That people behind (and supportive of) the Gaza flotilla were hoping for violence is clear.
This is from a May 28th press release, from the group “Gaza Freedom March,” days before the raid by Israeli soldiers:
“A violent response from Israel will breathe new life into the Palestine solidarity movement, drawing attention to the blockade.”
They wanted violence—just as Hamas, which began its firing of thousands of rockets at Israel after Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip in 2005, wanted Israel to attack, in response. Israel did respond, forcefully, in the winter of 2008-2009.
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On April 29th, I posted a link to a column by Stu Bykofsky of the Philadelphia Daily News, in which he wrote, critically, of a speech by the Palestinian figure Hanan Ashrawi.
Here’s another good column by Bykofsky, about the raid by Israel on the Gaza-bound ship.
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/stu_bykofsky/20100603_Stu_Bykofsky__Its_own_history_holds_answer_for_Israel.html#axzz0podKSlqz
