You talked about peaceful boarding, not me. I talk about Israel killing non-Israeli civilians, in Gaza and in international waters. That's murder and a crime any way you slice it and edit videos at the IDF propaganda department. It's sad that you are so blind to the truth and have run out of arguments that you resort to historically ignorant blaming about WW2. As I recall, USA collaborated with and greatly supported Stalin, who murdered as many or more people than Hitler. Finland was defending it's country against Russian invasion and not attacking any other country. Not that it has anything to do with Israel's illegal murders today. IDF also murdered a Finnish UN peacekeeper (who was in the bomb shelter of a UN facility) during the latest Lebanon war. Apparently Israel thinks murdering foreign citizens is a good foreign policy.

Nigel, you left out the fact about which aid for Gaza boat you were on? Which one was it? You think Israel thinks it is Privileged?? Are you serious or are you just stuck on the "chosen" people nonsense? Which version of the Koran or New Testament have you been reading? Burdened, stuck, boobytrapped, surrounded, abandoned, outnumbered, attacked, and terrorized are the proper words to be using here to describe Israel and Israelis. Don't ask Israelis to feel sorry for people trying to kill them even if you do so yourself. The more the world pushes Israel into a corner the more likely it's leaders are going to have to resort to extreme measures to eliminate its radical enemies. Let's all calm down now and hopefully get negotiations with the PA going and then once a deal is on the table the entire world should pressure Hamas to sign on to it too. After all The Islamic State of West Palestine (Gaza) has got all of its territory already.

nigel, I hope you will appologize when the truth is finally out. the trouble is that u blindly believe the arab retoric.

Well I suppose that we will be treated to a lot of one-sided hasbaratic (yes I know its not a real word) articles and news reports this week - all ‘explaining’ why Israel killed approx 10 international civilians as they tried to break the siege of Gaza which is clearly a form of collective punishment on the general civilian populace of Gaza. Of course you will never find the following words in these Opinion articles: 1) “Occupation” 2) “Collective Punishment” 3) “IDF War Crimes” 4) “Human Shields” Likewise the following facts will always be omitted: 1) “Settlers attack Palestinians and destroy their homes and farmland” 2) “IDF shoot unarmed Palestinian civilians with near impunity” 3) “Israel controls all Palestinian imports/exports as well as freedom of movement” 4) “Israel refuses to accept the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative” Obviously these 8 points can be greatly expanded upon but for the sake of space I will leave it at that. You cannot expect educated people to believe the ‘Israeli side of the story’ when Israel refuses to address, and more importantly *acknowledge*, these issues in a mature and objective manner. Case in point: This article by Cori Chascione. Where is the mention that the ‘Palestinians are living under Israeli occupation’? Surely this simple and salient point/fact would go a long way as to explaining WHY these international civilians tried to break the Gaza siege and WHY they demonstrated hostility towards the IDF. 99% of all Israeli ‘hasbara’ omits any and all objective context in relation to WHY the Palestinians/‘peace activists’/EU/UN/NGOs/the general world populace/etc/etc/etc reject the Israeli occupation and oppression of the Palestinians and their land. Ynuts here rightly condemn the mortar/rocket attacks from Gaza BUT they will *never* be taken seriously if they refuse to acknowledge the causality as to WHY these rocket attacks occur. Hamas et al do not launch such attacks ‘just because the hate Jews’, such a simplistic answer/reasoning is not valid, they launch these attacks because they are under the ‘unmentionable’ facts that most Ynuts will refuse to acknowledge and wilfully omit from conversation ie: the Palestinians are under brutal Israeli occupation and are denied (by Israel) their most basic human rights. In short: “It is the occupation stupid and the World no longer accepts such one-sided Israel BS”.

