Israel intercepts Gaza aid flotilla
Israel has intercepted the international Global Sumud Flotilla, which was attempting to bring aid to the Gaza Strip, long before it reached the coast, and seized its 40 ships and boats. Of the 462 people on board, more than 300 are still in Israeli custody. Israel described the flotilla's mission as a provocation and is in the process of deporting the activists one after the other.
A moral defeat for Jerusalem
News website In comments:
“At first glance, Israel has also won this power struggle. No ships have reached Gaza. But if we think about it more closely, in reality it has lost. ... Because fortunately, in the eyes of a large part of the world, it is not those who drop bombs and prevent humanitarian aid who are in the right. It is those who have tried to break through the barrier and ensure that aid gets to where it belongs, namely to the civilians and children who are starving and suffering.”
This is not heroism
In Público, columnist João Miguel Tavares takes a critical view of the Gaza supporters' brand of activism:
“For some, these are courageous people putting themselves at the service of a great cause. For others, they are privileged children who can afford the luxury of demanding that the state pay to get them out of the prison they insisted on putting themselves in. The flotilla activists are vehemently opposed to the Israeli government, but trust that Israel will quickly provide them with a plane to take them home. If these are the great humanitarian gestures of today's world, then humanity is in a bad way.”
Why Italy is particularly interested
A huge demonstration took place in Rome on the weekend in protest at the seizure of the flotilla. Il Post explains why the aid convoy's journey was followed so closely in Italy:
“In recent months, and particularly in recent weeks, Italy has been paying far more attention to the Global Sumud Flotilla than other countries. ... There are several reasons for this, including the provenance of the activists on board, the places from which the boats set sail and the mobilisation that has formed around them, as well as with the Italian government's reluctance to explicitly condemn Israel. This has considerably contributed to the controversy surrounding the flotilla.”