow the news. Hitler is so pissed off that you toppled him off his first place as a criminal. your nazi apartheid governments surpassed him. check the guinness book.
I am left with just one thing that’s ringing in my mind since this gruesome incident took place: Sayyidina Yusuf Alaihis Salam.
Wasn’t he blamed for crimes he didn’t commit?
Wasn’t he imprisoned for many years on end?
And not forgetting; Wasn’t he from Palestine?!
Sooner or later the TRUTH will stare everyone in the face!
No crime can be without LIES or perfect!
My sincere condolences go out to Mr. Arrigoni’s family and friends in Italy and Palestine.
Thanks, Mr. Refat.
What proof do you have that the Mossad or CIA was involved?
To accept your suggestion that the Arabs who did this, did so at the behest of Israel or the US is to accept that Arabs are like little children with no goals or motives.
I realize Arab and Muslim culture in general are steeped in superstition and conspiracy beliefs, but this is ridiculous.
Where was this yearning for your own state when you were part of Egypt? Jerusalem is mentioned only ONCE in the Koran, and now it’s supposed to be the ‘eternal capitol’ of the state that has never existed?
You’re letting your barbaric hate of non-Muslims show- you know very well Israeli Arabs don’t want to be subject to what passes for life under HAMAS rule. Over a million Arabs live happily, with full rights, in Israel.
Why can’t any Jews live in Gaza?
You’re not ‘occupied’, kids. Israel left you monsters to your own devices in 2006, and you promptly destoyed what they left behind (millions of dollars worth of greenhouses, remember?), and started lobbing home-made missiles into their schoolyards and shopping centers. That proves you don’t want a state of your own- you want Israel.
You are, like all Israelis, still living the illusion of the democratic state of Israel in middle of “barbaric” Arabs. You belong to the past MAN, the people of the world are no long believing this shit. They see how ugly your prime minister is and how savage your foreign minister is as well as how corrupt your leaders are. Moreover, you are still spitting off the same lies about the holy land of the Jews while almost most of the world knows that you’re a group of robbers who occupied the land of others. What is pathetic that makes me laugh your lie about the Arabs who “live happily in Israel” You are still dwelling on the same poor logic. WAKE UP MAN ! THE WORLD IS CHANGING. You are no longer the only ones talking to people. The world is not stupid any more to believe your lies!
I think- I mean that I’m sure- that there is nothing called Israel at first. My brother you can refer to honest and trusted historical books to know the truth of that thing called Israel. You are supposed to know that we -the Arabs- made it by our hands. Do you know how? As a result of hearing many rumers that jews have many ruines and places settled in ages ago, historiographers went on to register those invented facts in their books to give Palestine that historical and religous significance we don’t need since Palestine already has a well-known importance.
So ages by ages, jews have believed those rumers intentionally in order to give theirselves the right of occupying Palestine.
Regardin our devision, we all brothers, in Gaza and Ramallah, but the foreign policy is the thing that forced some of us to do such aggressive things. It is just a kind of long-period infatuation caused by their double-standard policy in whick they knew how to make all those confusion in our beloved country..
We have not believed in Israel, and we will never do.
We love all people, but we do not welcome any agressive action toward us
Please accept my opinion .
My Greetings =D
verrrry touching and wonderful piece!
thank u sir
I need only add this, to the pathetic attempt above, to imply Israel has falsified it’s historical claim to their land:
Jews were circumcising their sons on that patch of land MILENNIA before Arabs were circumcising their daughters there.
And a question:
If the Arabs made a pile of all their weapons, and destroyed them (and renounced the Koranic imperitive to kill Jews), what would happen?
Peace and prosperity would break out.
Now, if the Israelis made a pile of their weapons, and destroyed them, what would happen?
Bloodthirsty Arab savages would descend on them like flies, and devour them.
Do you know what? You are using a racist discourse which works against you. It doesn’t make you smart neither proving your point. It only prove that you are a discriminative “SON OF BITCH”
we do not need any sympathy because we are not seeking help to gain our lost rights. We will fight to the last breath just to have all our rights were abstracted by dirty hands belong to international organizations striving to control the peoples especially Arab ones.
Oiee, are u supposing that circumcising children was the first thing Arab knew or did on this land ??
Please, compare between the number of years Arab and Jews settled in Palestine ! And tell me which is longer ?
Arab and Jews lived on this land in descrepant periods according to many ecnomical or environmental circumstances but the majority is to Arabs who knew palestine MILENNIA before Jews .
Jews are the main source of savegry across the ages. No one can deny.