If you wish to defend the activists, just ask yourselves one thing.
Who threw the first stone? From videos it was not the Israeli troops.
They hailed the ships to divert them to another port, where they could be processed legally.

Now while you are thinking constructively, think of the blockade of
Russian ships by America during the Cuban crisis. Where they wrong?

I lived near Israel before the six day war. And the area known as modern day Israel, is such a small area, flanked by Arab countries,
its only about 150-180 miles long by about sixty miles wide at its
widest point. The Mediterranean sea stretches the full length of
their country.

Personally, I would give these activists one bit of advise, you are kittens trying to take on a tiger. Don't get involved illegally or
you will pay the penalty. If you wish to give aid, do it through
legal channels.

Jewish Israel have been punished, but one must appreciate the small
area they are defending. In Australia, it would be like defending
Newcastle to Coffs Harbour, at most, and inland to say (I'm thinking?) Cessnock, Singleton or Dorrigo. (And the latter is protected by high elevated hills) Not so Israel.

And add to that the marked anti-Jewish prejudice around the world particularly with the Muslims and Christians. They are a nation of
farmers and fishers after all

Right on the Mark, Jonathon Ariel!

If my employer directed me to land by rope from a helicopter onto the deck of a ship and in doing so my colleagues and I were bashed with metal bars, chairs etc. (plus I saw a colleague thrown overboard in the middle of it all) and I was permitted to apply lethal force (i.e. shoot at people) to make them stop then I guess I'd be labelled a murderer by some of the people posting here. An interesting article, if only for the wave of confused hatred it unleashed amongst some readers. I am not a pro-Israel or a pro-Palestine reader. I prefer to search for some factual basis to form my conclusions. Does anyone challenge the veracity of the video footage available at the link in the article? I think Mr Ariel has made a strong case for more balance in the way media covers these sorts of events. There, ready for the barrage of bile. Please proceed.

I think the majority of posters are understanding of the Israeli defense. Those that aren't are politically biased. Another ship was
also detained without any casualties on both sides.

These aid workers (?) peace loving people, if they were mad enough or fanatical enough to attack armed professional soldiers or SAS personnel, they were absolutely mad or being paid to resist by the journalists on board the ship, to their obvious detriment.

Did you see the smerks of the Fairfax journalists when being returned
to whence they had come to cheers. What are they smiling about eh?

DAVID G.

err.. you said:

"The sooner Israel is extinguished the better."

Sounds like you are encouraging terrorism to me.. and calling for genocide.

"hati hati" (look that up in online translation)

For the rest.. who support Islamofascism and Marxist materialist spin...

mene mene tekel uparshin.

(1) If the world or any humanitarian organization wanted to send food parcels and medical supplies into gaza why didnt they use the UN humanitarian agencies already in place?
Shouldnt they have used UN flags if their mission were dinkum or couldnt they find any?

(2) Why wouldnt the leaders of the "peace" flotilla use Israelli offers to take the fleet safely into the nearest port, Ashdot? The commando leader offered safe passage and help to take and unload the cargo into Gaza.
They rejected all such overtures.

(3) After all both Egypt and Israel had agreed to open the border posts for the supplies of food and medical parcels.

(4)On board the vessel there were some Pakistani mercenaries. Ideal for such a mission of peace, goodwill and humanitarian efforts?

(5) Why was one of the boats fitted out as a fully sophisticated media outfit?For loading supplies to the starving Garzans or were they after an obvious news story that was about to break?They knew what the Israeli response was going to be or at least praying that the confrontation would take place. After all the media revel in such situations. Goodnews stories dont make as good headline news.They could count on the Israelli!
(6) Why were the commandos assaulted whilst they were rappelling down the ropes and very vulnerable? Any show of violence discredits any so-called peace initiative.
The commandos should have been welcomed on board. They had offered to protect the crew and protectors by taking thjem to a place of safety and helping them with the cargo.
(7) So much is being made of the incident occurring in internatuional waters. If this is a flagrant act of piracy then please also consider the stop and search operations we have been conducting in the Persian Gulf and in waters off North Korea. Then that entitles Israel to do the same for its own protection,. They are still in a war against Hammas that operates in Gaza and whose charter begins with the resolution to wipe out the state of Israel.

socratease