It seems time to remind everyone of some important facts regarding the publicity stunt that the antisemitic Palestinians are promoting. This time it is a self proclaimed aid ship bringing symbolic aid to Gaza. This isn’t a new idea. It was tried a few years ago with the Turkish Mavi Marmara. International law has not changed since then.
First, the Israeli blockade of the Gaza coast is legal. It was then and it is now. The fact of a war going on does not change this.
halting the so-called aid ship and redirecting to an Israeli port is the preferred solution. If it refuses to halt. Israeli forces may legally sink it. Any casualties incurred are the fault of the people on the blockade running ship.
Second, halting the ship and boarding it or capturing it is NOT piracy. It is part of the enforcement of the blockade. If the ship has declared a destination in Gaza, Israeli forces may capture or sink it once it has left the territorial waters of the country from whose port it is leaving {i.e. on the high seas}. The only thing needed to keep such an action from being piracy is the declaration of a blockade. Such a blockade has already been declared and has been in force for years.
Finally, this is just a publicity stunt designed to make headlines in the media. Any media outlet that is fool enough to cover it needs to be called out for extremely biased reporting.
Gaza residents aren’t starving and Israel isn’t committing genocide.
Using this, or any other event, as an excuse for promoting lies that obscure the main facts (Hamas started the war and kidnapped civilians in outright violation of international law) is irresponsible journalism at best, and outright propaganda otherwise.
Wetherhorn 