The Israeli/"Peace Activist" flotilla incident: Is the mainstream media being fair?

On Monday, May 31st, the Israeli Navy encountered and boarded a group of ships headed for Gaza.  The ships were purported to be simply carrying "humanitarian aid". The resulting battle with "peace activists" on the Gaza bound flotilla resulted in injury to seven Israeli soldiers, with numerous injuries and nine dead among the flotilla's occupants.

Anti-Israeli media reports are once again making their way around the globe, blaming Israel for "unprovoked aggression". The U.N., predictably, is condemning Israel's actions, and is calling for an "investigation". World leaders are again quick to comment on the situation, which they know about primarily through media reports which may not be entirely accurate in the first place.

There is evidence to suggest that Israel had reason to doubt the flotilla's purported "humanitarian aid" mission, and that the real mission of the flotilla was political: To spread anti-Israeli propaganda, place violent anti-Israeli activists in key places throughout Gaza, and foment violence against Israel's citizens. Indeed, Israel knew weeks ago that these ships were coming, and that there might be an "incident" created in order to foment anti Jewish sentiment worldwide.

At least two of the organizations involved in the flotilla, the Turkish "IHH", and the "International Solidarity Movement", have questionable histories when it comes to supporting terrorism against Israel. Do an internet search on either group, and you will find articles going back years which raise doubt as the entirely peaceful nature of their activities.

The organizers of the flotilla also had plenty of warning from Israel that they were going to be boarded, prior to the ships ever heading for Gaza.  Reports also indicate that the Israeli Navy initially used restraint upon boarding the ships, keeping their deadly weapons holstered, and firing only what has been described as non-lethal "paintball guns" as a method of crowd control.  Only after the situation was deemed completely out of hand, and several members of the Israeli Defense Force had been seriously wounded, including taking hits from pistol fire, did Israeli forces begin to use deadly force.

There are videotaped eyewitness reports which dispute the mainstream media's reporting on the issue.  One shows "peace activists" swarming the decks, attacking Israeli Defense Force personnel with various weapons:



The "peace activists" even appeared to be preparing for a fight prior to the ships ever leaving port:




There are at least two sides to every story. If you already doubt the mainstream media balance on issues that matter to you, don't immediately assume that the media is being fair in their reporting of this story. Investigate all sources, and make your own decision.

For more perspective on the situation:

Report on Israeli flotilla battle.