These innocent people died simply for trying to get food and medicine to 1.5 million people essentially captive in the world's largest concentration camp.  I must say the U.S. response has been shameful.  I've been to Palestine, and have seen the suffering.  I'll be at this event and hope our voices are heard.

Are people seriously upset about this? 

The Israeli government publicly stated that they would stop the ships in that convoy. They went forward regardless. Israel stopped the ships. The protesters called the bluff and had losing hand. 

I for one admire the restraint shown by Israel in the whole matter. I can think of other countries that would have just sunk the entire convoy.

I/P discussions are always fraught with a lot of tension.... but yes dbb some people are upset about it. I guess the underlying question is, is the Israeli response appropriate and justified? There are claims and counter claims about what exactly happened, but one thing to me sticks out... they sent a specific strike force (rather than say a police force, or the equivalent of a cost guard) that usually is responsible for covert and deadly operations out to deal with people who's stated intent was to delver non-military aid.

Rather than say thoroughly inspect the ships we now have this latest idiotic stand-off. And to boot the game isn't finished, that might have been a "loosing hand" but Egypt has opened its boarder and there is yet another flotilla arriving in 2-3 days. It has been a PR nightmare for Israel and there is already significant internal second guessing going on.  

Yes, on one hand it was a "stunt" spearheaded by Turkey, but imo Israel mishandled this significantly. Frankly, given this wankerific move and the less than stellar performance during their 2006 war in Lebanon I wouldn't be shocked if Netanyahu doesn't survive next elections. Which for all concerned probably wouldn't be a bad move. To be honest I wish Hamas would also lose their next elections. Both Netanyahu and Hamas contribute to the ongoing tension and strife.

This act of aggression occurred in international waters. Israel had no justification for the use of deadly force. There is also no justification for Danny's continued access to the internet.

@TimK: Israel certainly had justification. Do you think they'd have had wounded if they'd decided from the get-go to just mow down a bunch of innocent unarmed civilians? 

The number of dead vs. wounded on each side just illustrates the stupidity of using knives and sticks when the other side has firearms and the willingness to use them.

If I ever organize an event I want Danny to oppose it. It would add a certain cachet of legitimacy to whatever the event would be, from art opening to political protest.

For the record, I'm not "opposed" to these little protests. (Saw this one on the NNC tonight, by the way. It was very cute). As usual, I just enjoy making fun of them.

For what it's worth, Partsguy, the rebuttal to the "but Israel allows aid..." line is: The procedure for allowing aid is to land in Israel and to turn all the supplies over to the Israeli government for inspection then distribution. There are many third parties who have little confidence that doing this actually results in the aid arriving at its intended destination. 

Yes, you are absolutely right that Hamas bears some of the blame in this dance. Witness the difference in treatment of the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority and the Gaza under Hamas. The primary difference between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas is, of course, Hamas' continuing goal to (pathetically) destroy Israel. It is a stated goal they have no hope in ever achieving, but continue to agitate for to keep their people in fear and agitated. The problem arises, of course, in that the population in Gaza is suffering because of the policies of both Hamas and Israel, and when both sides are equally screwing with you there is no motivation to choose sides with "the other."

Against this backdrop Israel committed a pretty big blunder and has done nothing but legitimize Hamas and the "struggle" those wankers engage in. This is a blockade simply to show that they have the "balls" to do so. Not a blockade to keep weapons out of Gaza. Hell, the Israeli representative flat out said today there have been no weapons found on the ships they commandeered, and that it didn't matter. 

Frankly there could have been half-dozen ways in which the aid could have arrived legitimately at it's destination, from UN involvement, to Israel inspecting the cargo directly upon its arrival at Gaza, to other trusted third-party involvement. But, as much as the Israeli government depends upon other nations it also likes to tell everyone else to fuck off and mind their own business.