IDF satisfied with flotilla takeover

Senior IDF officials are said to be highly satisfied with the Navy's handling of Friday's "Freedom Waves" flotilla. The army is nevertheless still probing the incident.

Navy commandos successfully seized the Canadian ship Tahrir and the Irish yacht Saoirse on Friday and escorted the vessels to the Ashdod Port. The 27 activists did not pose any resistance.

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Navy forces boarded the vessels in a peaceful take over. IDF officials remarked that they did not find any weapons onboard the ship. The troops boarded the vessels without any resistance and no one was hurt, the military said.

Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

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Some of the commandos who took part in the operation also participated in the 2010 raid on the Marmara and were even wounded in the deadly incident, Ynet learned.

Having drawn lessons from the Marmara raid, the IDF arranged for photographers from the IDF Spokesperson's Unit to accompany the commandos, film the exchange with the activists and relay the materials to the media via satellite connection.

The delay in the distribution of materials in 2010 was a key factor in Israel's PR failure.

The combatants were also ordered not to use violence in the takeover and help the activists come down from the ships. The IDF categorically denied claims by Haifa student Majid Kial suggesting the commandos pointed a weapon to his head and caused injury to another activist.

Officials stressed that the forces were instructed to be particularly sensitive in dealing with the activists.

Kial is one of six activists who were released from custody. The other 21 refuse to leave Israel. The Immigration Authority, which questioned the activists, said that they claimed their aim was to cause provocation and that they expressed will to remain in jail to "keep authorities busy." They are slated to face a hearing within 72 hours and will only then be deported.

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