The ministry has decided to review the project in wake of the Israel
Navy interception and boarding of the Turkish-flagged Hava Marmara on May
2010, in which nine passengers were killed in a clash with Navy commandos.
Officials said the naval boarding, resisted by scores of Turkish Islamists,
could have been avoided if the Marmara was disabled.
"This is not a simple task and currently there is no such technology," a
senior defense official told The Jerusalem Post. "The Navy has been in touch
with Defense Ministry's Research and Development Directorate for a couple of
years already with the goal of developing such technology."
Officials said the project to stop cargo or passenger ships without
sinking them could take several years. They said the Navy examined options
to avoid an interception-and-boarding
mission of Marmara, including blowing up the ship engine or breaking the
propeller.
"These methods were deemed unfeasible and could have sunk the boat,
causing a much greater tragedy," another official said.
The Navy has been under investigation by at least two panels in
connection with Marmara. Officers blamed Israeli military intelligence for
failing to determine the hostile forces aboard Marmara.
"We believe the operation ended in a military and political disaster," a
letter signed by 10 reserve naval officers and sent to Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak said. "We feel serious
tactical mistakes in judgment and the use of force were made, primarily the
inability to aptly characterize the mission while bearing in mind a civil
vessel was being targeted."
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