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I have often called Israel's tactics heavy-handed and needless, but in this instance, I have to side with Israel.
1) All Israel was demanding was that the shipments to Gaza be inspected. In the past, shipments have been diverted to Israel, which inspected them to make sure there were no weapons, then the shipments were sent into Gaza. Some shipments have been held up, but that is because weapons were found in them.
Not true. Building material has been limited big time into the Gaza strip as well as many other things. Dont believe everything you hear on US news and from the IDF, it is usually far from the truth, just as the information from Al Jazerra (in Arabic) and other Arabic news outlets are highly biased.
2) Also, when Israel boarded the main ship, their soldiers were immediately attacked, and the soldiers responded. This is what accounts for the deaths and injuries.
Of course, pirates were attacking the ship.. they have a right to defend themselves. Or dont you accept this just because they are Palestinian supporters? Does that mean you also oppose companies and countries defending themselves off the coast of Somalia? Or else where around the world where pirates attack ships in international waters or even in non-international waters?
Let us not forget that the Palestinians have never recognized Israel's right to exist,
They have long ago. Hamas is another thing, but the PLO accepted Israel's right to exist long ago.... 1988 I believe. This was done when the Palestinians accepted a two state solution.
and have never stopped planning and carrying out attacks on Israel.
And Israel continues to build new settlements, steal land and cut off Palestinians in the west bank with large walls and security fences. On top of that there is nothing done about the radical settlers that attack and beat up Palestinians on a daily basis and of course the racist attitudes of the IDF in the West Bank.
Both sides are at fault.. that is a fact.
That does give Israel the right to inspect shipments in order to make sure that they consist of humanitarian supplies, and that no weapons are hidden among them. IMHO, that is not too much to ask for.
The hell it does. Isreal has NO bloody right to inspect shipments in international waters.. sure if the boats were in Israeli waters then that is their right, but they were not as far as I know and what has been reported. Not even the US under freaking Bush boarded suspected weapons ships in international waters for god sake.
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