Most Europeans are against Israeli blockade of Gaza.The blockade is hugely unpopular so if Governments would prevent people from joining flotillas this would create an uproar.

One would think Israel is the only country that has ever carried out 'Stop and Search' to protect their nation or carry out sanctions against rogue states. The United Nations and or the EU can take over the search of vessels and then divert them to Israel for the aid to be shipped into Gaza.

Maybe it is time to arrange "humanitarian aid" to the Kurds. I know they are landlocked, but maybe something in this direction...

All this flotilla BS is because there are few consequences for participants. We don't jail them, we let them go free. We don't sink the boats either. And, we allow the supposed ''aid'' to pass into Gaza. Another example of appeasement - it just invites more & more & more. Sink the damn boats, jail the participants & impose stiff fines. Nothing should be allowed into Gaza anyway - not from Israel. Egypt has a border, let Egypt be responsible for aid.

Is not collective punishment of civilians terrorism. Same thing you did to Lebanon in 2006. That indeed is state sponsored terror. To top it off, your actions over the years are what created monsters like Hamas and Hizbullah. Now you will have to deal with these monsters as they grow. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, even if delayed in time. You will reap why you sow.

As per the last raid world is just focusing on death of 9 people which has resulted big hue and cry in the world. Israel must be very careful this time to handle next ships coming on its way. It should record the entire episode maybe with some spies inside the ships. Avoid killings maybe the blockage of ships should be made damaging the engine of ship so that it cannot proceed.Moreover Israel must keep in mind about fate of diaspora jews in Europe in handling this matter.

No one cares at all about Portugal, no one.

Survived Egypt, Romans,Spanish,Christians, Germans, French, and took all anger against the Arabs and now Turkey can you survive the World? you better ask yourself that question,

I'm afraid Israel isn't in a position to "tell" the EU anything. Their a responsibility by all peace loving nations to ensure this ruthless blockade is ended without delay..Also Blair needs to be replaced ASAP and sent to the ICC, for him to be a peace envoy is a joke.

Agree with Terry we have been pussyfooting around to long. Do what International Law requires 1. Warning 2. Shot across the bow. 3. Board vessel or sink it. Perhaps after unloading "activists" and cargo at Ashdod take vessel out to sea for navy target practice and sink every boat that violates Israels right to defend herself. inprison agitators. Try them in courts. At the moment they havent anything to lose, when you make them lose monies, vessels and or their freedom they will think twice.

The EU cannot be part of the Quartet and play such an obvious pro Palestinian role, which directly violates Israeli sovereignty. Would Spain and France, or the UK like it if Israel send a provocative flotilla to occupied Basque lands and Northern Island? Those territories are disputed and occupied according to the people living there, but Israel, as a friend of the EU, respects the British, French, and Spanish to come to their own resolution of the conflicts in their disputed territories. That is what Israel expects from the EU, no more, no less! If the EU does NOT respect that then it has no business in the Quartet, or for that matter in the Mideast as a whole! Israel AND EGYPT have legitimate and legal (San Remo convention) reasons to blockade an illegal terrorist Junta in control of Gaza. PERIOD!

Place mines in the water, call it a no-man zone (Just like the one of the coast of Namibia and western South Africa (dimond land)) and anyone or boat that goes in does so at their own risk. This is war zone, and maybe if they realize that this is not a game they will stop coming. Furthermore, If the Pal decided that peace is the way rather then their charter to distroy Israel, then the seige will end. Islam unfortunatly breeds war and death, so option 2 is a dream, a dream that Europe hopes for everyday... Israeli's unfortunatly know who they dealing with.... and me... well im just waiting for a final war where there either not be Jews in the area or Pal... my money is on no more Pal, and prob 3 million dead

black hole, rather than worry about a terrorist enclave. The euro is going to collapse within 2-3 years. Perhaps a little divine justice for their harboring Jihadis en masse. UN/US intervention is not what is needed, as we see that when they do get involve all the terrorist on every border of Israel gets armed to the teeth. Solution: Remove all women and children from Gaza. Notify all men in Gaza they have a choice...stay and fight with Hamas OR surrender. Then fight Hamas until there is a winner and a loser. Or we can do it US/EU/Nato style and carpet bomb all men, women and children. Isn't that the irony.