LIARS

Face facts, the "peaceniks" were there to provote a response from the Israelis. The fact that they had been talking in advance, and rejected alternatives proves this out. Here are a few more important facts to consider ... Fact: Israel withdrew from Gaza nearly 5 years ago. Fact: Israel has been pelted with rockets and incursions across the border ever since. Fact: Hamas still holds Gilad Shalit, who was taken from Israeli soil, demanding hundreds of prisoners to be released, then reneged when Israel foolishly agreed to a swap. And they have been attempting to capture more soldiers and citizens over the past several months. Fact: Unlike the West Bank, where progress is being made, Gaza has been unable to take the steps necessary to peacefully co-exist with Israel. Until the Palestinians in Gaza are willing to give up their armed struggle to eliminate Israel, things will not improve there.

The majority of American citizens support and agree with Israel's actions taken to protect itself. Unfortunately, President Obama has demonstrated that his earlier pledge to stand against the enemies of Israel is as hollow as the rest of his campaign promises. It is unfortunate that a majority of the U.S. Jewish population supports Obama's liberal agendas, including his foreign policies (or lack thereof). They should instead be the first voice of indignation heard here when Israel suffers at the hands of its enemies. Stand strong and do not be swayed by the voices of the world's hand-wringers and hate mongers.

...for proving my point, let me fill in the blanks you have left out. Israel *only* removed the illegal Israeli settlements in Gaza. Israel continued to maintain the occupation of Gaza by controlling Gaza’s airspace and costal waters as well as all imports and exports. But – but – but what about Egypt you say? Well look at this quote: "Israel will not open the Rafah Crossing on the border with the Gaza Strip, and will not permit any passageway of Palestinians into Egypt until progress is made in securing the release of captured IDF Cpl. Gilad Schalit” Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilna'i. The Palestinians have remained under brutal Israeli occupation for decades, armed resistance as well as rocket attacks are a result of this continued occupation. And Israel has kidnapped Palestinian and Lebanese civilians for decades and held them with charge or trial and in some cases tortured them. This is a lie, Israel has never agree to any prisoner swap for Shalit. Because Israel would not recognize the elected Gov of Gaza and continues its brutal occupation of both the WB and Gaza. Dave why can’t you acknowledge the brutal Israeli occupation and collective punishments which Israel inflicts upon the Palestinian People?

The outbreak of anti-semitism in the world collective mind triggered by the chain of events beginning from the war in Lebabon, followed by the Cast Lead operation in Gaza and ending with the flotilla event now is astounding. As time goes by, Israel actions and World Jewry fate seem to be even more and more closely interrelated, no matter the position of any Jew in particular. To prove my reasoning, I suggest to take a look at any non Jewish newspaper talkback. Israel lost the war in the media a long time ago. Something must be done about it. Media relations is a pending subject for Israel.

The actions of Israel were piracy as well as idiocy. Solving problems by killing more people has been the mantra of Israel for the past twenty years. The passengers had as much right to defend their ship as I do to defend my home against unwanted invaders. Perhaps you believe that it was wrong for the passengers on the airliner to resist al quaeda (preventing a fourth plane from attacking the White House). After all, apparently might is right from your point of view.

good morning from Texas, The truth is that the incident ocurred on international waters, when the ships were illegaly boarded. The additional truism is that the means never justify the end. Otherwise, there is no difference between law abiding and rogue states. take care

This is a culture of violence, a culture a dad will kill his daughter for “honor” and the state will do nothing. A culture of bombing civilians (how many Muslims die by muslin's in Iraq and Pakistan in such events this year- and no cry?). These guys have the supreme talent to be switch between victim and butcher in a second, and never take responsibility for any action. It’s always the “west” the “Jew” the.. The problem is that Europeans after centuries of massacres and depression have that heavy “European gilt” and thus will buy any BS, look at these pictures, it’s your own future coming soon Europe..

t"...to defend my home against unwanted invaders..."

in international waters from an armed-to-the teeth piratical invasion... I can SEE israeli soldiers using deadly force in response to a folding chair being swung at them (score... dead activists. 10. dead soldiers, 0)... but I insist on blaming the victims because it serves my own purposes.. Even though the Israeli's boarded a vessel in international waters armed to the teeth and killed 10 people, they were just "defending themselves from a vicious attack". Up is down. Right is left. War is peace. I just love how the Israeli apologists cannot discuss this matter without framing it from the beginning as "no debate". That tells you FOR SURE that they know they're wrong. When someone cannot discuss something without plugging their ears and screaming "I can't heeeeeaaaaar yoooooouuuu... it's nooooo deebaaaaaa-aaaate." You know what's going on inside their head.. it's "this is obviously wrong, but how can I lie and appear like I believe it at the same time. I know, I'll overcompensate with cockiness..."

