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Political Advocacy Tracker is a roundup of what Christian activist organizations have been talking about over the last week.

Political activists reacted swiftly to a raid on a flotilla bringing humanitarian aid from Turkey to the Gaza Strip. Nine passengers were killed and dozens more were wounded by Israeli commandos. While all lamented the loss of life, activists debated what happened on the ship and what the response should be.

There are competing stories as to what occurred. One views Israel as doing its duty and shooting only after provocation. "[Israel] wanted only to inspect the ferry's cargo," said Ken Blackwell of the Family Research Council (FRC). "The melee on the ferry deck showed 'peace' activists attacking the Israeli commandos with sharpened iron bars. When the Israelis fired back, 10 [sic] of those on board the ferry were killed."

Nathan Schneider disagreed. He wrote on Sojourners' God's Politics blog that the ship was on a nonviolent, humanitarian mission and that those who died were peace activists. Schneider acknowledged that there is a debate about what actually occurred on the ship, but he does not doubt the intent of those on board.

"It appears as if some people aboard took matters into their own hands and attacked the Israeli soldiers. But many of those leading the mission were seasoned activists committed to and trained in nonviolence," said Schneider. "If fighting broke out when armed Israeli forces arrived that is to be regretted, but that should not be mistaken for the Gaza Freedom Movement's intentions."

Pat Robertson said on The 700 Club that Israel should have had better intelligence on the ship's contents. Instead, Israel "stepped into a trap."

"This is a public relations problem. It just hurt Israel. It's going to hurt them, it's going to hurt them worldwide. Because their enemies are looking for provocation and this gave it to them on a silver platter," said Robertson.

Jim Rice, editor of Sojourners, agreed that Israel "shot itself in the foot," but he hoped that this would change the course of the peace process.

"Until the blockade of Gaza ends—and, more significantly, until the illegal occupation by Israel of Palestinian territory is reversed—we can only expect more of these tragic, but preventable, events in the days to come. The result is not only an increased threat to peace in the region, but to Israel's security as well," said Rice.

Blackwell looked for changes in U.S. foreign policy, not changes in Israel. He blamed the Obama administration for the lack of peace in the region, saying that because of Obama's foreign policy, "the wolves of jihad gather. They scent blood."

Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, said that President Obama must "stand firmly and unapologetically with Israel." He said, "it appears [the passengers on the flotilla] deliberately provoked this incident for propaganda purposes" and the Israelis "fired only as a last resort and in self-defense."

Wildmon called on people to sign a petition supporting Israel. He said, "Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and our only reliable ally in the region. And Christian America owes a spiritual debt to Israel for preserving the time-honored moral standards which are the foundation of our nation."

Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice also has a petition opposing "any international demands for condemnation of Israel's recent act of self-defense when inspecting ships bound for Gaza."

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June (Web-only) 2010, Vol. 54

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