Israel’s Military Blunder
The logic is simple: if there is a life threatening situation (in the Israeli case, a threat to their national security) or unless provoked into violence by terrorists, therefore, there is a need to defend their country and do necessary means to subdue the people that might have the capacity to endanger their lives and create havoc.
However, the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) failed to recognize that simple logic. They have shown one of the brilliant pieces of military idiocy committed on international waters. I guess most of us (unless you are living underneath a rock) are currently hearing the news about the botched IDF raid done in a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza. If you are not aware about the background of this incident, you can check a link here from CNN. We all know that Israel and Gaza are not in good terms’, given their conflicts in the past.
But what I can’t stand this time, is this stupid commando style raid done in a humanitarian flotilla. The IDF claimed that they were attacked by men in clubs and knives, upon landing. However, the IDF retaliated with 10 lives lost in the raid. Perhaps, even higher. And I have been wondering, is the blockade an effective way to control their enemy or will it just produce a reverse result: creating more enemies and threats?
Check this video of said raid, as posted in Youtube:
Some of the first accounts emerged Tuesday from eyewitnesses who were aboard several boats stormed by Israeli forces as they approached Gaza the day before.
Hanin Zoabi, a member of the Israeli parliament, was on board the Miva Marmara, the ship that was the scene of the confrontation between activists and Israeli soldiers. The Israeli Navy fired on the ships five minutes before commandos descended from ropes that dangled from helicopters, Zoabi said during a news conference in Nazareth, Israel. She said passengers on board the ship were unarmed.
Israel has said its forces found several weapons among the passengers on the Miva Marmara. Israel also has said that its forces started shooting after passengers on the Miva Marmara assaulted them.
Zoabi said the military operation lasted about an hour and that she saw five dead bodies in that time.
Peace is such an elusive word. And its more elusive in that part of the world. With an accumulated history of battles and conflicts as well as discrimination, we can say that people living in Gaza are having a tough life. Imagine them, having no food or water or at least, a decent way to gather their much needed resources. However, since the imposition of the blockade in 2007, life became more uglier for people in Gaza.
Israel described the flotilla as a “provocation” and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a scheduled meeting with Obama this week to return to Israel to manage the crisis.
Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israeli troops had faced a lynch mob.
Yigal Palmor, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, told CNN on Tuesday that Israel regrets the casualties but said “the sole responsibility” for the violent incident lies with activists who have “chosen violence and confrontation.”
Israel said that 600 activists in the flotilla were transported to Beer Sheva prison in southern Israel.
Activists directly involved in violence against Israeli soldiers will be charged accordingly, said an Israeli foreign ministry official, who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
Forty-five activists agreed to identify themselves to Israeli authorities and are citizens of the following countries: Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Sweden, Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom. They have now either left Israel or are on their way out of the country, an Israeli official said.
Those who remain detained are ones who have refused to identify themselves to Israeli immigration authorities, an Israeli Prison Authority spokesman told CNN. None have been placed under arrest, he said.
Among the ones who have refused to give their names are many foreigners, a police spokesman said.
The IDF could have made it simpler: block the flotilla if there is such imminent threat. Why attack it? Has it launched any kind of RPG towards their forces? Has it launched any missile attacks on their cities? This can be also a case of overacting on the side of Israel, using brute force instead of diplomacy. Instead of using their coconuts, they resorted to this despicable, over the top, barbaric acts.
Whatever the background or the conflicts they have, retaliation based on paranoia will never be the solution. If Israel’s claims of provocation on the part of activists, then, they should show evidence. What I am seeing and hearing from them now are just statements of this and that. Unsubstantiated statements of defense will never win their argument, in fact, the people will think the other way. This incident can be compared to an onion, we have layers to peel here, so expect there will be more incidences in the forthcoming days. The history between Israel and Palestine is both bloody and controversial. A lot had happened, a lot will happen.
Check the following links that I have gathered for cross reading on this issue:
List of permitted and prohibited items for Gaza
Could U.S. Jews Abandon Israel?
The Flotilla Fiasco (Washington Post)
Paintballs to Pistols, Israel admits ship blunders
NATO wants probe of Israeli raid
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silver is the blogger behind Dare to Speak Out, a personal and commentary blog.She graduated with a degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She posts blogs that ranges in different topics – from trivial to the political. She currently works as a freelance writer.
i was listening to CNN Jerusalem, Mark Regev – their spokesman said that there were 6 vessels that were diverted and only 1 of them turned violent. i guess, it must be this vessel where there was a confrontation. at least that was the statement. According to him, that fact shows clearly their policy of maximum restraint. He also said that it is this boat where the radical extremist organization from Turkey were in who chose violence because they sought for it.
actually, inis ako dito sa Mark na to. listen to him.
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Naku, yari yan sila sa Turkey. Parang sinabi na din nya na pugad ng terrorista ang Turkey. Lagot talaga!
here’s a nice read:
http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20100531_flotillas_and_wars_public_opinion?utm_source=GWeekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=100531&utm_content=GIRtitle&elq=959cf041ad4e4fffa002b538f6089b1a
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon charged that the mission was simply an attempt to provoke the Israelis. That was certainly the case. The mission was designed to demonstrate that the Israelis were unreasonable and brutal. The hope was that Israel would be provoked to extreme action, further alienating Israel from the global community and possibly driving a wedge between Israel and the United States. The operation’s planners also hoped this would trigger a political crisis in Israel.
A logical Israeli response would have been avoiding falling into the provocation trap and suffering the political repercussions the Turkish NGO was trying to trigger. Instead, the Israelis decided to make a show of force. The Israelis appear to have reasoned that backing down would demonstrate weakness and encourage further flotillas to Gaza, unraveling the Israeli position vis-à-vis Hamas. In this thinking, a violent interception was a superior strategy to accommodation regardless of political consequences. Thus, the Israelis accepted the bait and were provoked.