Although Israel's navy succeeded in stopping a flotilla attempting to break the blockade of Gaza, it lost yet another important PR battle.Organized in Turkey with government approval and sponsored by Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), a "humanitarian aid organization" linked to terrorist groups, the flotilla highlighted the IHH, garnered sympathy for Gazans, and encouraged Hamas; Israel was condemned by many in the international community. So who won? Soldiers and passengers were injured; nine militants were killed when the soldiers were attacked and opened fire in self-defense. Could the incident have been handled better, or even avoided?  Weeks before the Gaza-bound flotilla left port, at the end May, 2010, the Israeli government was aware of the problem and the potential whiplash.  Israel's Defense Ministry, under Ehud Barak, worked out plans to enforce the blockade and apprehend the ships; Israel's Foreign Ministry was responsible for PR and the legal justification for...(Read Full Post)