Gaza Flotilla 2011 Update: Dutch reporters Abandon ship

Like rats from a burning building:

Every single Dutch journalist embeded on the flotilla of fools has walked out, claiming they were misled by the activists who refused to cooperate oranswer their questions.

The walkout began earlier this week. Radio Netherlands Worldwide reporter Eric Beauchemin published an article "Gaza Activists Blinded by Faith", claiming "I have worked as a journalist for the past 25 years, and never have I experienced such a closed organisation."

He continued:

"I expressed an interest in joining the mission earlier this year when I heard that the Dutch were going to send their own vessel to Gaza for the first time. There would be over 30 participants, including prominent members of Dutch society. An Italian delegation with 20 people would also take part.

I then attended meeting after meeting in various cities in Holland. I had to be screened because - I was told - there were so many people wanting to travel to Gaza. When the organisers called to say I had passed the screening and been chosen as one of the select group of people who would set sail, I felt obliged to express my joy.

Now, back in the Netherlands, over three months later, I feel deceived. There never was a "select group". There were no prominent Dutch figures interested in joining Freedom Flotilla 2. Instead of 32 people from the Netherlands, the organisation managed to assemble just eight activists and four journalists. Yesterday [Monday], two more journalists decided to jump ship before the boat even left the port of Corfu.

Since day one, journalists, including myself, asked questions about the Dutch organisation and the boat, for example about the funding. Even simple questions about the ship's power supply for me to hook up my satellite transmitter. The answer was consistently: "I'll get back to you about that" or "we don't know". I'm still waiting for answers."

By today, the rest of the Dutch journalists had jumped ship, many upset by the involvement of Hamas operative Amin Abou Rashed in the flotilla.