I'm an attorney (not that that means much), and there is no good faith dispute that the blockade is illegal under the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea: as Ban Ki Moon, Navi Pillay, and numerous other UN authorities have repeatedly explained. Additionally, the blockade violates customary international law, Humanitarian Law, and the UN Charter. See Navi Pillay's indepth legal analysis. Accordingly, the UN Security Council has demanded an end to the blockade today. You will note that articles claiming that Israel acted legally (such as this article) do not cite any legal authority, and otherwise try to pretend the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and similar laws do not exist. Because the blockade is blatantly illegal, raiding a ship in international waters with lethal use of force is also illegal, in violation of the UN Charter and the Nuremberg Charter. Additionally, it is clear that the IDF was armed with non-lethal crowd control weapons in addition to lethal weapons. It is not clear that the decision to switch from crowd control to lethal was properly made. Reasonable people will certaintly withhold approving the conduct of the IDF until it is known whether S.O.P.s and sufficient restraint were exercised with respect to the decision to use lethal force. The use of lethal force is a delicate legal issue, and cannot be profitably brushed aside by patriotic arguments that "any use of force by the protestors justified the IDF's use of lethal force." Such an attitude is lawless, and shows contempt for the laws of peace.

Me and many other Americans believe Israel and support you. Our present Administration (Obama particularly) is an embarassment.

This was a blatant attempt to test Israeli resolve and. The villains here are not the Israeli's but ones who sent in the clowns/terrorist sympathizers to provoke what they knew would be Israel's response. Unlike our puppet president in the white house. Most Americans support Israel's actions and restraint. The hypocrits railing against this are the same people turning a blind eye as North Korea commits real acts of war by attacking peaceful ship in open water via submarines and killing them all. These idiots can't even begin to use the words "act of war" in describing this event because that would mean the coward in the white house would then have to do something about it. Good luck to you Israel, unfortunately you can not expect much help from from an Obama presidency. But that does not mean you do not have the moral support of most Americans. You deal with your "blame Israel 1st" problem and we will deal with our "blame America 1st" problem and hopefully we can stand together again someday.

Manuel ! Unfortunately,since time immemorial the Jews had a bad press,it started when the Jews were the only people on earth who had the strange idea of an invisible God,this made them outcasts in the eyes of the majority pagan population,that hatred is in the genes of the descendants of the ancient pagan, this anti Israel mass hysteria comes at a time when humanity is facing the greatest threat to its existence,Islamic Jihad,look at the faces of the people who organized the so called 'flotilla of peace' they are bearded men, real jihadists,bringing aid and comfort to the other jihadists,the Hamas in Gaza,Humanity should remember,the Jews are the first victims of mad men,but not the last.

Israelic media is like media in North Korea!!!! The obvious - 7 ships were illigally attacked by violent elite troups on international water, 9 people murdered, is once again turned into poor poor little Israel everybody is against us. "We came to talk, they came to fight", LOL LOL quotation of the year.

Thank you for your great post and reference to Navi Pillay.

Yes Marwan, that you are antisemitic is hardly in question, and that you are misinformed is just a fact of life where you live.

