In terms of PR strategy its hard to think of how the israelis could have done things any worse than they did with this incident.
Yes, I agree here. They underestimated what they would find on that ship. Five ships agreed to be boarded. The sixth ship, which had 600 anti-Israeli hatred people on it, consisted of people who were there just to fight and hurt as many Israeli soldiers that they could. The Israeli commandos were very surprised, heading into a situation with just paintball bullets. Once they realized that they were being attacked with knives, sticks, guns, and being thrown overboard and hurt, it got serious, and they fought back. They wanted to wait until daylight so they could videotape it all. That is why is was done at night.
Definitely not peace activists.
Hmm... just because the sole purpose of the mission was to break the blockade of a group who wants the destruction of Israel? A simple, head to the port, let the items be inspected, and then let them enter into Gaza would of been easier. That wasnt the case. The goal was to provoke outcry with a provacation, an attack on the commandos, and then cry. Then play as much as they can to the media crying foul.
International waters , Israel fired first before boarding. and does Israel OWN these international waters?
With Egypts approval (huh - Egypt), and repeated warnings, in which the first 5 ships were stopped and agreed to be boarded, the sixth ship decided to provoke an outcry. In any other country, that ship would of been fired on and sunk. If you know that the SOLE mission is to violate your country, you have a right to stop it before it happens.
These ship which were from Turkey were bringing humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza
Really??? Then why didnt they just do it via the proper channels? So easy to do that. These ships were there for ONE thing - to break the blockade and give legitimacy to the terrorist organization of Hamas.
Pakistani Muslims slaughtered 100 unarmed, peace-advocating Ahmadis (91 more than this incident) in less than 2 hours last week while they were praying and there was nary a peep about it.
Yes, every day, lots of incidents like this happen. But who cares? After all, it isnt Israel, the only Democratic nation in the middle east.