Tzedek-Tzedek

A quick review of history, by way of introduction. In 1987 the Palestinians launched a civil revolt or “Intifada” against Israel , which lasted until 1993. The outbreak appeared to be spontaneous and popular, linked to a traffic accident in which an Israeli driver killed 4 Palestinians, and initially exploded into violence in the Jabalia Refugee Camp in Gaza . The First Intifada spread throughout Gaza , Judea and Samaria and was characterized tactically by Palestinian youth attacking Israeli troops using rocks and Molotov cocktails (petrol bombs). Televised images of youths with rocks defined the violence for many, but during the first four years of the uprising, more than 3,600 Molotov cocktail attacks, 100 hand grenade attacks and 600 assaults with guns or explosives were reported by the Israel Defense Forces. The violence was directed at Israeli soldiers and civilians alike: 16 Israeli civilians and 11 soldiers were killed by Palestinians in the territories; more than 1,400 Isr...

Initiated and funded by the Turkish organization IHH, a convoy or flotilla of nine ships is heading towards Israel ’s coast, in a bid to break Israel ’s blockade on Gaza . The first and only successful attempt to break the naval blockade on Gaza was in August 2008 by the “Free Gaza Movement” when 44 people from 17 countries sailed from Cyprus on two small boats. Since then, several reported attempts have been made, none of which succeeded. The organizers claim that the flotilla consists of nine vessels carrying 800 passengers, including international activists and journalists, and 10,000 tonnes of aid. They are due to arrive off Israel's coast on Friday. This will be the largest and most extravagant attempt yet, and is personally backed by Turkey ’s increasingly hostile (to Israel ) Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A counter-flotilla has been organized by Israeli activists, and on Saturday some 30 Israeli ships set sail "to counter the Turkish flotilla." ...