Pro-Palestinian activists call an international aid flotilla headed toward the Gaza Strip a humanitarian endeavor designed to relieve suffering caused by Israel’s long-term blockade of the area. Israeli officials say the eight ships are part of a carefully orchestrated publicity stunt that overlooks the facts and have vowed to stop the ships before they reach their destination. Whatever the truth of the matter, the possible confrontation between activists and Israeli naval commandos on the high seas is unsettling.
There is, of course, always the possibility of violence when there is a difference of opinion between Palestinians and Israelis. That’s candidly acknowledged by Israeli military officials and activists aboard the ships, which are expected to reach the Israeli coast on Saturday.
Israeli military officials said Thursday that naval commandos would meet the flotilla at sea, escort the vessels to an Israeli port and give those aboard the choice of leaving the Jewish nation or going to jail. “We will prevent them [the activists] from entering the Gaza Strip,” said Vice Adm. Eliezer Marum, chief of Israel’s Navy.
That doesn’t seem to frighten those aboard the ships. “We know that we are sailing for a good cause,” said Dror Feiler, who was aboard one of the ships sailing toward Israel. “If the Israelis want us to a price, we will pay a price, but we will come again and again.” It would seem, then, that possibility of confrontation is high.
The current flotilla is the ninth organized by the Free Gaza Movement to deliver tons of humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Israel has permitted five of them to deliver supplies, but has not done so since early in 2009. The Jewish nation and Egypt continue to strictly enforce a blockade established in 2007 when Hamas militants took control of Gaza. Those nations, however, permit what they say is substantial aid to b delivered to Gaza despite he blockade.
Israel says the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas, which it regards as a terrorist group, from developing weapons. Palestinians say the blockade doesn’t harm Hamas, but hurts ordinary people who do not have access to every-day necessities. The difference of opinion is a dangerous one.
Thursday, the activists — which include a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a former U.S. congresswoman and legislators from several European nations — made it clear they were determined to reach shore. The Israelis are equally determined that they will not. As is often the case in the Mideast, there did not appear to be any middle ground on which the two sides could agree.
Truth is, there is room for agreement, if both sides sought it. Israel could relax the blockade in a manner that allowed an increased flow of goods into Gaza and that still provided security. Palestinians could reject Hamas in return. That’s not likely to happen, though, and the world will watch and wait to see if a possible confrontation on the high seas leads to another spasm of violence in the Mideast.