Yesterday I wondered how Israel would react to the ‘Freedom Flotilla’ which purports to be bring ‘vital’ aid to Gaza.

This was a clear attempt at provocation and a wonderful publicity stunt: bring some aid, break the ‘blockade’ and hopefully prompt Israel to take some precipitous action that could be used to beat Israel with.

But according to Ha’aretz Israel has found a response which diffuses the situation and draws the teeth from any attempt to get Israel to respond inappropriately:

Israel will attempt to block the ‘Freedom Flotilla’ of pro-Palestinian demonstrators heading toward Gaza with humanitarian supplies, the forum of seven senior ministers decided on Wednesday. Humanitarian cargo, however, would be unloaded and inspected at Ashdod and sent to Gaza via the United Nations.

So the aid goes through but the propagandists don’t Ha!

The activists would be arrested and expelled from the country.

And:

The ministers decided that foreign journalists would be allowed to be present on Israel Navy ships during the operation in a bid to produce more favorable coverage abroad.

I’d take a hefty bet that coverage will NOT be favourable.

Problem will be that the ships will not turn back voluntarily, so how Israel handles towing or forcing 9 boats to Ashdod with 800 people aboard, including nationals of friendly countries and its own nationals, will be an interesting spectacle.

Postscript: I couldn’t have been more wrong