On September 2, 2011, the United Nations released its investigative report concerning the May 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla that tried to breach Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. The UN Palmer Committee, led by former New Zealand prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer, examined the facts, circumstances, and context that surrounded the deadly conflagration off Gaza’s coast and submitted findings on the international legitimacy and legality of Israel’s continued blockade of the Hamas-run enclave. Despite attempts by many media outlets to bury the findings and highlight only the parts that criticized the Jewish state, Palmer’s report adopted conclusions that vindicated Israel’s positions concerning the blockade and placed the responsibility for the confrontation on the “humanitarian” groups that formed the flotilla.

The 105-page report, which relied heavily on Israel’s internal investigation into the incident as well as accounts from flotilla participants, concluded that Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip is consistent with customary international law, is legitimate due to the security threat posed by Hamas and does not constitute collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza.

“Israel faces a real threat to its security from militant groups in Gaza … The naval blockade was imposed as a legitimate security measure to prevent weapons from entering Gaza by sea,” the report concluded. Palmer also affirmed Israel’s legal right to stop and board the vessels.

“Israeli Defense Forces faced significant, organized and violent resistance from a group of passengers when they boarded Mavi Marmara requiring them to use force for their protection. Three soldiers were captured, mistreated, and placed at risk [and] several others wounded,” the report stated.

While the UN committee stated that the Israeli soldiers acted responsibly in defending themselves against the self-proclaimed IHH peace activists—armed with clubs, knives, and steel pipes—it also reprimanded Israel for boarding the ship without prior notice and using “excessive and unnecessary force.” Israel took issue with this conclusion and reiterated its regret at the loss of life during the incident.

The United Nations has now officially stated that Israel’s two-year naval blockade is legal and legitimate. To protect its citizens from the continued threat of arms smuggling by Hamas, Israel has the ongoing responsibility to inspect any cargo that enters Gaza. It is Hamas and its supporters—not Israel’s blockade—that pose the greatest danger to peace and security in the region.

The report criticized the flotilla’s organizers and questioned their “true nature and objectives, particularly IHH [that] planned in advance to violently resist any boarding attempt.”

Regarding Turkey, Palmer’s report said that “not enough was done to inform the flotilla participants of the risks.” Moreover, states like Turkey have “a responsibility to take proactive steps” to warn flotilla participants and “to endeavor to dissuade them” from challenging Israel’s naval blockade.

The Palmer report also contradicted human rights groups’ claim that a humanitarian crisis exists in Gaza. Anyone wanting to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, the report said, must do so in coordination with Israel and the Palestinian Authority through the land crossings