Will this increase or decrease the likelihood of terrorist actions in America, Europe and the rest of the world?

If you were a member of a family murdered in this conflict, would you be seeking revenge?

Should Tzipi Livni and Ehud Olmert, be tried for war crimes if or when this conflict comes to an end?

What will the price of oil be in 4 weeks time?

Get real.

these guys chose to deliberately run a naval blockade - they knew what they were getting into and they were up for a fight. The're just a bit pissed that they didn't get to choose the location and the timing of the confrontation. Would you be so up in arms if Israel had waited until they were in Israeli waters in daylight and there were more casualties?

gausie - is that aimed at me? .... if so, no logic and/or misdirected

ptholden
No, the answer was not implicit in the question. There is no criime for there to be intent. It wouldn't matter if the ships were full of arms. that is NOT a crime in international waters. Running an illegal blockade is NOT a crime. No cime therefore no intent. Shipping arms to Gaza is not even a crime.

"Would you be so up in arms if Israel had waited until they were in Israeli waters in daylight and there were more casualties?"

The Gaza strip coastline is sufficiently long (40Km or 25 miles) that the cargo could have been delivered to Gaza WITHOUT entering Israeli waters.

"As the meeting of the UN Security Council got under way in New York, diplomats said the draft text of a resolution called for condemnation of the operation, the immediate release of the impounded ships and for an international inquiry. "

That would indicate that the ships are being held illegally.

"It wouldn't matter if the ships were full of arms."

Don't be silly

Why can't arms be taken to Gaza? Israel doesn't have any restrictions on arms being delivered to them. I suppose we wouldn't want the inhabitants of Gaza to fight back while Israel is indulging in ethnic cleansing.

Don't be silly ........ again

Haystack

You claim that the flotilla were not attempting to enter Israeli territorial waters, but were going to sail through Gaza territorial waters. You illustrated your point with an out of context land map that shed no light on anything.

Gaza doesn't have territorial waters.

As diverse as the opinions about the mandate might be, the fact that Gaza is is a mandated territory and not a country remains. And therefore it has no territorial water.

After the disengagement Israel has pulled its ranks and civilians from the narrow strip of land, giving Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) the mandate over the territory.

During this entire affair, no marine territory was ever discussed, and the water strip which abuts Gaza belongs de facto to Israels territory.

When the flotillas claim that they are sailing over Gazan territory, they arent stating a fact - but are making up a term which doesnt exist to propagate their propaganda. And you've fallen for it.

Theyve now reshaped their story to the claim that the water strip abutting Gaza is international territory.

But a duck is a duck no matter how many names you call it, and the sordid fact is that truth is not on your side here.

Why is all this relevant given that the engagement took place on the open seas? I'm not sure it is - save that it demonstrates the intent of the flotilla to confront israeli warships in israeli waters. This means that the conflict was inevitable and reinforces the opinion that although Israel's unexpected response was outside the law it was pre-emptive and they clearly took the decision to begin the engagement at a time and place of their own choosing. Maybe they figured that a 4.30am engagement would be safer? I understand that's a commonly held view amongst western military strategists.

If they finally end up with a two state solution then the question of airspace and territorial waters will be resolved as part of the discussions - but until that time it might make more sense for flotillas to ship in boat loads of psychiatrists to try to deal with the hate, international terror, suicide bombers and rocket attacks that currently give the mandated territory its identity.

Israel rejects Middle East nuclear talks plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israeli leaders do not comment on the country's nuclear status

Israel says it will not take part in a conference aimed at achieving a nuclear-arms free Middle East, proposed at a UN meeting in New York.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/10191339.stm

According to a maritime law expert from UCL on Radio 4 Today this morning if the blockade itself is legal, then interception on the high seas is legal. There is a question mark over "proportionality of response" to resistance or violence offered by the crew of the ship.

Making more and more friends.

Interesting footage released by ITN showing the first soldiers boarding armed only with paintball guns. They're attacked by a mob with knives, bars and grenades, and one is thrown from a high deck. The inevitable and regrettable escalation follows as more troops board with the added objective of defending and rescuing their colleagues, and now armed with live ammunition.

Congratulations Fred. Are you now up to 2 or 3?

Gausie, do you really think Fred n co will watch the video?
of course they will, but they wont comment on it,
as it doesnt fit comfortably with their views now the bigger picture is emerging,

Hopefully another flotilla will set sail soon. At some stage the blockade will have to be lifted. It is still regarded as illegal. I have seen the video and am not surprised that the passangers on the boat fought the commandos. It is what you would expect. Next time time I hope the activists are more fully armed. Israel can't get away from the point that their action was in international waters and constitutes piracy. It doesn't matter if the flotilla was a provocation. What's the point of doing it, if it is not a provocation.

.

Haystack

Next time time I hope the activists are more fully armed.

You're a very sick man.

Maybe you'd like to volunteer to join the next flotilla? You can dress up like Rambo and I'm sure IHH will give you whatever small arms take your fancy. They have plenty of stock. They have a lovely bulky belt you'd like that you can wear under your clothes, and a truly stunning range of fashionable rucksacks in your size.

mnamreh - this was not about aid. It was a bunch of seagoing hooligans intent on getting their faces on TV and intent on getting their fair share of martyrdom virgins. If it really were about aid, the following video would have had a very different ending.

It doesn't matter whether I am on the flotilla or not. The loss of life is regrettable, but not surprising bearing in mind Israel's record of disproportiionate repsonse. Many of the people on board said that the commandos were firing as they landed. I see that the Israelis prefer to deal with unarmed civilians. When a few fight back they are surprised.