Among the findings:
- "Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza is both legal and appropriate" and "in keeping with international law and that its forces have the right to stop Gaza-bound ships in international waters"
- "The way Israeli forces boarded the vessels ... was excessive and unreasonable."
- "When Israeli commandos boarded the main ship, they faced “organized and violent resistance from a group of passengers” and were therefore required to use force for their own protection"
- Recommends that "Israel make 'an appropriate statement of regret' and pay compensation"
(All quotes from NYT article, not UN report).
As I noted, there were a lot of very strong opinions about the legality of the interception and blockade at that time. Just curious if this info changes anyone's mind.
Legality or otherwise can be debated endlesssly. When force is used in self-defence, whether it was "excessive" or not is a matter of anyone's opinion.
ReplyDeleteThe only useful thing that can be asked of someone giving his opinion--on any matter--is:
What would you have done in that situation?