As usual, YNet's editorial position is, "Israeli government = good, everyone else = lying anti-Semites!!" I guess to Israelis, this kind of explanation is the kind of thing that is taken seriously, but it sounds like simple nationalist drivel to almost everyone else, the kind of belief that is always inculcated in Israel and elsewhere to drum up support for otherwise indefensible policies. When you imprison 1.5 million people, utterly destroy their economy, deny them such basic needs as jobs, food and medicine, invade them every 3-4 years killing thousands, and this goes on year after year after year, any reasonable person would expect that population to become more violent and hostile over time. Yet somehow, that simple equation seems beyond the grasp of YNet and about half the Israelis I know. As for the raid, other sources have videos showing the IDF soldiers firing on the ships before landing. The fact that they were using paintball guns would not have been apparent in the deafening noise and confusion of the raid. It is hardly surprising that violence erupted. Nevertheless, any "journalist" who begins his article by accusing the activists of "brutal violence" without mentioning the "brutal violence" employed by the other group, who actually killed people, cannot call himself objective.

maybe you should listen to the other side and what they say about us, and what they want with our fate. this might give you a little insight that we don't "see them as dogs" but we are fighting them as humans who call us descendants of "apes and pigs". this is common finnish ignorance, coupled with western arrogance. the fact is that you are lying by saying that we see our enemies as dogs. that is incorrect. they are humans with a religious mission. dogs can generally be controlled, humans cannot.

The fact is that the flotilla was in the internationals waters, and not in Israels water. That must be enough for doubters!

Israel to seek N Korea's advice on PR after Gaza Flotilla debacle?

I've read in several talkbacks, that Israel broke international law when they boarded the 6th ship. Wrong......according to San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea 1994 Israel as well as US or Canada or any other navy's which have stopped ships in international waters do have the right to board them. If Israel can't then neither can NATO which stops ships on a daily basis due to the threat of terrorism. Oh, by the way, I don't think that either Ghandi or Martin Lurther King Jr. would approve the use of metal bars, knives or handguns as a a means of peacefull protest.

It is surprising that the author so blithely assumes the legality of the Gaza blockade. In fact, the facts are not 'simple and straightforward'. Nations are not permited to board vessels in international waters (this is piracy). Blackades can be instituted between states at war, though other states need not respect them, and could treat the boarding of their ships in international waters as an act of war or piracy. However, here the question is moot. Note the word STATES: Gaza is not a state. It is unclear exactly what the legality is of a nation declaring a blockade on a non-state territory it has occupied. It is clear the IDF boarded a ship in international waters and killed a number of its passengers. Can you really be surprised at the outrage? Finally, it is neither true that any naval force in the world would do the same (can you think of another naval force that might, arguably legitimately, be accused of piracy?), nor is it fair to the IDF to be placed in this position, though whose fault that is remains highly contentious.

I watched the videos of the boarding of gaza ships and came to different conclusions from a lot of the world press. it feels as if there is a complete blind spot in some of the reporting. I saw like the whole world did defenceless soldiers on the rope being attacked and beaten violently. I say defenceless because at that point they were negotiating themselves down the rope. The violence met out to them was totally frenzied. from what I saw the pack had clear intentions towards the soldiers to kill or seriously injure . Most of the presss and treacherous politicians deplore israels violence.As an ex soldier I know how dangerous the mob can be. We have seen in the past British soldiers,American soldiers and Israelis being murdered by the mob. The people who are decrying the israeli action are not able to seperate the issues.Even if you had a problem with the blockade the violence met out to the soldiers was well over the top.Shooting the perpetrators was the only way to save the lives of military personnel.The individuals with the iron bars were well warned.They could not contain their hatred and frenzy and so used violence.For that threat to life they lost their own. i have always felt that the israelis are justified in defending themselves as they have always been on the receiving end of prejudice. from 1948 israel has survived the attempts of many arab countries to wipe them out and has earned its right to be left in peace.I fear that it may be a long time coming before it is allowed to do so. With mad dog Iran pushing for a showdown it looks like trouble ahead. My thoughts and prayers go out to my israeli friends.

The truth is that israel attacked on unarmed people within the international waters unlawfully. The truth is that israel commandos tried a weapon which has bullets that break to pieces whichever it entered. The truth is that israel killed a 19 years old boy by shooting 4 bullets to his face and 1 bullet to his heart from 1.5 meters. The truth is that, the most of the activist killed by israel are shooted with many bullets from their head. The truth is that, israel maltreated to woundeds and tortured some of them, even handcuffed the seriously woundeds. The truth is that, from now on whole world see the real face of israel. The truth is that, israel is loosing…