According to reports, people on the boat attacked the soldiers using switchblades, slingshots, deck chairs, marbles, and metal bars. Two activists then allegedly grabbed handguns from two commandos and began firing. Some Israelis had to jump into the water to escape the melee. In the end, two soldiers suffered gunshot wounds and another was stabbed.
To understand the recklessness of these actions, try to think of it in an American context: If the police show up at your door—even without a warrant—you do not have the right to pull a switchblade or grab a deck chair. If you resist arrest, you will be charged with a crime. When this type of struggle poses a real danger to police officers’ safety, they can and do shoot people.
These principles also apply in international waters. Unless the soldiers began mowing people down as soon as they touched the deck, the protesters should have complied with their demands. A metal pole is never the proper means to solve a dispute with law enforcement—which is what the IDF was in this case. Considering that this ship was full of human rights activists and lawyers, they really ought to have known better.
- Joe
Comments
It seems from the video that the protestors had attack plans and were expecting the commandos. These weren't a bunch of Ghandis or MLKs, they clearly wanted blood. This is the primary tactic of "Palestinian resistance"-- engage assymetrically with Israeli forces and get civilians killed for PR.
I have to say that it works--I don't think we would see the same level of sympathy if theses guys were simply shepherded to Ashdod without resistance, or perhaps negotiate/allow their cargo to be inspected on the high seas. That is certainly what the IDF seemed to have expected-- if you were planning violent repression/mass arrest you would send a lot more troops.
But I do wonder if Israel is really allowed to board a ship like that in international waters by international law. That seemed to be an incredibly reckless move.
