About six weeks ago, we had a spirited debate here at The Moderate Voice on the policy, the strategy and the tactics of the Israeli government and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the interception of and subsequent violence aboard the Gaza-bound Turkish flotilla, which intended to challenge, perhaps break, Israel’s authority and control over what goes in and out of Gaza.
The debate covered all aspects surrounding the “incident,” including ancient and modern Jewish and Palestinian history and the circumstances that may have led to the “incident.”
A team was appointed by the Chief of the Israeli General Staff to “examine the deployment towards the flotilla, the chosen course of action and other possible alternatives, advance preparations, and the operation’s implementation.”
The “team of experts” was headed by Maj. Gen. (Res.) Giora Eiland.
Yesterday,
Maj. Gen. Eiland presented the team’s findings and conclusions to the Chief of the General Staff as well as to officers from the General Staff and from other IDF branches and directorates who were involved in the preparations and in the actual boarding of the flotilla. The core of the report was presented the Minister of Defense of Israel as well.
Today, major media sources are reporting on the results of the investigation.
The New York Times, under the headline, “Israeli Military Finds Flotilla Killings Justified,” reports:
An Israeli military investigation into its naval takeover of a Gaza-bound flotilla six weeks ago found that it was plagued by errors of planning, intelligence and coordination but that the killings of nine Turks on board were justified, according to an official summary of the findings released Monday.
The Los Angeles Times, under “Military audit clears soldiers in Gaza flotilla raid,” reports:
An Israeli commission finds ‘no failure, but mistakes’ in the deadly May 31 raid of an aid ship and does not recommend disciplinary action. The report comes as another ship is sailing toward Israel.
The New York Times:
The military’s investigation, carried out by eight officers, did not deal with larger policy issues like the legality or appropriateness of Israel’s blockade against Gaza or its takeover of the six-boat flotilla in international waters on May 31. A second investigation, led by a retired Supreme Court justice and including two foreign observers, has just begun its work. Neither, however, seems likely to satisfy demands for a full international investigation by the Turkish government. Turkey has withdrawn its ambassador from Tel Aviv and threatened further steps unless Israel issues an apology and sets up an international inquiry.
You can read more about the investigation and the report in both news sources cited above, but you can also read and view the following original IDF reports here:
* Videos of Flotilla Incident as Presented by Eiland Team of Experts (Hebrew Version), 13 July 2010
* The IDF Chief of the General Staff Refers to the Conclusions of the Eiland Report, 12 July 2010
* Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eiland Submits Conclusions of Military Examination Team Regarding Mavi Marmara, 12 July 2010
Finally, for a “Devil’s Advocate” version of the investigation please read “ISRAEL: Army probe of flotilla raid finds mistakes; blogger finds a big one”
UPDATE:
Read also, at Haaretz.com:
1, MESS Report / IDF probe of Gaza flotilla carefully avoided placing real blame.
Giora Eiland’s conclusions on the takeover of the Gaza-bound flotilla are as ineffectual as those he provided four years ago after investigating the abduction of Gilad Shalit.
2. IDF preparing for forceful interception of Libya-sponsored aid ship bound for Gaza
An internal IDF probe into May 31 Gaza flotilla incident found only professional mistakes in planning and carrying out the operation.
