Our Navy commandoes fell right into the hands of the Gaza mission members. A few minutes before the takeover attempt aboard the Marmara got underway, the operation commander was told that 20 people were waiting on the deck where a helicopter was to deploy the first team of the elite Flotilla 13 unit. The original plan was to disembark on the top deck, and from there rush to the vessel’s bridge and order the Marmara’s captain to stop. Officials estimated that passengers will show slight resistance, and possibly minor violence; for that reason, the operation’s commander decided to bring the helicopter directly above the top deck. The first rope that soldiers used in order to descend down to the ship was wrested away by activists, most of them Turks, and tied to an antenna with the hopes of bringing the chopper down. However, Flotilla 13 fighters decided to carry on. Navy commandoes slid down to the vessel one by one, yet then the unexpected occurred: The passengers that awaited them on the deck pulled out bats, clubs, and slingshots with glass marbles, assaulting each soldier as he disembarked. The fighters were nabbed one by one and were beaten up badly, yet they attempted to fight back. However, to their misfortune, they were only equipped with paintball rifles used to disperse minor protests, such as the ones held in Bilin. The paintballs obviously made no impression on the activists, who kept on beating the troops up and even attempted to wrest away their weapons. One soldier who came to the aid of a comrade was captured by the rioters and sustained severe blows. The commandoes were equipped with handguns but were told they should only use them in the face of life-threatening situations. When they came down from the chopper, they kept on shouting to each other “don’t shoot, don’t shoot,” even though they sustained numerous blows. Peaceful ships? Bullshit!

Ron, I am moved to tears by the story about the paintball rifles. I have been in Bil'in several times, but I have never seen painball rifles. Rubber bullits with metal core fired by the Israeli soldiers yes. But that is all an aside. I honestly thought, Ron, that you were writing a story about an Israeli pirate ship ambushing a Turkish vessel on the high seas, i.e. in international waters. I need to remind you of ancient maritime laws. In international waters you can only enter a ship with the explicit agreement of the ship's captain. This was not forthcoming. Israel therefore by attempting to take over the ship was engaged in an act of piracy. The activists on board had all the right in the world to try and prevent the take over. Most of the activists on board chose not to resist, but some did with what was available. Ron, I understand that as an Israeli journalist embedded with your army you need to spin your story in the service of your country. You may spin all the way to kingdom come. Nobody will deem it acceptable that in order to take over an aid ship loaded with humanitarian supply for the Gazans under siege you have to kill the activists.

We will know the truth about the incidence based on eye witness accounts and video footage. If Israel confiscates all electronic evidence and destroys it, then that will testify to the guilt of the Israeli government.

why is the border with Lebanon....quiet and the rat Nasrallah apologizes to your people for his folly (just before he turns his weapons on your people)? Cast Lead barbaric? With 300 dead civilians and 1100+ dead terrorists? I say that's pretty normal in urban warfare, which was also hailed by a NATO commander as an exercise in restraint. Curious Ihab, are you for or against groups like Hamas and Hizbullah using civilian areas to store and fire weapons? Or IEDs placed next to houses in Gaza which resulted in the majority of damage during Cast Lead? Either way - you're sure to find out next time Nasrallah steps out of line.

on Our Terms. The provocateur Terrorist Supporters prepared their ambush and got their few minutes in the news. The newspapers will line the bottom of bird cages and few will remember. This episode was intentially done as a media stunt but the next chapter will be done in lots of silent places such as where Gilad Shalit is being held and receives no Red Cross visits or other rights. The terrorist supporters have been arrested and will be detained in a very hostile and unpleasant environment. They will have NO SAY in the matter and will endure punishments they never imagined. The boats will be thoroughly disassembled and all of the weapons, missiles, and machinery for manufacturing weapons will be found and displayed before the world. But the most important lesson is that HAMAS and Gaza don't give a damn about these people and only want the publicity. I would hold all of them until HAMAS releases Shalit. Only once their fate is tied to one Israeli prisoner and they see that HAMAS will not release him in order to secure the release of the provocateurs will they learn the evil of the people that they were naively trying to "help".

To 118 Should I concluded that Israel has the right to do whatever they want? I repeat, I dont think they were a real treat. What Will be the limit now? By thé way, people who says that people that has a gun are not civilian, they should go in thé USA. I have a gun, and i am a civilian. If you come in to my house you Will pAy thé price because it is mine...

They started shooting for their legs eventually, yes. But then they say that the fight stopped only after additional 30 minutes of battle. So I guess the casualties are from that time, if even that. We can never know if they died from IDF soldiers, from mistakes and heat of battle (press of people, etc.), or even from other things...

