What else should happen when you are descended upon while in international waters?
Dialogue? Non-violent resistance? These are peace activists, after all. A Nobel peace laureate was on board one of the ships (as well as a Hamas leader.. ha ha). They don't believe in violence, right? But it's now known that they had guns on board, which they used against the lightly-armed Israeli commandos. Other items on board: bulletproof vests, military-grade night vision equipment, a rifle scope, an assortment of knives, electric saws, metal rods and clubs.
Under the Oslo Accords and agreements with the Palestinian Authority, Israel maintains sovereignty over the international waters off the Gaza coast.
"Direct (aid) delivery by sea is neither appropriate nor responsible under the circumstances," said U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the U.N. Alejandro Wolff. While European and Arab countries castigated Israel for the killing of nine Muslim extremists who attacked Navy commandos, Wolff stated, "We are working to ascertain the facts [and] we expect a credible and transparent investigation."
Hamas has smuggled hundreds of tons of explosives, arms and ammunition, as well as terrorists, by land and sea, and Israel is determined to prevent further smuggling actions. Allowing boats to reach Gaza without inspection would give Hamas free passage to bring in advanced weapons, including long-range missiles.
I hate dirty stinky hippies as much as the next guy
I don't know if I'd categorize them as hippies. At least not in the classic sense. Neo-hippies? These were terror activists. The mission was funded and supported by Islamist terrorist organizations and terror-supporting governments.
but I don't think Israel should be dressed in white either.
As to this incident, I think Israel should be dressed in white, because there is no blood stain of murder on their hands. They did not use any weapon until they had incurred casualties from the "peace activists." Furthermore, I think the IDF soldiers of this mission should be awarded honorary medals of freedom! Their actions were heroic, responsible, and ethical. They complied with all laws, domestic and international, as well as IDF guidelines, which are the strictest and most restrained of any military in the world. It seems that even most left-wing, pacifist Israeli politicians see nothing wrong with what Israel did here. The united response of support across the Israeli political spectrum has been a remarkable phenomenon.
I mean... God forbid if Gaza has some concrete.
Foreign Ministry Legal Expert Explains Gaza Blockade:
Interviewer: "So how do we make sure that our actions [i.e., the blockade] are against the [Hamas] regime, but not against the citizens?"
[Sarah Weiss Maudi, the Foreign Ministry's expert on maritime and humanitarian law]: "Well, Israel has a humanitarian obligation to make sure that certain vital humanitarian interests are met and that supplies go in. But I want to emphasize that Israel is under no obligation to supply non-vital goods or goods that could give Hamas a military or economic advantage. That is why Israel limits, for example, the supply of concrete into the Gaza Strip. Concrete could be used to mold rockets. It could be used to build reinforced bunkers which are clearly for military purposes against Israel."
She emphasizes that Israel supplies Gaza with large quantities of humanitarian supplies, including baby formula, meat, dairy products, and more. "And in the last year and a half it has supplied Gaza with over a million tons of goods. The Israel Supreme Court constantly reviews these supplies to make sure that Israel is in line with its requirements under both Israeli domestic law and international law to supply vital civilian goods that are needed. And indeed, it has confirmed that Israel has been meeting its obligations under international and domestic law."