Media reactions to the Gaza flotilla raid on 31 May 2010 ranged from strong support to strong condemnation of Israel. Criticism included the deaths of civilians, the execution of the raid, increased sympathy toward Israel's opponents or enemies, and increased isolation of Israel.
Israel A survey of Israeli Jews published in Maariv on 2 June showed 94.8 percent agreeing that it was necessary to stop the boats, with 62.7 percent saying it should have been handled in a different manner. Only 8.1 percent thought Netanyahu should resign. The newspaper didn't say how many people were surveyed or give a margin of error.
Criticism within Israel on the flotilla operation has focused largely on the execution of the raid and not the blockade. The Israeli media, which had initially supported the IDF action and corroborated the IDF account of the incident, later criticized the operation as having been badly handled. Haaretz said that the Israeli army had fallen into a trap set by the flotilla organizers. While Israeli soldiers were supported, the government was chastised for putting Israel in a compromising situation.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz had a headline initially reading "Botched raid on Free Gaza Flotilla", the online headline was later changed to "Israel fears diplomatic backlash in wake of Gaza flotilla deaths", while Maariv went with "Flotilla Fiasco".
Israeli journalist Gideon Levy remarked in an opinion article, "Again Israel will pay a heavy diplomatic price, once which had not been considered ahead of time. Again, the Israeli propaganda machine has managed to convince only brainwashed Israelis, and once more no one asked the question: What was it for? Why were our soldiers thrown into this trap of pipes and ball bearings? What did we get out of it?"
Turkey Ferhat Kentel from Taraf, compared the victims of the raid to Hrant Dink."Mavi Marmara, Hrant, fındık işçileri, barış, çocuklar... " , Taraf, Ferhat Kentel, 12 June 2010. Soli Özel, an instructor of international relations at Istanbul Bilgi University, a columnist for Habertürk newspaper and a frequent contributor to The Washington Posts "Post Global" in Istanbul said: There is now civilian blood between the two countries. The natural arc of relations will have to change.Sabrina Tavernise, "Thousands in Turkey Mourn Victims of Israeli Raid", The New York Times, 3 June 2010.
Cüneyt Ülsever, a commentator in the daily Hürriyet, has criticized the İHH, saying, "People will understand very soon that the İHH is harming Turkey, and warned that the effect of the crisis would be to persuade the West that Turkey is aligning itself with the likes of Iran, Syria, Hamas and Hezbollah."
United States
The Washington Post and CBS News reported that American lawmakers in both parties expressed support for Israel in the wake of growing international condemnation following the raid. New York Democratic Party Representative Anthony Weiner said "This was about instigating an altercation and they succeeded." Another New York Representative, Gary Ackerman, told the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs he "strongly support[s] Israel's right to defend itself, and the right of Israels naval commandos, who were executing a legal mission, to defend themselves by using force when they were brutally attacked". Politico reports. According to Fox News United States Senator John McCain said pro-Palestinian activists "wanted to provoke an international crisis ... and they obviously succeeded", while he also questioned President Obama's commitment to Israeli security in the wake of the current crisis.
Los Angeles Times asked several questions regarding the responsibility for the clash, while saying there was still much to be learned about the incident. While saying "As is so often the case with events involving Israelis and Palestinians, the competing narratives allow supporters of almost any position to hear what they want to hear." The editorial said, "This much, however, seems undeniable: Israel has done itself serious damage. [This was because] the decision to deploy armed troops to obstruct what was apparently a nonviolent mission and then, even if you accept Israel's version of events, to allow them to be drawn into a battle that left so many civilians dead, will serve as a further blow to the ailing peace process and as more fodder for those who argue that Israel's 'disproportionate' use of force is evidence of a cavalier attitude toward human life." While admitting the raid would not focus new attention on the blockade itself, the editorial also concluded in saying, "This page supports Israel's right to self-defense. We support reasonable measures to stop cross-border shelling and to keep weapons from illegally entering Gaza by land or sea. We oppose the Hamas government's consistent call for the destruction of Israel. But we also want to see an end to the blockade, which amounts to collective punishment of about 1.5 million Palestinians."
The New York Times quoted a statement allegedly from the flotilla organizers saying "A violent response from Israel will breathe new life into the Palestine solidarity movement, drawing attention to the blockade." They then said "There can be no excuse for the way that Israel completely mishandled the incident." And that the raid turned out to be "a grievous, self-inflicted wound. It has damaged Israel's ties with Turkey, once its closest ally in the Muslim world; given the Hamas-led government in Gaza a huge propaganda boost; and complicated peace talks with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank." It also asks "Why did Israel, which has blocked some ships but allowed others to pass, decide to take a stand now? Did it make a real effort to find a compromise with Turkey, which sanctioned the flotilla? [While] Israel has a right to stop weapons from going into Gaza, but there has been no suggestion that the ships were carrying a large cache." The New York Times concludes, "needs to state clearly that the Israeli attack was unacceptable and back an impartial international investigation. The United States should also join the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – Britain, France, Russia and China – in urging Israel to permanently lift the blockade.""Israel and the Blockade" Another editorial said "Turkey is understandably furious" but "Turkish officials have let their anger and rhetoric go way too far.... Israel deserves to be criticized for the flotilla disaster. But gratuitously stoking anti-Israeli sentiment is irresponsible and dangerous.""Turkey's Fury". The New York Times
The San Francisco Chronicle called the raid a "disaster on every level". It also contended that Israel's "enemies could not have scripted a more bungled operation: ... setting off recriminations, policy breaches and deepening isolation for Israel ... The peace process, already in the cryogenic stage, is at full stop ... The episode reruns old stories. Palestinian sympathizers wanted a confrontation over Israel's blockade of Hamas-run Gaza ... and ignored offers to dock in Israeli ports and ship the aid by land.... Another horrifying Mideast moment will live on to paralyze progress in the future ... The purpose was clearly to call attention to the blockade, viewed as essential by Israel to cap terrorism, and regarded as harsh and unsuccessful by critics." It concluded, "There is no other course than to admit a serious mistake. Without one, the region is condemned to a future without change or hope."
In an op-ed piece The Wall Street Journal said "Israel's actions in boarding the flotilla of ships bound for the Gaza Strip were entirely justified and perhaps even unavoidable." Although, they add the caveat, "Unfortunately they turned into a tactical and strategic fiasco that does further damage to the Jewish State's tattered international reputation." A separate Wall Street Journal article emphasized Israel's need to keep advanced weaponry from getting to Hamas: "Those who denounce Israel today ought to at least propose how they mean to keep arms from going to Hamas—or else consider the role their denunciations will play in encouraging another war." Another article stated "the more facts that come to light about the flotilla, its passengers and their sponsors, the more it seems clear that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, far more so than Israel's, must be held to account for Monday's violent episode." After describing the links between the Islamic charity that organized the flotilla and terrorist groups, The Wall Street Journal states "No wonder that Israel was not prepared to let this flotilla break its blockade of Gaza.... Israel is entirely within its rights to prevent Hamas from linking with groups suspected of supplying arms and money to terrorists. Israel had also gone out of its way to give Turkey fair warning...." The Wall Street Journal goes on to note that Turkish foreign policy under Erdogan has become progressively radical and out of line with the U.S.