"Freedom Flottila II", another attempt by Ship to Gaza to break the blockade but this time Israel is prepared for violence

[Adar]

This year Ship to Gaza is planning to make another run to reach Gaza called "Freedom Flottila 2" (source). Last years "Freedom flottila" was a major PR victory for the activists in many nations but also caused the death of 9 Turkish activists as well as injuries requiring hospital treatment for 55 activists and 7 soldiers.

This time Israel is better prepared for activist violence and will deploy specialists in non-lethal crowd control rather than commandos with a mixture of paint ball guns and leathal weapons.

Full article
This time around, the navy has been preparing rigorously for the operation, enlisting all of its Flotilla 13 commandos from the reserves and running different training models with various scenarios, from passive resistance – such as sit-downs – to potential gunfights and booby-trapped ships.

In addition to Flotilla 13 – better known as the Shayetet – the ships will be boarded by members of the Border Police’s Yasam Unit and the Prisons Service elite Masada Unit, both known for their expertise in crowd control and the use of non-lethal means to quell violent riots.

The teams will be supported by snipers – whose job will be to neutralize violent protesters before the commandos board the ships – with dogs from Oketz, the IDF’s canine unit, and operators from Yahalom, the elite unit from the Engineering Corps.

Beyond these personnel changes, the two major changes will be the way the commandos board the ships.

Last year, as seen in the video footage released after the operation – unfortunately too late – the navy commandos are seen fast-roping down from helicopters one by one. The objective this time will be to get as many commandos on the decks of the ships at once with more non-lethal capabilities than before in order to get control of the situation as quickly and with as few casualties as possible.

IN THE meantime, insiders argue, Israel should be doing more to undermine the legitimacy of the flotilla. Media briefings should become a daily routine for the IDF and the Foreign Ministry – not only showing reporters the military preparations, but also explaining the legal legitimacy of the blockade now, as opposed to waiting to explain the day after, when Israel may be on the defensive.

Comments from senior officials, for example, questioning why IHH even needs to send a flotilla to Gaza when the infant mortality rate in Turkey is higher – 23.94 deaths per 1,000 live births – than it is in Gaza – 17.12 deaths per 1,000 live births (stats can be found in the CIA’s official World Factbook) – should be all over the papers.

Why this is not yet happening is unclear. It would make sense for the government to begin laying the groundwork already for the operation, which could end, like it did last year, with dead passengers – even if some of them were paid mercenaries, as appears to have been the case aboard the Mavi Marmara.

Israel should be doing more to explain the reason for the sea blockade to begin with, the insiders say, like repeating the stories behind the Francop cargo ship in 2009 and the Victoria several months ago. The Foreign Ministry, for example, could highlight to the world how Israel’s capture of the Chinese-designed C-802 anti-ship missiles, made in Iran, is currently an intelligence treasure, helping Western navies study the missile and learn how to defend against it.

One lesson that has been learned already is the need to disseminate information to the media immediately.

Last year, the morning of the flotilla, it took IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Avi Benayahu some five hours to release an official statement, and around 10 hours to release the video showing the commandos getting ambushed and lynched aboard the Mavi Marmara.

[PointOfViewGun]

Since when self-defense is called violence?

[♔Goodguy1066♔]

Since when self-defense is called violence?

Since when is beating up soldiers who did not initiate violence called self defense?

[PointOfViewGun]

Since when is beating up soldiers who did not initiate violence called self defense?

Since they board a ship without permission in international waters. Those people could shoot the soldiers in the head and they would be legally right.

With the border into Egypt open and all the tunnels underground i think this blockade is not working and should stop.Where else in the world is there a blockade like this.
"This time Israel is better prepared for activist violence and will deploy specialists in non-lethal crowd control rather than commandos with a mixture of paint ball guns and leathal weapons."
Did they not do that last time?Hmm i fear another bloodbath.This time Turkey will have to go to war..

The blockade is more of an act of war than a blockade.

Turkey won't go to war with Israel even more Turks dies on any ship now that AKP won the elections.

[justicar5]

Since when is beating up soldiers who did not initiate violence called self defense?

I saw only pirates, in international waters.

Another flotilla,this one too with ideas that go beyond the term "humanitarian".Anyway,whatever will happen,Israel will lose this "war"too,and sink like every other time its reputation to less than zero.HOORAY FOR THE FREEDOM FLOTILLA,HOORAY FOR TERRORIST-SUPPLYING PACIFISTS,HOORAY FOR PEOPLE WHO USE THE "HUMANITARIAN"FACADE FOR EFFORTS THAT ARE ANYTHING BUT HUMANITARIAN.HOORAY.

Yes america should stop all aid to the terrorist stae of Israel and begin war crimes proceedings against any and all government officials it can.

[Surgeon]

I saw only pirates, in international waters.

It's what happens when you resist a search by commandos. Darwin's law at work

[ivan_the_terrible]

Since when is beating up soldiers who did not initiate violence called self defense?

Since they boarded the vessel without permission, in international waters...?

[charles the hammer]

Since when self-defense is called violence?

I would have thought self-defense counts as violence, not saying its self defense, but still.

[PointOfViewGun]

Why didn't the floatilla just let Israel check the cargo?

That was never proposed or requested.

I would have thought self-defense counts as violence, not saying its self defense, but still.

The context it was used was: an unjust or unwarranted exertion of force or power, as against rights or laws.

[♔Goodguy1066♔]

That was never proposed or requested.

We offered them to follow us to land, where we will inspect the cargo, and they could have then handed it to Gaza as long as it isn't firearms.

[PointOfViewGun]

We offered them to follow us to land, where we will inspect the cargo, and they could have then handed it to Gaza as long as it isn't firearms.

