Contrary to the purportedly peaceful nature of the flotilla setting out this week to break Israel's Gaza blockade, Israeli intelligence sources reported Monday, June 27, that some of the activists aboard the boats are extremists who are perfectly willing to forcibly resist efforts to intercept them and are ready to kill Israeli servicemen coming on board.
Senior officials in Jerusalem who briefed reporters Monday night reported information received that the organizers of the flotilla had laid in a store of poisoned chemicals aboard the ten or so vessels in the flotilla for use against Israeli troops boarding them. They are quoted as saying they had no problem with spilling the blood of Israeli soldiers.
Another falsehood exposed is the Turkish IHH's statement that its members had withdrawn from the expedition. This turns out to be a deliberate red herring. Not only are IHH Islamic fundamentalists aboard but also likeminded Arab and other nationals. In fact, Israeli intelligence had identified at least two Hamas supporters - Amin Abu Rashd, one of the Dutch organizers of the flotilla and former head of a Hamas "charity" foundation in Holland which the Dutch security authorities shut down after discovering it was funding terrorist operations. The other one is Mohammed Ahmad Hanoun, head of another fund for terrorists called ABSPP.
Earlier Monday, the Israeli defense cabinet approved the navy's plan for preventing the flotilla from reaching Gazan shores by "firm and determined action."