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... SO: The unarmed peaceful plotilla needed those guns to protect their cargo of humanitarian toilet paper and food-Riiiiight! I'll bet that is a shipment of missles, granade lauchers and nukes...Let's wait and see what they were SMUGGLING TO ISRAELS' ENEMIES first; before we start hating on Israel. One of the protesters is a high ranking terrorist who was reported to be deceased. So the activists are also liars. This is what we DO know.

Better that you speak about your bravery when going up against the Brazilian police. Will you bare your "fangs" then or run away in fear?? Unlike a thief braking into your car, the IDF was not there to steal the boat or take the aid on board, but to enforce a military blockade in which they are supported via Intl law. If you, like these activists, are dumb enough to go up against the military by entering a closed military zone, then G-d be with you....you're going to need it!

"I would have defended my self because we know what thé IDF does. " That's complete conjecture. You are stating that you, like these activists, would have made the first move because of what you think the other side would have done. Well, we see what happens when you attack a military force first - you get your ass kicked. And had you been on the boat, I would wish I was there as well, to kick your ass, scumhole.

Man, you can't even believe that that basic belief of your's is untrue. Israel inducted into the OECD, polls in the US show a majority in support of Israel, many many people speaking highly of Israel. I think you mean "the whole Leftist world" and by that, you mean a small minority of self-serving scumholes who believe they can and should think for the rest of the world.

War means shooting to kill or standing down. Nothinng in between. How many times does Israel have to get beat up in the press until it learns a simple lesson. Nobody CARES how humanitarian Cast Lead was. In this case, Israel should have either sank the vessel for running a blockade or stood down.

came on Muslim ships to attack Israel and were repelled with great success

Israelis are to be admired... The odds have been stacked against them and they have survived. Sometimes they have to take an offensive position to do this..With all the Money in the world the Palestinians could not run a succesful country... . Israel has been a little weak. They should have finished this whole mess up a long time ago. God is on your side Israel. :Hamas is the devil. When you are surrounded by people that want you dead, it is better to strike first.

Stop your whining, you aren't fooling any one ...if you play hardball with Israel, then you'd better bring a well-padded glove to the game.

The fact is that there was cold weapon on board of this so called 'peace ship'. Holding their knifes, those peacefull people were intending to do more than cut salad. if you think otherwise, I guess you are not very intrested with truth, are you? sure, israeli army isn't perfact. but it's sure more human than most if they were in our shoes.

Unfortunately for the well meaning, clear headed, well educated citizens of the world, we are outnumbered and threatened by "peace activist" barbarians. One needs to be prepared to fight back.

its hard to believe it.. all against us.. no matter what wer doing.. Israel army keep to defend our country!! gaza shoot just in 2006 1726 rockets to israel and the world never say anythink about that.. every day rockets from gaze to israel sent and just the israelys that live that life know about it.. over 10000 rockets shooted from gaza to israel and just us know about that.. the CNN dont mention thats and just the israelys nows show thats.. xO wierd not? did you knew that the palastine pepoles started attacked jews people from 1921?? alot of time before the jews country was existed?????? (sorry about the language im just 16 years old but i just wanted to interfere this argument...)

Was it CNN which hid Saddam Hussein's atrocities in order to save its access to the barbaric tyrant? Is there a pattern here?

Next time just blow these ships out of the water.

Yes in fact all 600 ARE lying since the very purpose of their mission was to support hamas and attack the IDF. It's a shame that so many useful idiots in the free world like yourself come down on the side of evil, the same evil that is waging jihad against your own country, even if you choose not to notice.

sure you don't believe "our lies" when you are so busy believing the lies sold to you by Arabs. open your eyes dude! and hopefully you won't need another terrorists attack on your trade center to believe they don't come in peace...

Any person who is attacked by armed assailants (ie: the IDF) in international waters is allowed to protect themselves by any means necessary. No matter how you try and spin this brutal bloodbath these civilians were totally within their rights to defend themselves from this IDF attack. I would also point out the obvious - you cannot prove that any of the 15 dead civilians were armed. As we all know the IDF has no qualms about shooting unarmed civilians, heck it is well reported that the IDF shoot at unarmed civilian protesters in Gaza as a means of ‘crowd dispersal’. As I have stated before you do not know what country I come from so such immature ad hominem statements serve you no purpose.

What a joke ... and these guys are Tsahal's best ... I don't believe this was so poorly planned and executed ... No wonder Hamas and Hizbullah are screaming with laughter ...

Most of the world can not accept that Jews today will not be like a sheep and will defend them self by force. Bravo IDF. As a son of Auschwitz survivor I am very proud that finaly Jews will fight back. The left and islam will never accept this.

israel they lost the privilege of being israeli arabs and the privilages that come with that.