Exactly what Israel was hoping to accomplish by ordering a commando raid Monday on a flotilla of aid ships bound for Gaza is uncertain. What is certain is that the attack, which took place in international waters and claimed nine lives and left dozens wounded, has prompted worldwide outrage, created a diplomatic firestorm and left many Israelis questioning their own government’s actions. Given the circumstances, such widespread anger is understandable.
Clearly, the flotilla of several supply ships loaded with several hundred activists and tens of thousands of tons of humanitarian supplies was designed to embarrass Israel by calling attention to the Jewish nation’s long-term blockade of the Gaza strip. The convoy offered a win-win situation for its pro-Palestinian backers — and unpalatable choices for Israel.
Israel could allow the ships to land and unload cargo in the heretofore blockaded Gaza. Or it could allow the ships to dock, arrest the activists and seize the cargo. Or the Jewish state could take military action. Israel’s options were limited; any decision was problematic.
Israel chose the worst possible option. It attacked ships laden with what the world perceived as peaceful protesters and carrying humanitarian aid in international waters. The ensuing pictures of apparently unarmed activists fighting heavily armed commandos was and is a public opinion nightmare for Israel. What emerged, rightly or wrongly, is a portrait of a nation using its military prowess to impose its will. Given that, the negative worldwide reaction is hardly a surprise.
Almost immediately, many nations, including Israel’s erstwhile allies, recalled diplomats or lodged official protests. Included in that group was Turkey, long the Jewish state’s strongest Muslim ally. On Tuesday, the United Nations Security Council condemned the “acts” the resulted in the civilian deaths aboard the ships. The condemnation would have been harsher if a couple of nations, including the United States, had not interceded. Even so, the Obama administration’s failure to publicly defend Israel leaves little doubt that United States is highly displeased with the commando raid.
That’s a feeling shared in Israel. Some military analysts questioned the need for the action, others asked why tear gas was not used to gain control of the vessels or why the ships’ engines were not sabotaged. One Israeli newspaper, in fact, called the raid a “debacle.”
That’s an apt description. Perhaps Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu purposely orchestrated the raid to show his toughness and to demonstrate Israel’s continued willingness to defy international public opinion to protect what it perceives to be its best interests. If that’s the lesson he hoped to impart, he failed.
The commando raid served no useful purpose. It does nothing to enhance Israeli security. It strengthens the hand of those opposed to Israel — including Hamas — and it paints a portrait of a nation quick to engage in hostile acts rather than to seek more peaceful ways to resolve conflict. Israel and Mr. Netanyahu, in fact, should have known better.
Mr. Netanyahu surely is familiar with the story of the Exodus, the ship attempting to ferry Holocaust survivors to Palestine in 1947. The British Navy used force to turn it back. The incident undermined British prestige and its control in the region, arguably advancing the cause of Israeli statehood. Israel’s action Monday is similarly provocative, and it provides similar impetus to the pro-Palestinian movement.