Ok, let's look carefully at what the current News story, the "Peace Flotilla" would be without the involvement of the State of Israel... Let's pretend it is rather closer to home...

Imagine if you will, that the Royal Australian Navy, as part of its participation in the blockade of the Persian/Arabian Gulf, was called upon to deal with a flotilla of vessels which had refused to stop and be boarded.

Firstly, the Royal Australian Navy has been involved in PRECISELY these operations, and still are today. The response would be predicated upon the issue at hand, but given the facts, an armed boarding party would be dispatched to (a)take control of the vessel; ;(b) pacify the crew/passengers; and (c) force said vessels to proceed to a Port where they can be interned/questioned.

If the initial boarding party was violently resisted, to the extent demonstrated on the video from this incident, the ADF's Rules of Engagement would allow each soldier to determine whether or not to fire, based upon their perception as to the risk of death or serious harm befalling their comrades. In this case, they would almost certainly have opened fire (I would too).

That is the reality, leave the propaganda out of it. International waters or not, the flotilla had announced an intent to run the legally constituted blockade of a declared "terrorist" State, which was being legally blockaded, under the rules of maritime warfare, by a belligerent power of that State.

International legal considerations don't exist in that case, they had declared their intention to breach the blockade and land supplies to the belligerent State, that made them a belligerent and a lawful target (a neutral ship is one traveling between neutral Countries, the instant they announce their intention to land in a non-neutral Country, they are a belligerent).

PS What is the status of those Australian's who undertook to deliberately, knowingly and intentionally provide "material aid" to a "Declared Terrorist Organisation"? Presumably they will be arrested, charged and tried on their return? I mean, that is ALL David Hicks was found guilty of isn't it?

I am not an expert on any form of ocean warfare, but it seems to me that the Israeli forces 'bungy jumping' onto the deck of the main aid ship was a bit of overkill?

Israel says they had tried all other avenues of a peaceful solution to the situation, but surely just blocking the ship's way would have been less violent?

If armed forces landed on my ship from above I might be sufficiently alarmed enough to hit out at them too!

"PS What is the status of those Australian's who undertook to deliberately, knowingly and intentionally provide "material aid" to a "Declared Terrorist Organisation"? Presumably they will be arrested, charged and tried on their return?"

I'd suggest checking your facts before sounding off Custard. Hamas is not a "Declared Terrorist Organisation" in Australia. The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades are declared, but Hamas isn't. Do try and remember that Australian foreign policy isn't necessarily identical to Israel's.

http://www.ag.gov.au/agd/WWW/NationalSecurity.nsf/Page/What_Governments_are_doingListing_of_Terrorism_Organisations

Just comparing one wrong with another.

Can anyone list the number of conflicts that Australia has had a role in through sending 'advisers' or even troops since WW2? Must be quite a few. Just what the hell is it with the Liberals that they are forever acting tough with others people's lives?

As for Israel and its latest stunt, the reckless disregard shown for non-Jewish lives was on view to all nations.

Suze, we do something similar, using inflatable boats to board illegal fishing boats, when they won't stop.

I am totally against this practice. It is too dangerous to our sailors. We do this because we are too soft on illegals, & prefer to endanger our own, rather than them.

I believe a few non explosive rounds, first through the bow, & if necessary, the bridge would be a better idea.

What do you think the Israeli were doing Suse, other than trying to prevent blood shed, with their boarding technique. They could stood off, & stopped those ships with gunfire, without any danger to themselves.

I think it is true, that the leaders of the people on that boat wanted an international incident, & were quite happy to see blood spilt, at least as long as it was not their own. They are quite ruthless enough to have not minded a few deaths, to make the news reports more dramatic.

Custard,It was in international waters.That is an act of war and piracy.You also conviently ignore the slow extermination of Palestinians.Oh I forgot.Palestinisians do not belong to the species of homo sapiens and that appeases all our consciences.

I can now see how the Germans ignored the torture extermination of 6 million Jews.We seemingly have learnt nothing.