We want to know how you feel about Israel's blockade of the Gaza strip, and what your thoughts are on the Israeli raiding of the civilian vessels that sought to breach the blockade. Please use the "Discuss" tab at the bottom of this page to comment on our Gaza blockade forum.
As I set out to prepare this Gaza blockade forum, I was leaning toward the Israeli right to filter its waterways. However, I'm overwhelmed by the inhumane situation the population of Gaza lives within, and I'm able to see the full scheme of the situation from both sides of the argument. So please read through, as I offer bits of defense for each side in the paragraphs below - for our discussion. I welcome your opening the discussion to broader unmentioned issues.
Israel's Side
To be imprisoned within your own country is indefensible and simply inhumane. To raid a civilian ship in the middle of the night, which had openly shared its sailing plans for the world to see, seems likewise incomprehensible. However, Israel was in a position with few good options and has the right to guard its waterways. While I see and understand that position, the real argument today is with regard to the blockade and not Israel's raiding of the ship. That said, if Israel wanted to inspect the ships, why not intercept them at sea in the daylight and lead them into port for inspection?
I can think of several reasons:
- Trojan Horse - However unlikely, suppose the ship was just a rouse, and contained a weapon intended for mass destruction. This would seem unlikely, but could Israel risk it? The ship was navigating towards Gaza though, not Israel, so why would it contain such a weapon? What if the "aid activists" (from Israel's perspective) expected Israeli intervention, which was clearly probable. Supposing the ship's crew expected to be guided into Israeli port? Perhaps then a mass murder weapon could have been prepared on board. As a NYC resident, I can understand why a foreign vessel must be intercepted to protect the citizens of my country. In this case, you can understand why Israel would intercept the ship at sea. However, why not do it in the daylight, by bringing your policing warships about the vessel? The ship could also have been disabled by some means, though this might have raised similar risks (that the aid workers should have been prepared for anyway). With regard to the death toll, the activists challenged the Israeli military, and should not be surprised today that there are dead among their numbers as a result.
- Suppose the cargo included conventional weapons - In this case, Israel could not be 100% confident in its ability to stop their successful receipt into Gaza, had they allowed the ship to dock. While at sea, or under their control, they could instead ensure no unwanted contraband made it through.
- Suppose the ship's passengers included mercenaries or terrorists - Dangerous individuals might have found their way into the country illegally. Israel controls this possibility as well by intercepting the vessel at sea.
Unfair Blockade & Courageous Activists
Considering that the United Nations has been unable to alter what it considers an illegal situation in Gaza, these individual activists made great strides in breaking Israel's blockade. Global popular opinion is now attuned to and incensed by the situation. Therefore, you can count this effort a great success. And even the 10K tons of aid will still make it to Gaza after thorough inspection, according to Israel.
Egypt opened its border with Gaza in response to this event, and Turkey (Israel's most important Islamic-state ally) has pulled its diplomatic contingent from Israel and cancelled joint military exercises. Jordan and other nations have condemned the raid, while Great Britain and others have called for an end to the blockade. Given all these happenings that resulted directly from the activists' effort, I would go so far as to call those Turks who lost their lives heroes. I think they only made one mistake, and that was in physically fighting the Israeli commandos. It was the wrong battle to wage, and was a lost cause.
Here's how I think you go about accomplishing the end to the blockade.
- Keep Sailing - Organize an even larger international flotilla now that popular attention is attuned. Imagine hundreds of vessels flying hundreds of flags all seeking to breach the blockade to bring fairness to Gazans. Imagine what wonderful impact that love filled effort might accomplish.
- Maintain Peaceful Demonstration - Give Israel no defense in its arguments: by carrying no weapons; announcing your intentions loudly and publicly ahead of time; and sailing in the daylight and directly towards Gaza. Also punish those who fire rockets into Israel, and who seek war.
- Accept Persecution - Instead of meeting aggression with violence, allow and accept your own persecution. Instead of lifting poles, taking pistols and fighting back, raise your arms and wave a white flag. Aggression, which is inspired by evil, and is therefore dumbfounded by love and peaceful response. It is overwhelmed by it. Victory is accomplished. Simply look toward Martin Luther King's great accomplishments for example of this.
- Keep Coming - Keep the pressure on by continually coming and forcing the righteous argument to be heard. Israel would be forced to (if it did not do so of its own accord) find another solution that works for it and would allow the people of Gaza more rights and freedoms at the same time.
In this manner, we the peaceful and the love-driven shall overcome every atrocity, all unfairness, and each oppression. What do you think?
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