[agere_contra]

I thought so too, but you can legally stop a ship that clearly intends to run a blockade even if it’s in International waters at the time.

See also: Cuban blockade.

[hennie pennie]

There's at least a dozen threads about international law and the Gaza Blockade, yet freepers keep posting INCORRECTLY that Israel had no right to board & inspect the ships that intended to run the blockade.

Bizarre.

[agere_contra]

Interesting. Dershowitz has this to say on the matter in a thread three posts up from this one.

The second issue is whether it is lawful to enforce a legal blockade in international waters. Again, law and practice are clear. If there is no doubt that the offending ships have made a firm determination to break the blockade, then the blockade may be enforced before the offending ships cross the line into domestic waters. Again the United States and other western countries have frequently boarded ships at high sea in order to assure their security.

[darkside321]

well you "can" do everything (but this does not mean that it´s legal) and maybe even get away with it. But then again as we see you have to deal with the political and PR fallout. But again why didn´t they just wait longer? They would look much better if they had only waited longer.