On 29 August, two small fishing boats set sail with the aim of breaking Israel’s blockade of Gaza. An eclectic bunch of 46 individuals were on board, including an al-Jazeera journalist with an acute bout of seasickness, and an Israeli activist – Jeff Halper – who had decided to join the Palestinians’ fight for liberation against his homeland.
The boats were rickety, but the idea was foolproof. The aim was to sail from Cyprus to Gaza, waters that do not belong to Israel but have long been patrolled by the state’s warships. Despite a reputation for firing on unsuspecting Gazans, Israel has tried hard to convince the international community that they do not have effective control over the area. Admitting that would classify them an ‘occupying power’ and render them legally accountable for their treatment of Palestinians. Thus the two fishing boats forced Israel to make a choice: cede control over the waters, or intervene and risk becoming liable to prosecution in an international court.
