How would you characterize the United States embargo and blockade of North Korea -- including humanitarian aid and food -- which is currently deep in the midst of a devastating famine that has already claimed several million lives? Is that not collective punishment? So is the United States a terrorist state? North Korea has not sent suicide bombers to the United States; nor has it fired over 8,000 missiles into the Untied States. So what is YOUR justification? I know what Israel's is. You are the disgrace, Jacob. Israel is fighting for survival, and has imposed a fully legal blockade and embargo over non-sovereign territory over which Israel exercises rightful hegemony. Unlike North Korea and the United States, Gaza is engaged in active aggression. Temper your valor with a bit of discretion. A little education wouldn't hurt you at all, either.

As an Israeli I am for stopping terrorists from receiving rockets, chemicals and explosives. I belive that Jewish people have the right to live in safety and free of rockets atttacks, dont forget we have had 9000 rocket/missiles fired at Israeli civilian population centers. We have had one of our soldiers kidnapped who was on our side of the boder protecting our civilians and nobody cares that he does not get basic human rights. Every country has the right to safeguard itself from terrorism. Why should Israel be the only country in the world that gets blamed for defending itself?? Six million of our people were gassed in Europe. We say NEVER AGAIN!

Europeans protest and boycott their own governments all the time. Military conscription has been abolished in most EU states since the end of the cold war. You cannot impose your military based society on us, it is one Israeli export we refuse to buy.

fire one warning shot across the bow and if they don't stop sink them. When boarding make sure the soldiers are heavily armed and make sure the world knows at the slightest sign of trouble those soldiers will open fire and the people on board will be arrested and tried.

Letting humanitarian aid in and releasing and sending the crew of a captured ship back to their country as soon as possible is according to the International Laws. The Sam Remo Manual is very clear about those things. http://www.icrc.org/IHL.nsf/52d68d14de6160e0c12563da005fdb1b/7694fe2016f347e1c125641f002d49ce!OpenDocument

I think you'll find most folk these days will have a very humane preference for the former

You say "For every action... equal and opposite reaction" So I guess the US has got it coming for all its civilian murders in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan; Turkey for its murders and oppression of Kurds and its occupation of Cyprus; Lebanon for its attacks on Palestinian refugee camps and muder of innocent Israeli civilians etc etc The world has gone mad with its hysteria about the sad event on the last flotilla, only because Israel was involved. I await a single UN/EU/Turkish/Iranian statement about the events this week in Kyrgistan.... Israel will continue to defend itself. I hope at the same time enemy civilians will not be harmed, but like any country, Israel defends its own civilans first.

The embargo of North Korea is actually approved by the United Nations sanctions. As a consequence of North Korea detonating nuclear bombs To compare the imposition of sanctions against North Korea with Gaza shows just how desperate Israel's and those who holiday there, arguments have become. The siege will be lifted before Israel has to confront these flotillas. The ships will be checked in Cyprus by the Royal and French navies before making their way to Gaza. The jig is up.

we won't enter Israeli waters, we will travel though Gazan waters to Gaza.

Place mines 'inside the waters, next to the Gaza coast, so every ship who want's to come in, will do so on their own risk. Staying outside this 'minefield will 'help to reinforce the Blockade'. Not necesary to put the life of ONE Israeli soldier to risk for these discusting 'peace provocateurs'

Israel can keep asking but the Eu will never here there dead set in there schemes, There allowing citizens to head to Gaza in hope of the IDF having to board them, they can then point the finger "Look what Israel is doing its terrible " shut up and try to imagine how hard everyday life is in Israel

Read today in Hurriyet , Turkish paper; http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=0615080918202-2010-06-15 Former leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Deniz Baykal, attended Arena, a TV show, and replied to questions. Baykal said: "I cannot define the developing relations with Arab and Muslim countries as a shift of axis. The Mavi Marmara incident was organized by the government. The National Intelligence Agency (MIT) was involved, too.

The world has gone crazy!!! Do these idiots not know that if Israel wanted to it could destroy Gaza in no time at all? How does the death of a terrorist arms dealer become a crime and the desire for a people to destroy Israel and its inhabitants a worthy cause??

I would like to know how Israelis want to solve this whole crisis. I am really afraid that this whole crisis has not reached its peak yet and the world has seen how vunerable Israel is... They will send ships over and over so the whole situation will escelate... IDF might be able to stop ten ships but continously tenth of ships? It is a a tragedy that this beautiful country isolates itself more and more... Shalom!

