Conversely, to some Israel is always right no matter the circumstances, often to the point of elevating the perceived interests of Israel above the United States'. Frankly, I think it's a situation not a lot of people know much about - including me - which makes it extremely easy to hold a rigid ideological position one way or another.

 

Also very true.

I agree it was a weird way to board the ship, still doesn't make the Israelis wrong in this.

 

I agree. Like I said, they are well within their legal rights to board the boat, but how badly they botched it is surprising. It was almost as if it was intentionally messed up.

From what I heard today is that this group warned Israel they were coming, Israel said Ok, just let us inspect for any prohibited items. Then you will be allowed to go on, if all items are approved of.

The Israeli force also went aboard armed with paint ball guns as their primary weapons, with side arms as their back up weapons.

These people got what they wanted, martyrdom. They wanted confrontation to make Israel look bad. Hoping people would not look to deeply .

The blockade has been in place for a couple of years

 

International law on this issue was well known. A blockade is valid if it can be enforced.

 

The ship was radioed and acknowledged.

 

The ship admitted it was taking goods to the port in Gaza, and acknowledgted it was in violation of the blockade.

 

The Israeli equivalent of the Coast Guard provided notice to board.

 

They boarded with paint guns. Let me repeat that - THEY BOARDED WITH PAINT GUNS.

 

The "peaceful" mob struck out at them in recorded video with various blunt force, metal, and vorpal weapons.

 

2 Israeli soliders were killed. Let me repeat that - 2 ISRAELI SOLDIERS WERE KILLED.

 

The soldiers retaliated.

 

I don't really know what else there is to talk about. Any alternative position on these facts is simply obtuse.

^There were no soldiers killed. I've searched and searched and haven't found anything that said as much. There are reports that two soldiers were hurt badly, but they're still alive.

The blockade has been in place for a couple of years

 

International law on this issue was well known. A blockade is valid if it can be enforced.

 

The ship was radioed and acknowledged.

 

The ship admitted it was taking goods to the port in Gaza, and acknowledgted it was in violation of the blockade.

 

The Israeli equivalent of the Coast Guard provided notice to board.

 

They boarded with paint guns. Let me repeat that - THEY BOARDED WITH PAINT GUNS.

 

The "peaceful" mob struck out at them in recorded video with various blunt force, metal, and vorpal weapons.

 

2 Israeli soliders were killed. Let me repeat that - 2 ISRAELI SOLDIERS WERE KILLED.

 

The soldiers retaliated.

 

I don't really know what else there is to talk about. Any alternative position on these facts is simply obtuse.

 

There is too much logic based on fact and not enough antisemitism for this post to be consistent with world opinion.

The majority of those who attacked the Israeli Naval Commandos boarding the ship have direct and indirect Global Jihad ties.

 

Israel’s investigation has revealed some 100 people infiltrated the peace and humanitarian aid activists making their way to Gaza, with the explicit design to attack Israeli soldiers using cold arms.

 

Some among that group are believed to have ties with World Jihad groups, mainly al-Qaeda.

 

The majority of suspects are Turks, but some are Yemenites and Indonesian. One Yemenite Islamist was photographed with a dagger in his belt prior to the raid.

 

Link

OK, well that just makes it better.

 

They were beaten with iron clubs. I have also heard at least one soldier was thrown overboard. Perhaps "hurled peacefully into the frothy wake" suits you better, Zoot.

To be fair to both sides, is it fair to judge a violent situation that lasted more than the mere seconds represented in clips? Or to judge based on only one or two clips? I'm not saying either side was justified in their actions. I do feel that most people will jump on the pro- or anti-Israeli bandwagon based on their own limited knowledge and perception of the situation in Israel with regard to the Gaza Strip and Palestine. I also think the US has to walk a fine line (and it's an almost impossibly fine line in this case), to hopefully preserve our relationship with Israel, and with Turkey.

To be fair to both sides, is it fair to judge a violent situation that lasted more than the mere seconds represented in clips? Or to judge based on only one or two clips? I'm not saying either side was justified in their actions. I do feel that most people will jump on the pro- or anti-Israeli bandwagon based on their own limited knowledge and perception of the situation in Israel with regard to the Gaza Strip and Palestine. I also think the US has to walk a fine line (and it's an almost impossibly fine line in this case), to hopefully preserve our relationship with Israel, and with Turkey.

 

Mom, it could have been Usama Bin Laden out there, for all I care. If he was enforcing a legal blockade that had been in place for two years, the intruders deserved to get shot. End of story.

 

Now, if you'd prefer to debate the merits of the blockade, that is fine, but there are international forums to air grievances over that. You don't just go in, iron clubs ablazin', and hope the media saves you.

Mom, it could have been Usama Bin Laden out there, for all I care. If he was enforcing a legal blockade that had been in place for two years, the intruders deserved to get shot. End of story.

 

Now, if you'd prefer to debate the merits of the blockade, that is fine, but there are international forums to air grievances over that. You don't just go in, iron clubs ablazin', and hope the media saves you.

 

Again, I'm of the opinion that the media is guilty of both "saving" and "condemning" this situation. There's not enough information in the video clips to fully assess the situation.

Out of curiousity, what would be the expected response. If you were on a ship taking survival goods to people in Gaza and you were boarded - in what appeared to be an attack - by the IDF? Suck it up and take whatever they dish?

 

Or is the premise that if one were to disagree with the naval blockade of GAZA that one should simply sit pat.

 

The expected response if you truely are on a peace keeping mission with nothing to hide, would be to stop at the port as requested and allow for the supplies to be approved.

 

The Israeli's were not trying to keep needed supplies from GAZA, they were trying to make sure that no weaponry was being smuggled in with the supplies. Once inspected the majority of the supplies were released.

 

Part of the group of people in the flotilla are from oganizations well affiliated with Hamas and Al-Qaeda. Seems like they were wanting to pick a fight, and they got one.

 

This blockade is no different from the many blockades that our country and other countries have used in history. Blockades, in general, are cold war efforts to create hardships (physical and econmic) on an enemy without physically taking lives.

I agree. Like I said, they are well within their legal rights to board the boat, but how badly they botched it is surprising. It was almost as if it was intentionally messed up.

Could very well be this is the reason they decided to board the way they did.

 

In footage captured on the Mavi Marmara, activists are seen attacking the soldiers with a stun grenade, a box of plates, and water hoses as the soldiers attempt to board the ship. The activists are also waiving around metal rods and chains later used to attack the soldiers with. The IDF soldiers were armed with paint ball guns (used for riot dispersal) and pistols which they were ordered to use only as a last resort.

 

Weapons Found on the Flotilla Ship Mavi Marmara Used by Activists Against IDF Soldiers

 

IDF: Hamas stops flotilla aid delivered by israel

 

Jerusalem (CNN) -- Israel has attempted to deliver humanitarian aid from an international flotilla to Gaza, but Hamas -- which controls the territory -- has refused to accept the cargo, the Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday.

Palestinian sources confirmed that trucks that arrived from Israel at the Rafah terminal at the Israel-Gaza border were barred from delivering the aid.