ACTUALL;Y THEY CANNOT (avoid provocation or confrontation) - that's their raison d'etre.
BUT, if the ships heading to Gaza from European ports really are carrying "humanitarian" goods - unlike the Comoros-flagged MV Mavi Marmara that carried weapons and provocateurs that hardly can be considered "humanitarian" in most civilized peoples' minds - then they should allow Israel's navy to board and inspect the vessels - without interference.
Then, following an inspection, any "humanitarian" cargo should be allowed to land at a Gaza port.
IF THE SCEANRIO above is allowed to happen, three things will immediately be accomplished:
Although Israel has international law on its side to blockade Gaza - only a few governments, such as Turkey and the notoriously anti-Israel UNHRC, dispute that - it would show the liberals of the world that Israel is willing to compromise on ships bypassing inspection of cargos at an Israeli port - typically Ashdod - with an inspection at sea.
Caveat for ships and sailors carrying contraband: Any ship that either (a) refuses to be inspected or (b) any ship's crew or passengers who attack any Israeli sailor prior to, or during, an at-sea inspection will be sunk with all cargo. The Israeli navy will take the ship's crew and passengers to the nearest Israeli port where they will be incarcerated until the politicians can decide their fate.
Establish precedent
A precedent would be set for all international trade with Gaza and, by extension, the PA areas. Once established, an on-sea inspection would be recognized as standard Operating Procedure for any two nations. Aircraft and passengers are screened at international airports (worldwide), ships' cargo is screened at sea ports (worldwide), and vehicles and passengers are screened at border crossings (worldwide). At-sea inspections would expedite delivery of (humanitarian) cargo to its destination.
Guarantee only allowed (humanitarian) goods reach Gaza port
Having an "at-sea" inspection allows vessels carrying only truly humanitarian goods to proceed without further interference to a Gaza port. Gaza-bound vessels today must dock at an Israeli port (normally Ashdod). Off-load cargo for inspection, and then load onto trucks for transshipment via a portal in the Israel-Gaza border.
Off-loading cargo at a Gaza port has several advantages:
- Faster arrival at the cargo's destination
- Employment of skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled Gazans at the port and at supporting businesses
According to a World Bank report, the enclave with a population of slightly less 2 million is believed to have the world's highest unemployment rate with a record high of 43 percent in 2014; youth unemployment, meanwhile, stands at more than 60 percent.
Allow Hamas to "save face" and Israel to reduce bad PR
On the Hamas side, it can claim that it can import - and export - goods from, its own port. Exports could include products from the PA. Imports, once cleared at sea by the Israeli navy, can be used locally (in Gaza) or transshipped to the PA if Hamas and the PA can cease their internecine warfare.
Certainly it would "score points" against the PA - assuming that the despots of Gaza use the seaport to benefit Gazans and not solely to line their own pockets and fatten foreign bank accounts.
Israel, at the same time, avoids yet another knock against it by allowing pre-screened cargo to land at a Gaza port.
Shippers will know that Gaza-bound ships will be inspected and released to continue their journey in good time - assuming the ships carry only humanitarian cargo ; they also will know the penalty if war materials are discovered on the Gaza-bound vessel.
Provocation will continue - it is a Muslim PR weapon; the world sees Israel's response but overlooks the REASON for the reaction, just as it ignored the Hamas missiles falling on Israeli civilians yet took umbrage when Israel retaliated.
While I am an Israeli citizen I do NOT currently live in Israel and I do not pretend to tell Israelis in Israel how to deal with their neighbors; the foregoing is only my personal thoughts on the subject.
