Yediot Achronot’s senior military analyst, Alex Fishman  provided the following Q&A in the 4 June edition relating to the commando operation that took over the Mavi Marmara.

Q: Why weren’t chains or ropes used to jam the propellers of the ship?

A: It wouldn’t work.  Any method that requires sending frogmen near propellers that are running is unacceptably dangerous.

Q: Why were ships simply placed to block the boat?

A: A boat can’t block another ship.  The only way a ship can effectively stop another one is by ramming it.

Q: Why not ram the boat?

A: You need to hit it with a heavier ship.  The Mavi Mamara might have sunk if hit.

Q: Why not wait until the boat is within the 20 miles of Gaza so not in international waters?

A: A contingent of (AL:  according to the Palestinian news agency Maan) 100 vessels vessels were going to try to reach the boat if it reached the area – including boats that could have been loaded with explosives that would blow up near Israeli boats.

(Provided by IMRA – Dr. Aaron Lerner)

In addition, some have asked why a mobile cage was not lowered from an air force chopper, which would have enabled close to 20 commandos to hit the ship’s deck simultaneously, eliminating the situation in which the first commandos was assaulted as they were lowered by individual ropes.

The response here is simple, one of money. Israel has reviewed this very item, considering its purchase and deducting it from the annual military aid received from the United States, but the decision was made to pass the offer since the cage being manufactured here at home is better suited according to military experts. For one thing, it is fitted with a water cannon, thereby permitting commandos to distance attackers as the cage comes down, permitting them to get out and operate, which would have been vital in this case. Ironically, what is needed to complete the project locally is $200,000, but the decision makers did not allocate the budget required.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)