Useful Idiots

Of course they don't see themselves in that context. They view their actions and their determination to succeed in launching their 'free Gaza' flotilla as humanitarian work. To alleviate the poverty and misery of the poor downtrodden Palestinians. Holding the State of Israel responsible as a despotic oppressor, a government not that insists on its right to self-defence, but one that plans to wreak inhuman havoc in the West Bank and Gaza.

And of course the fact that Israel took unilateral action to completely withdraw from Gaza and forcefully implemented a withdrawal of settlers from the Strip, leaving it to the devices of Palestinian Gazans who then set about destroying the buildings and infrastructure, including greenhouses left as a thoughtful and costly gesture, what did that demonstrate? It demonstrated that the Palestinians of Gaza, originally Egyptians, were incapable of disciplining themselves and crime and chaos reigned.

Now, Hamas, the terror group with close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood as one of its offshoots reigns in Gaza. Crime has been reduced in Gaza as a result, and its citizens have had to accustom themselves to rigid authoritarianism. With its charter statement informing any who care to know about it, that its purpose is to destroy the State of Israel and take into its possession the geography that Israel now sits upon. Neither it nor the Palestinian Authority is prepared to recognize the legal right to exist that is Israel's.

The Islamist authority engages in a program of overt hostilities of violence and intimidation, the secular authority engages in a more muted, covert program of undermining the legitimacy and presence of the State of Israel, all the while asserting it is prepared to bargain honestly toward peace that will result in the creation of a Palestinian state. With no readily obvious intention to carry through on a peace resolution, yet seeking devious means by which Israel could be destroyed.

But those 'peace activists' who commit themselves to the annual voyage of the damnable to confront the IDF on the high seas in a ritual play of aiding and assisting Gazans by bringing to them humanitarian medical supplies, foodstuffs, building materials, and other such goods, recognize nothing of the sort for nothing deters the triumphant will of Israel-bashers. The reality that there are no dire shortages of food, medical supplies, building materials and other consumer goods is of no interest to them.

Israel has offered to conduct a procedure whereby they will allow the flotilla to dock at the port of Ashdod, and then escort the humanitarian aid claimed to be the purpose of the blockade-busting parade through to Gaza by an overland route, after everything has been checked to ensure no weapons are included or construction materials used to make weapons with are present.

Eight ships comprising the flotilla, minus two which had been damaged, and the lead ship which was to have been the Mavi Marmara, are set to depart on their mission in several days' time. It is an event beloved of those who seek to slander and bring additional problems to a country that seeks to protect itself from ongoing attacks and in the process receives condemnation from those who see only what Hamas insists they see.

And that certainly would not include any Hamas members on board to direct the proceedings.