I have been asked a lot in recent days for my views on the way Israel handled the attempts to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza.  It's no secret that I am a staunch defender of Israel, and I remain so.  However, a good friend is a critical friend, and I have always been as much where Israel is concerned.

The so-called Freedom Flotilla was an ill disguised propaganda exercise designed solely to generate a reaction from Israel that would put the country in a bad light in the eyes of the world.  Many who joined the ships were well known anti-Israelis associated with organisations not beyond using aggressive tactics to fight their cause. They were repeatedly warned that Israel would not allow the ships to reach their stated destination and it is Israel's right to board any vessel to check for banned items.  The campaigners deliberately provoked Israel and as we know from the video footage of the event, were prepared to use severe force.  These people were looking for a fight and they can never again claim to be peaceful campaigners when they go sailing with iron bars, clubs, and other weapons designed to cause maximum injury.  It is deeply regrettable that people lost their lives but I will not subscribe to the view that they are somehow martyrs.

Does that mean I don't think Israel could have handled things better?  No.  Do I agree with the blockade? Not entirely, though having visited Israel and the villages upon which thousands of rockets have landed from the Palestinian border, I respect and defend Israel's right to defend her people from violent attack.

I feel that the current leadership of Israel has lost a lot of good will from the international community and the reaction towards Turkey - a country with which I do actually have significant issues - has been over the top and inflamatory.  I am not sure that the comparison of Turkey to Iran was entirely justified or necessary.  And the continued development of settlements on the disputed areas was ill timed and a two finger salute to the body of international opinion.  Again, this sort of attitude does little to help the Israeli cause.

I hope what will come from this sorry episode is a greater appreciation from Israel of the need to work with the international community, a greater willingness from America to use its influence to good effect, and an end to the almost uncritical reporting by the European media of the Palestinian leadership and those campaigning on their behalf.  At the heart of all this is a totally justified need for Israel to defend her people and we should not criticise them for that.