Islamists Ambush Israeli Sailors

These videos, which you won’t see on America’s anti-Semitic mainstream news channels, shows the premeditated attack by the Islamists on the Mavi Marmara on the Israeli sailors who boarded the ship in order to escort it to a legal port.

The attack was clearly planned, as the Islamists were prepared with metal poles, stun grenades, and firebombs.

The Israeli sailors were attempting to halt the illegal shipments to the Hamas terrorist group.  They were dispatched to guide the ship to the port of Ashdod, where the cargo would be inspected before being sent on to the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli sailors were unprepared for the ambush and were forced to defend their lives with live fire.  Four Israeli sailors were injured in the assault and ten to fifteen attackers were killed.  All of the injured were evacuated to hospitals in Israel.

The crew of the Mavi Marmara were well aware that their attempted course was illegal and they were given numerous warnings before the Israeli’s notified them that they would board the ship and guide it to the port at Ashdod.

The ship has now been secured and it will be taken to Ashdod.  From there the contents will be inspected.  The arms will be confiscated and any legal aid goods intended for Hamas will be forwarded to them in the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s actions in seizing the ship are consistent with International law as set down in paragraphs 5.2.1 and 5.2.10 of the Helsinki Principles on the Law of Maritime Neutrality:

5.2.1 Visit and search
As an exception to Principle 5.1.2. paragraph 1 and in accordance with Principle 1.3 (2nd sentence), belligerent warships have a right to visit and search vis-à-vis neutral commercial ships in order to ascertain the character and destination of their cargo. If a ship tries to evade this control or offers resistance, measures of coercion necessary to exercise this right are permissible. This includes the right to divert a ship where visit and search at the place where the ship is encountered are not practical.

5.2.10 Blockade
Blockade, i.e. the interdiction of all or certain maritime traffic coming from or going to a port or coast of a belligerent, is a legitimate method of naval warfare. In order to be valid, the blockade must be declared, notified to belligerent and neutral States, effective and applied impartially to ships of all States. A blockade may not bar access to neutral ports or coasts. Neutral vessels believed on reasonable and probable grounds to be breaching a blockade may be stopped and captured. If they, after prior warning, clearly resist capture, they may be attacked.

The attempted murders of the Israeli sailors was not legal and hopefully the Islamists responsible will be tried and convicted in court.