I think Israel is doing what it's gotta do to protect it's people. They have a right to be suspicious, and if that boat had nothing to hide, then why did it need to be defiant? It's tragic that it turned into a fatal situation, but they did what they had to do.

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"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy or art; it has no survival value. Rather, it is one of those things that gives value to survival." -C.S. Lewis.

Got to agree with U on this one mr. brightside! Can U say "Set-up"?

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I totally agree, How anyone can be mad at Israel is beyond me!

If they wanted it to be legal, they would have boarded the boats in the blockaded water, not in International waters. Any way this goes, its bad press for them, and the IDF, hey, Nato gets grilled and confesses when they mess up, Israeli Governments have had terrible human rights violations, but hey just look over that cause you were told they cant do no wrong for the past 40 years.

No government is perfect, and no government should be allowed to just do what they want. Kinda what much of this forum is going on about half the time, On the current US government, fails, worst ever and so on. People can have the right to condemn Israel and their current government, just like you all do on your own.

Gaza and the Warsaw ghetto have very little differences at this point.

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Are U ok -CC????? AND why drag this forum into it?

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ill just drop it. No need to get the forum into it

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I don't want to get into a huge debate, either, but for myself, I think when it comes to the safety of your own people, you have to do what ever it takes, even if it means breaking a few rules. I know I would. I think all sides crossed boundaries, but I believe Israel acted in the best interest for the safety of it's people. When it comes to the preservation of life, some rules don't matter.

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"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy or art; it has no survival value. Rather, it is one of those things that gives value to survival." -C.S. Lewis.

Capt C- I understand the frustration by others over this but lets just wait and see what really happen according to other news sources.

Biden: Israel Has Right to Stop Gaza Ships. "Israel has an absolute right to deal with its security interest," Biden said in an interview on PBS's "Charlie Rose" show, while reiterating the Obama administration's support for a transparent, impartial investigation of what happened.
In New York, meanwhile, the deputy U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Alejandro Wolff, suggested to reporters that the flotilla "may have been intended to provoke."

Please read this article at FoxNews, this invokes so much emotion and I respect your opinion Capt C, we are friends here and so can disagree and still remain friends.

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This is so lame!! The idea that the solders acted in self defense is a crock. That is like letting a robber off the hook, who breaks in to a mans house get into a struggle with and kill the man, claiming it was in self defense. Israel has a right to defend itself, but unlike blockades use in pass history, where all ships were turned away, this on seems to be trying to net materials and people involved in acts of terror.

Unless, Israel had knowledge of a know terrorist on the ship, they had no business broad it in International waters. Israel's calm that many people on the ship had links to terror groups was so overblown. Claming if one just reads a post by or sample visits a web site link to the group , your linked to the group. Or , if you belong to a group at has a member in it, who at one time belong to a terror group, your linked.

Do you know how much of our tax dollar these two groups of clowns get ever time they go at it? Billions! And they know it. The last go around, Israel destroyed a children's hospital they clamed rockets were being fired from. As part of the sees fire/peace deal guess who paid for the rebuilding of the hospital? WE DID! It only took $100 million U.S. dollars to end that round of non-sense. It's all just a big game! They play , we pay.


I thought the the Arabs could have peacefully taken control of Israel years ago. Around the 1980's I read a report that 28% of all Israeli citizen were Arabs. and If the oil rich nations want to, all they had to do is financially supported these Israeli-Arabs to have large families. In less than 20 years they would have voting control of the Israeli government. End of story!

Your way off MR.Pow I'm not sure what your new's source is but I have seen video of men wearing flap jackets beating Israeli solders.Most if not all were carrying ten thousand dollars each not as tourist but to supply terriorist.America has been A great country because we have supported Israel.When America stops supporting Israel America will cease being A great country.You don't mess with Gods chosen people.Terriorist need to be stop anywhere on land or sea .

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Israel had rights to board the ship and did do the right thing. Israel has never been an agressor, it has always been a self defender. Israel would be very pleased if some of it's neighbors would leave them alone and they would do the same. Unfortunately for religious reasons, there are some that will not be happy unless Israel is completely destroyed.

"Israel is acting under the customary maritime law of blockade. You're allowed to do that; they declared a blockade over a port. Israel is acting completely within guidelines of blockades under international maritime law. Any vessel that violates a blockade may be captured, boarded or even attacked under international law.

The law of blockades require enforcement; there's no such thing as a paper blockade. A maritime blockade remains in effect off the coast of Gaza, as Israel is currently in a state of armed conflict with Hamas, which has repeatedly bombed civilian targets in Israel with weapons that have been smuggled into Gaza via the sea." FoxNews

If Hamas would back off, Israel would be happy to leave them alone.

I guess it all depends on where you get your information or propaganda from and that didn't come from Foxnews http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Law/Legal+Issues+and+Rulings/Gaza_flotilla_maritime_blockade_Gaza-Legal_background_31-May-2010.htm

Matt ,

This whole thing was setup to be a big PR stunt. Please tell me your sources on the money thing and the flip jackets.

The whole "God chosen people" thing could mean a lot of different things. I was surprise to learn here today that 50% of Jewish people living in Israel consider themselves "secular" or hilonim.


Quote" The Fridman report for 2007 found that less than 20% define themselves as secular - and only 5% as anti-religious.[47] In Israel, around 50% of Israelis who were born ethnically Jewish consider themselves "secular" or hilonim, some of them still keep certain religious traditions for cultural reasons, but most are immersed within the Secular Jewish culture. The number of Atheists and Agnostics is lower, and it stands at 15% to 37%. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism


Just look up "jewish atheist" and it will open your eyes.

This all may be true, or it may not, I don't care. For me, the simple fact is that Israel is surrounded by people who despise their every existence, and will do anything, in any way, to destroy Israel, and these enemies know that militarily, they are no match for Israel, so like any other terrorist organization, they use guerrilla tactics, and "covert" ways to sabotage Israel. So, Israel can never sleep, and I just don't see anything wrong with them being two-hundred percent suspicious of their hostile enemies. If even the slightest clue of a threat arises somewhere, I don't blame them for one second to go investigate, even if it is false. In that situation, you have two choices, one: Do nothing and wait for something to happen, or two: Try and hit them before they hit you. I don't know about anyone else but if I have a hunch a guy wants to kill me, I wouldn't wait around to see if he actually does.

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"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy or art; it has no survival value. Rather, it is one of those things that gives value to survival." -C.S. Lewis.