Last years Gaza flotilla, which resulted in the murder of nine activists at the hands of Israeli commandos, was a public relations disaster for Israel. They are eager not to have it repeated, or if it is repeated, not to have it reported. So, they're trying to threaten the media into not covering this years flotilla:
Israel has warned foreign journalists they face being barred from the country for 10 years if they board a new Gaza flotilla.Israel claims to be a democratic and law-abiding country. Instead, they're acting like a shitty little dictatorship. Democratic and law-abiding countries do not try and bully the media into silence.Some 500 pro-Palestinian activists are said to be preparing to sail in as many as a dozen ships to carry aid supplies and break the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
In an emailed statement to Reuters and other international news organisations, Oren Helman, director of Israel's government press office, said participation in the flotilla would be "an intentional violation" of Israeli law.
(The good news is that the Israeli media are not affected by such threats, and are covering the flotilla. But I'm sure the Israeli government will start thinking of ways to punish and intimidate them for daring to report on its actions...)
