Turkey's 'Illegally Held' Activists: A Reminder of 2010's 'Legitimate' Raid
Turkish media breathlessly announces the impending return of Turkish activists, including 14 citizens, 'illegally held' by Israel following a 'Global Sumud Flotilla' attempt to reach Gaza. One might commend Israel for its newfound commitment to international law, were it not for the inconvenient memory of the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident. Back then, Israeli commandos raided another Gaza-bound
flotilla in international waters, killing 10 civilians—Turkish citizens among them. That, Israel assured the world, was a 'legitimate act of self-defense' against 'terrorists.' So, what makes these activists merely 'illegally held' now, instead of 'terrorists' deserving of a military raid? Perhaps it's the 2025 date stamp on the Daily Sabah article, indicating a future event about peaceful
humanitarian aid that Israel will again, for some reason, deem a security threat. Or perhaps the narrative shifts depending on the body count, or the global outrage meter of the moment. Either way, the only consistent part is the 'humanitarian aid' being intercepted while Gaza remains under siege. Some things never change, apparently. (Except the definition of 'illegal.')