Gaza Flotilla

Is Israel now the world’s pariah state?

The shooting of nine Turkish peace activists during a search of the ship Mavi Marmara by Israel Defence Force commandos on 31st May has once again turned the eyes of the world on to Israel. International political institutions and radical activists alike have condemned Israel as a ‘pariah state’ for its latest outrage in an ongoing conflict with Gaza. Some have even called for NATO to intervene, since the incident occurred in international waters. Meanwhile the Gaza flotilla has been praised for putting pressure on Israel to end its ‘medieval’ blockade, with Middle East envoy Tony Blair joining talks to ease the restrictions on humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip.

Defenders of Israel have countered that its blockade is necessary to protect its borders, and have controversially attacked the peace activists’ actions as representing an unjustified political interference into its affairs. Others observe that there has been a marked shift in Israel’s position on the world stage in recent years, and that its increasingly aggressive foreign policy in the Middle East is a reflection of its isolation, rather than its dominance.

Is Israel playing the victim to excuse its atrocities, or is it justified in resisting foreign interference in its sovereign affairs? Does the West have a responsibility to intervene to restrain its historic ally in the Middle East, or will more outside involvement only worsen the situation? Are actions such as the flotilla a straightforward neutral humanitarian intervention or a politically-loaded provocation? What lies behind the global interest in the ongoing horrors of a small and troubled region?