Israel's back is to the wall, and her teeth are bared

As news came in of the mounting death toll from the Israeli storming of a humanitarian flotilla heading for Gaza, the actor and comedian David Schneider wrote on Twitter, "As a Jew, Israel's like a close family member who's hooked on heroin and you just don't know what to do with them any more." Indeed, global condemnation and expressions of shock at Israel's disproportionate and unlawful use of force against humanitarian aid volunteers under a white flag and in international waters have come from all quarters—including some of Israel's staunchest allies.

The Israelis claim that the attempt to challenge the blockade was “provocative” and Israeli commandos were undoubtedly beaten with metal poles and sticks as they abseiled from helicopter gunships onto the deck of the Mavi Marmara, but attempts to justify their use of deadly force remain somewhat unconvincing. Accusations by the Israelis that the flotilla was carrying weapon supplies as well as humanitarian aid have been dismissed by campaigners who point out that the cargo was inspected by Turkish customs officials before it left. "I helped stock one of those boats myself” says Kieran Turner, director of Aid Convoy. “This was a fleet of humanitarian aid boats. It was carrying materials for building homes for people who live in bomb craters, and wheelchairs, and crutches and even some paper for schools, which has been banned for three years.”

Rather than using minimal force to impound the flotilla, the heavy-handed actions of Israeli forces have handed pro-Palestinian campaigners a tremendous political and moral victory and the subsequent outrage seems likely to galvanise world leaders into action.

Whilst the attack on the flotilla is disturbing enough, what it implies about Israel's increasing isolationism is perhaps even more worrying. This attack is just the latest in a series of heavily-handed Israeli military actions including the brutal 2006 war in Lebanon and the attack on Gaza in 2008-2009 that left some 1,300 dead. These actions and the attempts to justify them in the face of international condemnation are increasing Israel's sense of isolation and persecution. As we have seen with nations such as Iran and North Korea, being viewed as a pariah state is never productive. And yet to understand how Israel could have thought a deadly assault against a humanitarian mission in international waters would be a good idea it is essential to recognise their increasing sense of “us against the world.”

Over the coming days, as the dead are buried, the demand for a full account of what happened in the early hours of Monday morning is growing louder. Israeli forces have confiscated cameras and as a result the only footage we are likely to see of the operation are those images released by the Israeli Defense Force and the live footage broadcast at the time. But with so many witnesses present - including many international legislators and journalists – other accounts will emerge. As one activist on the Free Gaza Movement website says “Israel cannot confiscate every bit of footage, every piece of tape. They cannot tape our mouths shut as we tell the story of their attack.”

But whatever the differing stories, they are just part of the wider narrative that is the almost moribund Middle East peace process. Schneider's analogy with the heroin addict is perhaps an instructive one. Israel needs recognise that rather than wanting to punish her, the international community wants to help her find a way to lasting peace and security. With her back against the wall Israel arms herself to the teeth, walls herself in and lashes out, often with disproportionate force. In doing so she increases the fury that is building against her. Like Schneider's heroin addict Israel needs to go cold turkey. But like any junkie, she will only succeed if she really wants to kick the habit.