Portugal is nearly bankrupt and it will soon follow Greece. You love Portugal why dont you go there and it will be your duty to convert some Christians to Islam and soon Islam will rule Portugal.The Portuguese will welcome you and you can eat fresh BBQ sardines and good qaulity wine and for dessert you will enjoy one or two your favourite Belem sweets. Good luck to your departure from the land of Israel.

want a new crusade, and this time they ally with the muslims. Last time, jews and muslims was together against christians. Time changin'

There's nothing wrong with delivering supplies to the Ashdod port in the interim. The Mavi Marmara incident revealed there may have been supplies, perishable and non-perishable goods, that were still still desired. Changes in lists of allowable goods may have been modified. Due to previous armament cargos intercepted at sea due for Gaza, this blockade by Israel was established. If these shipments of goods can be received at the Ashdod port and Hamas accept receiving them into Gaza, it would seem that if it was acceptable before, it would be acceptable now. But for these flotilla vessels to expect to arrive into Gaza as maiden peace voyages for other ensueing voyages that may not be peaceful is a facade. It really shouldn't be unreasonable to understand this. Reports of all the tonnages of food and supplies going into Gaza through Israeli land ports and photos and film clips of markets in Gaza being amply stocked don't make it look or sound like the situation is as dire as some people are making it out to be. It looks like it's all boiling down to be matters of principle that are trying to be expressed by people. The only thing is that the consequences can turn out to be grave. Any help that could be rendered by the EU or any other competent entity managing this situation before it turns catastrophic would be appreciated. And, any participents of the flotilla vessels would be urged to coordinate shipments, not provoke hostilities, work within the established means and help in developing the ways to deliver the shipments that would be acceptable to Israel, who had been under a constant barage of fire to its south. Denying goods for human and animal consumption aren't the point of this blockade. The point is no military armaments from entering. The Red Crescent should be concerned that the condition of Gilad Schalit is known as well. The condition of the Palestinian prisoners is and they have had visitation. The issue of exchanges will come up again.

to understand what some of us say since some times : FREE GAZA NOW! Declare Gaza independent state, recognize Gaza, seal the borders. And bomb Gaza for every missile launched to Israel as a reply to an act of war between two independent countries. To my leaders : are you blind ? Don't you see that everything here is manipulated by the US and its new appeasement politics ? And keeping growing ? Be smart, don't try to be right. There is no time remaining.

It is a terrorist enclave. Gazans democratically elected Hamas, a known terrorist organization, to lead their government. Gaza has unprovokedly attacked Israel and shot missiles on civilian targets including schools and hospitals. Gazans have smuggled serious weaponry into Gaza, all for the purpose of using it to (ultimately) attack Israel and kill Jews. The true underlying motivation for the deblockaders is to weaken Israel, smuggle in weaponry to be used against Israel, and harm its Jewish population. We cannot allow this.

We have no intention to leave our beloved homeland of Palestine. We've been here for centuries, and we'll be here long after the dreadful episode "State of Israel" appears in history books of circa 1948-2020. We are sick and tired of you. The world is sick and tired of you. You stink. Your demise is quickly approaching, it's just a matter of time before human rights and international legitimacy is enforced. Your Apartheid Club is going down.

If the intent of Israel's critics here and elsewhere is peace, why not demand of the rulers of Gaza to meet the simple and effortless requirement of the international community, i.e. UN, EU, US, Russia, to do the right thing and: 1) Accept Israel's right - a UN member state - to exist 2) Cease all acts of terror against the civilian population of Israel 3) Adhere to agreements already reached with Israel and signed by the parties If peace is what the advocates of Muslim-Arabis here and elsewhere wish to achieve, why not make the minimal effort and accept the three points expected by the entire international community. But, is it peace that the Muslim-Arab world is seeking...??

End the siege there wont be a need for a flotilla. Check the cargo but allow the materials that the people of Gaza need for reconstruction.

It appears that we are going to be challenged on a number of fronts as the efforts to break the Gaza Blockade increases It is hoped that the IDF when it is called upon to act will have on board neutral international witnesses to how we have acted. I dont care if we blow the Iranian vessel out the water,I do care that people are aboard our vessels to see that we are attempting to resolve any given issue with the maximum of patience and resolve

Israel should deal a decisive blow on these vessels, and I bet you they will never try to come again. Benjamin Netanyahu is too soft. This cannot be done to the Iranians and North Koreans or Venezualans or Turkey, etc. They will definitely sink the boats and dare the consequencies if they were bound for the Opposition in Iran or South Korea through North Korean waters or to the Armenians in Turkey, etc., let alone fighting with their soldiers, and that will have ended the Flotilas. If Israel had dealt seriously with the Flotilas, I don't think they would have dared to come again. Meanwhile, Israel should assert its soverienty now, seize the ships and confiscate the contrabands for ever. I pray the GREAT GOD will defend and fight for Israel from the world's hypocritical leaders and the so-called EU.

If these ships are indeed carrying non-war material, let them allow the boarding and searching requested by Israel. Then dock in Ashdod, as requested by Israel, and allow Israel to distribute the cargo JUST AS IS DONE NO A DAILY BASIS ANYWAY! Better to ask Hamas why their people are starving when so much is coming into Gaza that luxury restaurants are being built!