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Israel Learned How to Block Gaza Flotillas
(Ha'aretz) Anshel Pfeffer - What was originally meant to be a flotilla of 20 ships carrying thousands of pro-Palestinian activists to Gaza dwindled Tuesday to a single 16-passenger yacht. Miraculously, the Turkish organization IHH, who had dispatched the most violent activists on the previous Gaza flotilla, announced last month that they intended to stay on dry land. Pro-Palestinian organizations found it hard to purchase ships, and found it difficult to secure insurance and the rest of the necessary permits needed to sail. Some of the ships encountered various mysterious technical and bureaucratic problems, which repeatedly delayed their departure. The lethal blow to the flotilla was when two ships tried to depart for Gaza, defying Greek government orders, and were stopped by the coast guard. For once, the IDF was not only controlling the battlefield but the media as well. The moment the Israel Navy contacted the yacht on Tuesday morning, the IDF activated a full electronic takeover, stopping both the activists and the Al Jazeera crew from publishing a single image, video, or even Tweet. Simultaneously, the IDF Spokesperson supplied media outlets with real-time updates on every stage of the negotiations between the navy and the French yacht, released the IDF chief's orders to intercept the vessel, and, after 10 minutes, put out a statement on the IDF interception, which had been carried out quickly and smoothly. Pictures and videos taken by IDF ships were also immediately circulated.