Confiscation of the cargo is not same as inspecting it. You guys never proposed to simply inspect it and let it go.

[Simon Cashmere]

Since when self-defense is called violence?

When the Love Boat is filled with angry jihadis carrying daggers and iron bars, who beat the hell out of soldiers for doing their jobs.

It was just a jihadi invasion full of angry jihadis, using the provision of aid as an execuse to provoke a confrontation with Israel, a cynical exercise to manipulate public opinion against Israel, by starting a fight and then getting upset when it turns out badly for them.

[Plan C]

When the Love Boat is filled with angry jihadis carrying daggers and iron bars, who beat the hell out of soldiers for doing their jobs.

The sad part is that the job was given to them by a staff of Israeli planners who cannot be described as anything other but cretins. Whomever dreamt up that f*king fiasco should be executed to prevent the passing down of retard genes. Darwin's law at work and all that.

It was just a jihadi invasion full of angry jihadis, using the provision of aid as an execuse to provoke a confrontation with Israel, a cynical exercise to manipulate public opinion against Israel, by starting a fight and then getting upset when it turns out badly for them.

No one has done a better job of turning public opinion against Israel than the Israeli government. Their actions deserve condemnation for sheer ham-fisted stupidity and arrogance. And yet here I am reading page after page of lengthy excuses for them. Amazing.

[Visna]

The sad part is that the job was given to them by a staff of Israeli planners who cannot be described as anything other but cretins. Whomever dreamt up that f*king fiasco should be executed to prevent the passing down of retard genes. Darwin's law at work and all that.

Which is what I don't get. There has been conducted extensive research into non-lethal force for several years, everything from sticky foam, bean bags, rubber bullets, crippling sound, gasses, you name it, it's available. And yet the IDF, the supposedly most badass military in the middle east, sends it's soldiers into a potentially violent situation armed with... wait for it....

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Paintguns.

And of course lethal firepower, just in case them paintguns, you know, don't deter an opponent...
The moron in the IDF command who got that brilliant idea should be stripped of rank and demoted to toilet attendant intern trainee.

[Plan C]

Which is what I don't get. There has been conducted extensive research into non-lethal force for several years, everything from sticky foam, bean bags, rubber bullets, crippling sound, gasses, you name it, it's available. And yet the IDF, the supposedly most badass military in the middle east, sends it's soldiers into a potentially violent situation armed with... wait for it....

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Paintguns.

And of course lethal firepower, just in case them paintguns, you know, don't deter an opponent...
The moron in the IDF command who got that brilliant idea should be stripped of rank and demoted to toilet attendant intern trainee.

See what I mean? There are so many questions I would love to get answers for because the mistakes made during planning stages were simply astonishing. Why approach the boats in the middle of the night? Why outside of the territorial waters? Why send commandos to certain injury, in pairs (!!!!) on board of a ship which is already presumed hostile? Using Black Hawks?!?!... Jesus...

Was IDF after pity? Deliberately sabotaging the mission to turn the tables on the Flotilla?

As for a larger point of Gaza bloackade, ponder this - would politicians from parties like Likud and Yisrael Beitenu even stand a chance of election if it were not for the status quo? Does no one connect the dots here? Because it is in the interest of "strong" politicians to maintain the situation where they're needed. It is clear to me that the blockade of Gaza Strip and, further, this ostentatious fear towards Hamas and Palesitnians in general, is the vehicle which, utimately, secures a good bunch of political careers in the Knesset. Food for thought.

[Principe Alessandro]

This time IDF should sink the ship.

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

With the border into Egypt open and all the tunnels underground i think this blockade is not working and should stop.Where else in the world is there a blockade like this.
"This time Israel is better prepared for activist violence and will deploy specialists in non-lethal crowd control rather than commandos with a mixture of paint ball guns and leathal weapons."
Did they not do that last time?Hmm i fear another bloodbath.This time Turkey will have to go to war..

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

Israel has a right to exist which is more important than any one elses right to exist so therefore shooting people dead is there god given right.How dare these peasents defy the IDF commandos and bring food and aid to the people who they have trapped into ghettos.

[♔Goodguy1066♔]

Israel has a right to exist which is more important than any one elses right to exist so therefore shooting people dead is there god given right.How dare these peasents defy the IDF commandos and bring food and aid to the people who they have trapped into ghettos.

Why didn't the floatilla just let Israel check the cargo? If you were Israel, would you let an anti-Israeli foatilla with an unidentified cargo just waltz into a hostile reigon with what could very well be more rockets, of which you have soaked for 8 years?
The floatilla was a PR stunt, the participants knew it wasn't to actually give aid to Gaza, they had expired medicine in there. They just wanted to either break the blockade for the sake of breaking the blockade and drawing attention to it, or fail to do it and draw attention to evil Israelis protecting their people from another wave of rocket shelling.

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

Why didn't the floatilla just let Israel check the cargo? If you were Israel, would you let an anti-Israeli foatilla with an unidentified cargo

International waters.You cant check or board them as you are not somalia pirates.The flotillas were checked at the ports they set out from.And the ships were full of food and medicine when you did check them after killing 8Turks.Blockaded Gaza Strip nears 'medical crisis'http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...514672596.html
Health authorities in the Gaza Strip are warning that there is a medical crisis unfolding, following major delays in deliveries of medical supplies from the West Bank.
In the past week a humanitarian convoy arrived from Europe and next week the so-called Freedom Flotilla is expected to set sail for the region.
But as Al Jazeera's Nadim Baba reports from Gaza, the medical shortages have increased calls for an end to Israel's blockade and Palestinian disunity.