Report: 2009 John Kerry Letter Backed Anti-Israel Gaza Flotilla Activists
A letter of introduction written by then-U.S. Senator John Kerry on behalf of a group of anti-Israel activists from his home state of Massachusetts in 2009 tied America’s top diplomat to the ill-fated Gaza Flotilla of 2010, threatening to further erode Israeli confidence in his peace-brokering mission with the Palestinian Authority and the Iranian regime, Israeli daily Ma’ariv reported.
Ma’ariv published a photograph of the letter which said that members of Kerry’s team had met with the group, and that Kerry was personally vouching for them as members of a “humanitarian delegation” of which he expressed “strong support.”
Ma’ariv said the delegation that used the Kerry letter included vocal anti-Israel activists Ali Abunimah and Jodie Evans. The newspaper said that the clout of Kerry, who was then chair of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee and had been a U.S. presidential candidate, was apparently not as esteemed as the group had hoped, as their letter was ignored by Cairo as they tried to cross into Gaza from Egypt.
The team then joined the Mavi Marmara Flotilla, and “the rest is history,” Ma’ariv said.
In 2009, Israel announced it had implemented a naval security blockade of the Gaza Strip after the area was taken over by the Islamist terrorist group Hamas two years earlier.
But a group of activists, including members of Hamas, Turks and Americans, tried to break the blockade, leading the IDF to board the Mavi Marmara. Several people died after IDF personnel were attacked upon boarding the vessel.








9:44 pm
This letter is consistent the recent news about Kerry’s appearence before the Senate trying to persuade the Senators to hold off on strengthening the sanctions against Iran. Senators who attended the meeting characterised Kerry’s appearence as anti-Israel and stated that everytime someone tried to bring up Israel’s views Kerry’s response was “don’t listen to the Israelis.” Now we can understand why Netanyahu reacted so strongly after two hours with Kerry about the proposed Iran deal. Add to this Kerry’s recent warnings that the failure to reach agreement with Iran will lead to war and that the failure to reach agreement in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiation will lead to another intifada, and a clear picture of Kerry as dangerous for Israel imerges. One should wonder why Kerry’s views toward Israel did not show up before his confirmation as it usually does in other confirmations, e.g. Chuck Hagel. We were all worrying about Hagel while the real problamatic confirmation was John Kerry.
2:37 pm
I do not sympathize with Iranian politics or his vision of the planet, however, is not better to build bridges with geopolitical opponents for the purposes of seeking a more equitable way out to the conflicts, away from hatred and revenge, for the sake of universal peace? Otherwise, when will this world better?
7:44 pm
Kerry and Obama are two nasty pieces of work!
6:44 am
The irony and the sad reality is that Obama won Presidency thanks to the huge support he received from Jewish Americans. Shame!
12:35 am
American Jews are always more concerned about the rights and welfare of other people than they are about their own rights and welfare. We can always be counted on to act against our own vital interests. What fools we are!
2:52 am
It’s important to read and analyse stuff before falling blindly for propaganda.
An important pointer:
The letter is dated December 23rd 2009, and it speaks of, “the humanitarian delegation from Massachusetts that will be traveling to ISRAEL and the Palestinian territories from December 27th to January 15th.
What date, might I ask, was the Gaza Flotilla? Answer — 31st May 2010
How can Kerry’s support for a human-rights delegation to ISRAEL and the Palestinian territories between December 27th to January 15th be mistaken for the Gaza Flotilla that took place almost 6 months later?
12:38 pm
Cliff,
Read the middle section of the article
“Ma’ariv said the delegation that used the Kerry letter included vocal anti-Israel activists Ali Abunimah and Jodie Evans. The newspaper said that the clout of Kerry, who was then chair of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee and had been a U.S. presidential candidate, was apparently not as esteemed as the group had hoped, as their letter was ignored by Cairo as they tried to cross into Gaza from Egypt.
The team then joined the Mavi Marmara Flotilla…” He endorsed central figures of the flotilla, their organizations and by extension the flotilla as a whole.
1:19 am
sheik kerry and mufti obama……and we, the Jews helped them to get where they are….shame on them?….three times more shame on us
5:22 pm
I remember well a response I got from a New York Jewish man, to a post that I had written regarding Obama. I had just returned from a trip to Israel, and shared my Anti-Obama Sentiments. He responded with a lengthy vile letter criticizing me and supporting Obama. He wasn’t satisfied with one letter, he posted another a few days later. The language was unbelievable. I cannot understand this type of thinking and support for Obama who obviously does not have the best interest of Israel at heart.
11:16 pm
Clueless is as clueless does. Or… Once clueless, always clueless. But of course that’s the genius Obama chose to negotiate the most important post WWII negotiations with respect to Israel’s survival. One more stone in Obama’s garden. Correction: make that a boulder.
10:36 pm
Mireille is wrong. Kerry is not halachically Jewish as both paternal grandeparents were Jewish but his mother was a Winthrop a member of a prominent Massachusetts Quaker family.
9:57 pm
It seems that Mr kerry learn in 2004 that his grandmothers on both sides were Jewish. He is a practicing Catholic. Can somebody explain to me how he can turn to be a Hamas supporter? Shame on him. It seems it never fails:
nothing worse than a Jewish antisemite.
5:25 pm
He is a supporter of Abortion so I would not call him a practicing Catholic.
9:18 pm
Baal Kerry at it again! Predictable!
10:37 pm
It just does not matter what heritage Mr. Kerry and Co. have, or do not have: they all worship Dupology and it’s prophet, Saint Obama. Increasingly they find themselves in the dustbin of the History.
9:13 pm
Why should this come as a surprise to anyone. As the saying goes “Once an Anti-Semite always an Anti-Semite.
9:08 pm
The letter makes clear that Kerry’s antisemitism is identical to the Grand Mufti’ s.
9:08 pm
The word humanitarian today holds a totally different meaning to what it did when I was growing up.
8:57 pm
Kerry,Kerry.Kerry..shame on you!!!Apparently a real wolf in sheeps clothing. Withdraw yourself from the so called “peace talks” since you are obviously not an impartial person regarding this process,which is futile in any event. When one side wants but doesnt give there are no grounds for negotiation.
8:36 pm
More proof that Kerry is another anti-Jewish bum.
More Democrats! We must have more Democrats!
8:24 pm
No shock from the iran-firsters at the WH