Was Israel Right to Raid the Flotilla in International Water

[ROB]

What do you think? Why?

[flipflop]

I don’t like hippies, they smell

[flipflop]

No seriously, the Israelis probably just wanted to nab these arseholes before they got into the blockade zone in daylight amidst a blaze of glory.

I have no problem with that, given the nature of the spackers onboard. I will bite the bullet on this one and say that the initial assault was by troops armed with paintballs, they were met with axes and metal bars. Using a threat matrix – deadly force (albeit with crude weaponry) was being exercised by the other side – use of lethal fire was entirely justified in neutralising that deadly threat.

Standard stuff IMO

[RiverRat]

I think the Israelis should’ve turned this one over to the North Koreans who are most excellent at not torpedoing foreign flag vessels.

[ROB]

@FF – From a military point of view, is there any benefit to raiding them 65 miles at sea rather than 20 miles at sea? (ie, outside vs inside your territory)

[flipflop]

Not sure buddy, I suppose there’s more room to mop up out at 65 miles rather than 20 miles, as well as allowing for more time to do just that. I’m sure coralling a hostile flotilla isn’t easy, and I’m positive the Israelis didn’t want even one ship to land in Gaza.

[ROB]

Fair point.

My first thought when I heard they had done it 65 miles out, was why didn’t they wait until it had left waters that were indisputably international.

I mean civilian ship. International waters. Had not broken any laws.

[Lee Ridley]

Israel doesn’t care for such rules and regulations. They see it as defend themselves against Hamas at whatever cost, and if that involves swerving a few international laws then fuck it.

[ROB]

Oh for sure. And to be honest I cannot say I really blame them. The international community has never really done much for them.

On the other hand, it’s a little rich to flout international law again like this then bitch about the fact that nobody will vote for you in the UN (for example).

[jamesintheworld]

Yes – cuz I say so

~JITW

[Stiv]

Ideally no they should have done it within their territorial waters but realistically it really wouldn’t matter how they handled it because they would be critisized for whatever they would do, so they may as well get to it sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately they handled it poorly.

What irritated me far more than anything the Israelis did to some activists/Moslems/Aid workers didn’t bother me a fraction of what some fellow peace loving Moslems in Pakistan did to some fellow Moslems that were attempting to worship in peace in thier mosque, but instead some peace loving genius thought it was a more peaceful and just to machine gun them during prayer….nice bunch….too bad they have all this injustice caused by Israel though.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/0528/Why-Taliban-attacks-two-Muslim-minority-mosques-in-Pakistan

If Israel didn’t exist all those Moslems lives would be WAY better :roll:

~Stiv

[Wild in Africa]

No of course they weren’t bloody well right. They acted in their usual don’t give a fuck arrogant way, trampling over anyone who gets in their way. The fact that they are starving the Gazans do death doesn’t matter I suppose. Forget the religious elements (religion always screws up everything anyway) and just look at the human dimension of a barricaded population clinging to survival hoping that someone gives a damn about them. Well, this time someone gave a damn and as usual got trampled all over by the regional bullies. Don’t give me bloody macho posing and try and adopt a little humanity for fucks sake!

[ROB]

Some people seem to find it so easy to take a side in the Israel Palestinian thing. I don’t.

They both seem to make some incredibly irrational and wrong decisions, but on the whole I would point out that it’s Palestinian civilians paying the heaviest price. I know it’s not a cut and dry issue, but fucking with civilians is wrong. It’s wrong when ham as does it and it’s wrong when the Israeli gov/mil do it.

If there was any justice, a lot of Israeli and palestinian leaders would be tried for war crimes.

[Author]

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