On air: Is it time to end the blockade?
| 14:12 UK time, Tuesday, 1 June 2010
It's the call of the day from heads of state, charities, the UN, EU and from many of you who have been in touch with WHYS.
But was this 'intentional provocation' as Charles Krauthammer puts it, the best way to go about getting the blockade against Gaza lifted? Could the Flotilla crisis have been avoided if there was no blockade?
andrewsanger on Twitter responds:
If the Gaza blockade were lifted, weapons would pour in to Hamas. That was the stupid flotilla's objective. Israel took correct action.
Here's the BBC's summary of the impacts of the blockade on Gaza.
Michael Kieschnick writes that it's time for the US to push on, lift the blockade and go against Israel.
'What better symbol of American honor and integrity than to divert a handful of those ships to delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. Would Israel dare stop and board American relief ships?'
For Muriel Asseburg the blockade is counterproductive to all the major policy aims of the international community. This blogger agrees; it's simply entrenched Hamas' control over the strip's territory and population.
Blogger Autonmous Minds responds,
'It is all very well Britain, the EU and the United Nations demanding an end to Israel's blockade of Gaza. But which of these entities will step up and ensure Hamas does not use any lifting of the blockade to smuggle yet more weapons into Gaza with which Hamas terrorists attack Israel indiscriminately?'
