BREAKING: IDF Intercepts "Jewish Boat to Gaza"

Haaretz and JPost report that at 11:30 Israel time (5:30am EDT), IDF Navy commandos boarded a small boat carrying activists from "American Jews for a Just Peace" and "European Jews for a Just Peace." The boat was taken over peacefully and there are no known casualties at present among either the activists (who were unarmed) or the IDF commandos.

The size of the boats and the intentions of the activists aboard them make this situation very different from the Mavi Marmara raid earlier this year. But the fact that the IDF waited until the boat had actually violated the blockade represents a shift in strategy from the Mavi Marmara. The IDF also carried out the raid in daylight, rather than in the early morning darkness.

To some extent the fact that this was a small lone boat gave the IDF more tactical flexibility then they had with an entire flotilla of ships. At the same time, this flexibility will be key to maintaining the advantage both militarily and politically as the flotillas continue.

Likely effects on the peace talks: None.