Ship to Gaza

Israeliska soldater överaskades av det våldsamma motståndet de mötte på den turkiska båten Mavi Marmara som försökte bryta blockaden av Gaza. De första soldaterna var endast utrustade med gevär med gummikulor och pistoler och det var först efter att situationen blev livsfarlig för dem som de använde sina handeldvapen.

Fred i Mellanöstern har följt med Gazaoperationen under den senaste veckan på deras hemsida får man viktig bakgrundsfakta till dagens våldsamheter i samband med bordningen av fartyget.

Aktivisterna på fartyget var väl förberedda och attacken på de israeliska soldaterna var tydligen en planerad del av "hjälpaktionen".


IDF forces met with pre-planned violence when attempting to board flotilla (Israeliska utrikesministeriets hemsida, text och video)

Här kan man se en video som visar en kvinna som säger att oeprationen kommer att få ett av två lyckliga slut: Endera når vi Gaza eller så dör vi som martyrer.



Här kan man se hur aktivisterna angriper de israeliska soldaterna



Här är händelserna filmade ur en annan vinkel



Här kan man läsa en beskrivning över vad som hände vid bordningen och vad som gick fel:
A brutal ambush at sea
"...Officials estimated that passengers will show slight resistance, and possibly minor violence; for that reason, the operation’s commander decided to bring the helicopter directly above the top deck. The first rope that soldiers used in order to descend down to the ship was wrested away by activists, most of them Turks, and tied to an antenna with the hopes of bringing the chopper down. However, Flotilla 13 fighters decided to carry on.
Navy commandoes slid down to the vessel one by one, yet then the unexpected occurred: The passengers that awaited them on the deck pulled out bats, clubs, and slingshots with glass marbles, assaulting each soldier as he disembarked. The fighters were nabbed one by one and were beaten up badly, yet they attempted to fight back.
However, to their misfortune, they were only equipped with paintball rifles used to disperse minor protests, such as the ones held in Bilin. The paintballs obviously made no impression on the activists, who kept on beating the troops up and even attempted to wrest away their weapons.
One soldier who came to the aid of a comrade was captured by the rioters and sustained severe blows. The commandoes were equipped with handguns but were told they should only use them in the face of life-threatening situations. When they came down from the chopper, they kept on shouting to each other “don’t shoot, don’t shoot,” even though they sustained numerous blows..."

Haaretz version:
Israel Navy commandos: Gaza flotilla activists tried to lynch us

Här får man information om den turkiska organisationen IHH som står som organisatör för operationen Ship to Gaza det var på IHH:s fartyg som våldsamheterna ägde rum.
Läs mera:
IHH, which plays a central role in organizing the flotilla to the Gaza Strip, is a Turkish humanitarian relief fund with a radical Islamic anti-Western orientation. Besides its legitimate philanthropic activities, it supports radical Islamic networks, including Hamas, and at least in the past, even global jihad elements.

När Israel beslöt att förhindra fartygen i operationen Ship to Gaza att bryta blockaden av Gaza har Israel lagen på sin sida.
Läs mera här:
The Gaza flotilla and the maritime blockade of Gaza - Legal background
1. A maritime blockade is in effect off the coast of Gaza. Such blockade has been imposed, as Israel is currently in a state of armed conflict with the Hamas regime that controls Gaza, which has repeatedly bombed civilian targets in Israel with weapons that have been smuggled into Gaza via the sea.
2. Maritime blockades are a legitimate and recognized measure under international law that may be implemented as part of an armed conflict at sea.
7. Under international maritime law, when a maritime blockade is in effect, no boats can enter the blockaded area. That includes both civilian and enemy vessels.
8. A state may take action to enforce a blockade. Any vessel that violates or attempts to violate a maritime blockade may be captured or even attacked under international law. The US Commander's Handbook on the Law of Naval Operations sets forth that a vessel is considered to be in attempt to breach a blockade from the time the vessel leaves its port with the intention of evading the blockade.

Law Expert Dr Robbie Sabel IDF action in international waters legal
Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 31 May 2010
IMRA asked Hebrew University international law expert Dr. Robbie Sabel aboutthe legality of the IDF action in international waters.
Dr. Sabel explained that a state, in a time of conflict, can impose anembargo, and while it cannot carry out embargo activities in the territorialwaters of a third party, it can carry out embargo activities ininternational waters.
Within this framework it is legal to detain a civilian vessel trying tobreak an embargo and if in the course of detaining the vessel, force is usedagainst the forces carrying out the detention then that force has everyright to act in self defense.
Dr. Sabel noted that there is a long history of embargo activities ininternational waters.
Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)