Israel: "Naval Blockade of Gaza Is Lawful... Korean-Boarded Vessel Was a 'Provocation,' Not Humanitarian"

Office of the President and Foreign Ministry: "Israel Expressed Hope for Further Development of Relations"


Controversy Erupts Over Embassy's De Facto Rebuttal Statement

The Embassy of Israel in Korea stated on May 21, "Israel is conducting a lawful naval blockade of the Gaza Strip in accordance with international law for legitimate military objectives." This statement was made in response to President Lee Jaemyung's remarks the previous day, in which he raised concerns about the Israeli military's seizure of an aid flotilla bound for Gaza and questioned whether a protest should be lodged. The embassy also took a strong stance regarding the ship boarded by a Korean activist, arguing that it was a 'provocation' against Israel rather than a humanitarian mission. Previously, the Korean government had announced that Israel had sent a message expressing its "hope for further development of bilateral relations," but the embassy's assertive response is expected to spark controversy.

View of the Gaza Strip as seen from Israel. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Later that afternoon, in response to an inquiry about the legality of the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, the Embassy of Israel in Korea stated, "The United Nations Secretary-General's Panel of Inquiry, also known as the 'Palmer Report,' on the Gaza Flotilla incident of May 31, 2010, recognized the blockade as lawful."

The embassy continued, "Israel recognizes the freedom of navigation on the high seas," but cited international legal grounds for the seizure of the flotilla, referencing the 'San Remo Manual (1994)' and other international documents outlining the Law of Naval Warfare. The embassy argued, "The Law of Naval Warfare establishes the right to seize vessels attempting to breach a blockade, regardless of their distance from the blockaded area, even in international waters. This is consistent with Israel's past actions." They further asserted, "Given the unique circumstances of this incident—including the scale and size of the flotilla and the risk of escalating tensions—an early response consistent with international law was necessary to effectively enforce a lawful naval blockade, as required by international law."

The embassy also stated, "As emphasized by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury two days ago, the recent flotilla that included Korean nationals was an attempt to undermine President Trump's regional peace efforts," adding, "The United States has imposed sanctions on individuals associated with the flotilla."

They went on to stress, "This flotilla was not of a humanitarian nature, and it is important to emphasize that no humanitarian aid supplies of any kind were found on the participating vessels. Rather, this was a provocation intended to attack Israel and distract from Israel's mission in the fight against terrorism."

Earlier, during the process in which the Korean activist was detained and later released by the Israeli military, Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the Office of the President, and Park Il, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, "We have received a message expressing hope that this incident will not affect Korea-Israel relations and that relations will further develop."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.