the European Union is not a country ruled by the military. It's citizens cannot be ordered about by the government like Israelis can The flotillas will continue to arrive until it becomes untenable for Israel to continue the siege. Netanyahu et al knows this and are desperately attempting to stop the flotillas from sailing, or at least sailing without the Press and civilian witnesses on board. However with 75% of all Israeli exports ending up in the EU this is a last ditch attempt before the siege has to be lifted by Israel as untenable. A few deaths of EU citizens caused by Israel will accelerate the process. Thats all. Oh and sinking the ships as suggested by some here will cause Israel's current woes to look like a storm in a teacup.

the aid to gaza can be send officially through red cross, israeli goverment and many ways. what the muslums want is to brake the resistance of israel against the terorist hamas group. first you shoul ask yourself , is hamas a terror organiztaion ? or is it a legal party as turkey claims...

i want to ask you if you have seen israel ? the country is like a blossom in the heart of the desert. and what about the arab lands . please try to see what is going on. this is not state terror , this is arab terror raising against a modern , clever , intellectual jewish state .

I've been there, had the pleasure to drive through the country from Lisboa to Porto. It is a BEAUTIFUL country, hugely progressive and liberal , and has gone a long way since the days of fascism in the 1970s. Of course, not to mention the Belem sweets which are my absolute favorites! Oh and they speak perfect English - even the taxi drivers. If Portugal has anything to say about the situation in the Mediterranean, you had better listen. They are taking note of your arrogance, and they will not sit silent in the face of Israel's brutal oppression of the Palestinian people.

Not a humanitarian effort of a peace loving nation. Provoking Israel was primary goal. Delivering humanitarian aid secondary, particularly since Hamas blocked the aid from being delivered. The Iranian flotilla does not originate with a peace loving nation. Once again, the Palestinians are used by those with their own agenda and Israel's security is put at risk. Israel is absolutely in a position to ask the EU, UN, US and all peace loving nations to intervene before terrorists and terror supporters create a bigger problem than the one that already exists. Those who sincerely want to deliver aid can drop it off at the Ashdod port for inspection and delivery.

that Israel respects the soveriegnty of the Europeans so much that it clones their passports for the purposes of murder.

First of all you need to also protest the collective punishment against the Israeli population-I assume you know about allthe terror attacks and rockets injuries and deaths in Israel made by terrorists. Secondly, blaming Israel for creating monsters like Hmas and Hizbullah is like blaming an abuse child for his abusive parents' behavior. You are just looking for excuses for the hatred you have.

Then, nobody will care about who dies or who lives..And there will be peace.

- everything is included and absolutely free. If we do not stop it, Gaza soon will bebome NUMBER ONE trevel destination!!!

thousands of Iranian Rev Guard Marines dresses as civilians who are trained in hand held missiles. Every IDF dropped from the helicopter will be lynched, kidnapped and used as bait for more Israel concessions.....i.e. lifting the blockade. With more concessions from the government there will be more terror.

So it is alright for Israels enemies to sent weapons to destroy Israel, but Israel has no rights to protect its citizens. Remember one thing, Israel is not out to kill everyone in Gaza, if that was Israels intention, then today, Gaza would be filled with Israeli citizens and Gaza would be be no more only part of Israel. The second thing to remember is; If Israel would lose to the Arabs in just one war and they would take over Israel, our lives would be worth zero to them. So it is better to be condemned then having the world cry for us. So since Israel is condemned no matter what we do, let us just sink the ships. I think that last idea is not a good one, but you and others are pushing us toward that. One last thing, almost everyday Gaza gets truck loads of food, medicine etc from Israel, so aids to Gaza is being sent through, what happens when they get to into Gaza, I have no idea of what happens to the aid, maybe into the pockets of Hammas. Israel also supplies electricity and water.

It is time for Israel to announce that ships from hostile countries will be sunk upon entering Israeli waters. So any ship form Lebanon or Iran will be considered an act of war regardless of the pretext that they are sailing under and will be sunk on sight. No attempt will be made to board them and anyone rescued will be treated as a prisoner of war regardless of political status or nationality. It is time we stopped apologizing for our existence and right to exist.