While the facts of what actually happened on board the Flotilla are still emerging here’s a Youtube video of the IDF warning the Flotilla:

Update 1

As reports emerge that the flotilla terrorists violently resisted the Israeli soldiers precipitating the violence, this backgrounder on IHH, among the most prominent organizations behind the Flotilla, is of interest.

Update 2

The IDF Spokesperson is reporting that:

During the boarding of the ships, the demonstrators onboard attacked the IDF Naval personnel with live fire and light weaponry including knives and clubs. Additionally one of the weapons used was grabbed from an IDF soldier. The demonstrators had clearly prepared their weapons in advance for this specific purpose.

…

Reports from IDF forces on the scene are that it seems as if part of the participants onboard the ships were planning to lynch the forces.

Read the whole thing here.

Update 3

Richard Landes responds to Shmuel Rosner’s comments over at the Jerusalem Post.

This is the framework in which to understand what’s happening: unscrupulous provocateurs circulate “lethal narratives” like Jenin and the media gobble it up and present it as news. The journalists who jump on these lethal narratives – the Israelis landed firing at us peaceful protesters – should be held accountable for their incompetence when the story comes out. Apparently, even Turkish CNN has admitted the soldiers were swarmed on landing.

Update 5

The Guardian has just opened a live thread. And the denunciations of the “Zionists” are coming in thick and thin.

Here’s a sample comment from the thread:

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Update 6

This is in from the IDF Spokesman’s office:

According to reports from sea, on board the flotilla that was attempting to break the maritime closure on the Gaza Strip, IDF forces apprehended two violent activists holding pistols. The violent activists took these pistols from IDF forces and apparently opened fire on the soldiers as evident by the empty pistol magazines.

Update 7

The predictable antisemitism on the Guardian live thread is flowing:


Update 8

Lets not forget what we’re dealing with. What kind of so-called “peace activists” engage in antisemitic Islamist chants:

Update 9

More comments from the Guardian’s live thread.



Update 10

Check out this Youtube video. The flotilla terrorists can be clearly seen attacking the soldiers violently:

Update 11

More comments from the Guardian live thread:

Update 12

A commenter on the Guardian thread has just called for open violence against Israeli embassies. Someone should report this to the police.

Update 13

The comments are still pouring in.

Update 14

Update 15

More comments:

Update 15

Elder of Ziyon has a video up of flotilla terrorists ambushing and beating soldiers.

Update 16

Update 17

According to Muqata, Channel 10 and IDF radio report that the IDF commandos were equipped with paint ball rifles to ensure minimum casualties among the flotilla terrorists — their hand guns were to be used as a means of last resort!

Also, Muqata has up to the minute updates that are worth checking out. Click here.

Update 18

CAMERA just published a report on the New York Times coverage of the Flotilla story.

Update 19

More comments:

Update 20

Elder of Ziyon just published footage of a “peace activist” stabbing an IDF soldier:

Update 21

More comments.

Update 22

Here’s one of the first pictures from the specially assembled center where the flotilla terrorists are being held (notice how one the flotilla terrorist in the green shirt thinks its a laugh):


Update 23

More comments:


Update 24

Israeli TV reports (for now in Hebrew) presents videos of Israeli commandos being pummeled by pikes and stabbed as the boarded the ship Mavi Marmara.  Anyone with an orange life vest in the video is a “passenger.”  The Israeli commandos were originally armed with paintballs guns.  After taking casualties and in one case being thrown off the upper deck, the IDF soldiers were told that they can use their pistols to save themselves.

Update 25

More comments:

Update 26

Ron Ben Yishai over at Ynet news has a chilling account of the ambush.

Update 27

Honest Reporting just issued a communique.

Update 28

More comments:


Update 29

This is a must see video from the IDF:


Update 30

Palestinian Media Watch just published a bulletin focusing on the battle cry invoking the killing and defeat of Jews in battle on the day before confronting the Israeli navy.

Update 31

More comments:


Update 32

This is a must see video – so much for the flotilla terrorists being peaceful.

Update 33

Here is an update from Just Journalism.

Update 34

Solomonia has some good footage of the IDF soldier getting stabbed. Click here for more.

Update 35

Yid with Lid published a videologue of the ambush of IDF soldiers by the flotilla terrorists.

Update 36

Elder of Ziyon makes an important observation:

The IDF soldiers went on board the ship with the expectation that they would be met with “non-violent resistance.” The reason that they had those expectations was because the flotilla organizers made very clear that this is what they planned to do – as they said, “The only resistance that there might be would be passive resistance such as physically blocking the steering room, or blocking the engine room downstairs, so that they couldn’t get taken over. But that was just symbolic resistance.”

Because the IDF foolishly believed them, they dropped onto the Turkish ship armed with just riot-dispersal paint guns, plus personal handguns as a last resort.

And they fell into a well-planned ambush.

Read the rest here.

Update 37

Weapons of the s0-called “peace activists”.


Update 38

And here is a video of the weapons. Who takes slingshots and gas marks on a peaceful mission?

Update 39

More comments from the Guardian thread: