By Scott Tibbs, June 25, 2010
The IDS editorial of June 10 was shallow and demonstrated that the editorial board lacks understanding of the issues surrounding national security.
It is true that Israel did suffer a public relations setback in the flotilla incident, but this is about far more than public relations. The terrorists who control Gaza have a long history of murderous actions, and have been firing rockets at civilian populations for the sole purpose of terrorizing civilians for years. Thinking people rightly recognize the actions of Hamas as war crimes.
The flotilla incident was a fraud from the beginning. This was never about delivering "humanitarian" aid to the people of Gaza. The only purpose of the flotilla was to provoke Israel into using force to prevent the "activists" (actually terrorists) from breaking a legitimate military blockade.
Israel boarded the ship, and attempted to deal with the "activists" using non-lethal force. They were attacked by "activists" wielding chains, metal pipes and knives. A video clearly shows the "activists" throwing a flash bang grenade into the boat Israeli soldiers were riding and throwing an Israeli soldier off a ship. Israeli soldiers were stabbed and beaten.
Tell me, if this was a "humanitarian" mission, why did the "activists" immediately respond with lethal force? Israeli soldiers were justified in using lethal force to defend themselves.
No matter what Israel does, Islamic terrorists will seek to destroy the nation, and Israel's enemies will demonize them. Israel has complied with demands to trade "land for peace" and was rewarded by a terrorist state in Gaza committing acts of war against them. If anything, Israel should be praised for restraint in not invading Gaza and occupying it by force.
Appeasement of a ruthless enemy does not work. Israel understands the lessons of the Sudetenland. The IDS editorial board should learn those lessons too.
