Israel Attacks Flotilla

A “Freedom Flotilla” - led by the pro-Palestinian Free Gaza Movement and a Turkish organization called the Insani Yardim Vakfi - intent on breaking Israel’s three year blockade of Gaza, was attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters shortly before midnight on Sunday.

Israel vowed not to let the flotilla carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists and supplies reach Gaza shores. Three missile boats left a Haifa naval base a few minutes before 9 pm planning to intercept the flotilla. The attack left nine activists dead, the majority of them Turkish. More then 600 activists were arrested and remain in custody in southern Israel. After the attack Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ordered the opening of the Egyptian border to Gaza to allow aid to come through.

ree Gaza Movement leader, Huwaida Arraf said, “We communicated to them clearly that we are unarmed civilians. We asked them not to use violence.” Israel claims that they did not open fire on the flotilla until they were attacked with knives and clubs upon boarding the ship. Both parties have videos that support their claims. Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu defended the military, stating that the commandos enforced a legal blockade and opened fire in self-defense.

What actually happened? What will this attack mean for US-Israeli and Turkish-Israeli relations? Were international laws broken? How should the US respond?