Reply #50: I think the primary motivation was to break the blockade...

[Violet_Crumble]

That doesn't mean that providing humanitarian aid wasn't high on the list of priorities, though. If it wasn't, then there'd have been no need for the cargo ships in the flotilla. And I think the publicity is a major motivation as well, and that also drives the decisions and actions of Israel. I read in the report that Israel had the previous year allowed boats to dock in Gaza and they'd been smaller boats travelling alone with much less media attention. I'd say the decision to board the flotilla was helped in a large part due to the high level of publicity the flotilla was getting...

Hamas refusing to admit the cargo is wrong, considering there was a large amount of aid on the ships. I do recall seeing something about how Israel had removed the batteries from electric wheelchairs, making them useless, so if it was just those that were knocked back by Hamas, I can understand it, but not if it was everything. Of course, just like the organisers of the flotilla and Israel, for Hamas publicity and making a point seems to come in as the top priority when in fact it should be other things...

btw, after looking at the dog's breakfast that this thread has been turned into, I appreciate that you and one or two others are offering some constructive contributions to the discussion :)