"Even the blockade was only a response to the rockets and other attacks from Gaza."

You are obviously not entirely up to date with the ststements from the Israeli government Keith


Immediately after Israeli commandos killed nine volunteers on a Turkish-organized Gaza aid flotilla, Israel again reiterated its claim that the aim in blockading Gaza was to stop the flow of terrorist arms into Gaza - presumably only achieved by stopping the import of ginger, paper, vegetables, musical instruments and the fabric required for the production of diapers and not allowing the export of vegetables and other means of economic survival etc out

"However, in response to a recent lawsuit by Gisha, an Israeli human rights group, the Israeli government has now explained the blockade as an exercise of the right of economic warfare.

"A country has the right to decide that it chooses not to engage in economic relations or to give economic assistance to the other party to the conflict, or that it wishes to operate using 'economic warfare,'"

The Israeli government also took an additional step and said the economic warfare is intended to achieve a political goal a government spokesman commenting that authorities will continue to 'ease' the blockade but "could not lift the embargo altogether as long as Hamas remains in control" of Gaza"

Information from McClatchy website June 9, 2010 "Israeli document: Gaza blockade isn't about security"