>> news analysis WELLS FARGO Flotilla Fallout Israel Always Gets The Blame Simon Plosker YNet News O nly weeks after its release, the Palmer Report into the 2010 Gaza flotilla incident appears to have been consigned to history's dustbin. Despite leveling criticism at Israel for "excessive force the report should have been a major prize for Israel's public diplomacy. How often does a U.N.- sponsored investigation uphold the legiti- macy of Israel's naval blockade and high- light the danger of Hamas from Gaza? Israel, however, failed to enunciate a cogent message playing up the positives from the Palmer Report. But, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan took full advantage, using the hours before the report's release to hijack the news cycle and reframe the story, aided by a compliant international media. Even without Erdogan's help, some media deliberately focused on Palmer's criticism of Israel, ignoring the justifica- tion for the Israeli blockade and Turkish responsibility for the flotilla incident. The main headlines in the following days belonged to Erdogan's increasingly vitriolic attacks on Israel. The story morphed into claims that Israel's refusal to apologize was the reason for Turkish anger and the ever- widening rift between the two countries. More accurately, the Turkish demand for an apology and Erdogan's escalatory lan- guage should have been emphasized as the reason for diplomatic breakdown. Despite Erdogan's claims that Israel had broken international law, the Palmer Report concluded the exact opposite, stating that Israel had every right to board the flotilla in international waters. Look at the way two different U.N. investigations have been presented. The harsh and one-sided Goldstone Report received mass media attention. Since then, with far less fanfare, Judge Goldstone himself has distanced himself from the findings, saying that if he knew then what he knows now, the conclu- sions would have been very different. The Palmer Report, much like Goldstone's retraction, has been system- atically ignored or deliberately skewed by a media that cannot deviate from the accepted narrative of Israel as the sole bad guy on the block. P1 Simon Plosker is the managing editor of Honest Reporting. L'Shana Tova Tikotevu! Wishing my clients and friends warmest wishes for a healthy and happy year. The Wells Fargo Foundation is a proud supporter of educational institutions throughout the United States. Together we'll go far Allen Olender, CIMA®, Managing Director - Investment Officer Wells Fargo Advisors 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 110 • Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Ph. 248-737-8459 • Fax 248-737-8474 allen.olender@wellsfargoadvisors.com Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC. ©2009 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC 0709-1321 [78469-v1] 7/09 1700510 From your friends and family at The Detroit Jewish News Arthur, Kevin, Bob, Craig, Debbie, Jackie, Deanna, Keith, Bryan, Ann, Danny, David, Dharlene, Gail, Jan, Hazel, Heidi, Keri, Kim, Melissa, Jan, Pam, Rick, Sy, Zena iN MN September 22 • 2011 79