Fallout...

Less than 72 hours after its messy high seas blockade operation - one that resulted in a number of high-visibility military and "civilian" casualties - Israel is now reaping the whirlwind.

In a high-stakes game of international PR, the "ragtag" Gaza humanitarian supply group (aka: Hamas supporters) backed the Jewish state into a corner - and Israel lost. Given a choice of letting the flotilla supply Gaza (which Israel already does) with not just humanitarian aid but also weapons (possibly) as well, the Israelis acted. Unfortunately, the operation went south in a hurry.

Israeli commandos aboard one of the Gaza flotilla ships...

Ill-prepared for a less-than-warm welcome, the Israelis were forced to respond with violence and things got messy. And they got messy on video and mobile communications devices which beamed the mess around the world several times before the situation ever ended.

The ill-conceived, poorly executed operation(s) left Israel with a black eye, canceled a meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and left numerous allies condemning Israel's actions.

The Israeli naval commandos are met by the humanitarian group's "welcoming committee," outfitted with metal clubs and knives...

The worldwide reaction to this weekend's botched raids are a harbinger of things to come. Iran has ramped up its nukes program; Syria is now known to be dabbling with nuclear weapons; Scud missiles have been shipped to Hezbollah in Lebanon; and the entire region is at tripwire tension.

Below is a brief rundown on some of the stories surrounding this story...

Israel Faces Pressure on Gaza After Raid - The day after a raid that left nine activists dead, Egypt reopened its border with Gaza to allow aid to flow through. / U.N. Council Condemns ‘Acts’ in Raid (NY Times)

Pressure Rises on Israel Over Raid - Israel said it won't prosecute anyone accused of attacking its soldiers during a raid on an aid ship and said its forces would stop two more vessels heading for Gaza. Egypt opened its border with the territory. / Turkey Slams U.S. Response to Israel (Wall Street Journal)

Israeli raid puts Obama in difficult spot / Egypt opens border with Gaza Strip (LA Times)

The Big Question: How should the U.S. respond to Israel? - Some of the nation's top political commentators, legislators and intellectuals offer their insight into the biggest news of the day. (The Hill)

Within Israel, Finger-Pointing and Lessons Learned. (PajamasMedia)

The Terror Finance Flotilla - The convoy of ships allegedly trying to bring aid to the Gaza Strip was organized by a group belonging to an officially designated terrorist organization. (The Weekly Standard)

Has Israel lost lone regional Muslim ally Turkey? (BBC News)

ONGOING: To find out what is happening – almost to the minute – check The Jerusalem Post’s news feed.

Stories to watch this week...

Within just a matter of hours, peace erupted into all-out violence this weekend...a major catastrophe worsened...politics as usual continued to be "politics unusual." Here are a few of the top stories to watch this week:

Israeli Raid Complicates U.S. Ties and Push for Peace - The deadly operation on a flotilla trying to break a blockade of Gaza introduced a new strain into already tense relations between the United States and Israel. (NY Times) / Israel defends flotilla raid amid global furor - Soldiers came under attack on an aid boat, officials say. Activists say any skirmish was self-defense. (LA Times)


A video still from the Israeli raid on the Gaza supply flotilla...

IAEA: Iran has over 2 tons enriched uranium -2 bombs' worth… Iran has amassed more than two tons of enriched uranium, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday in a report that heightened Western concerns about the country preparing to produce a nuclear weapon. (Jerusalem Post)

BP Revised Permits Before Blast: A week before the Deepwater Horizon exploded, BP asked regulators to approve permits for three successive changes to its oil well over the course of 24 hours. (Wall Street Journal) / Best hope for Gulf two months away - Two relief wells being drilled diagonally into the gushing well offer the best chance of stopping the leak. Even then, the first tries probably won't work. (SF Chronicle)


The BP oil plumes now threatens vast, fragile underwater ecosystems...

Qaeda Aide Believed Dead: Al Qaeda's third in command, who played key roles in a recently foiled terrorist plot against the U.S. and the 2001 terrorist attacks, is believed to have been killed by a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan's tribal areas, potentially dealing a significant blow to the terrorist network. (Wall Street Journal)


Sheik Sa'id al-Masri, al Qaeda's chief operating officer, was "fired"...

“Spain next in line to collapse under weight of borrowing to pay for socialism.” (Yahoo! News via Fark.com)

In the California GOP governor’s race: Poizner, trailing, slams Whitman's 'obscene' spending (LA Times)

Ranking member on Judiciary considering options to probe Sestak offer details - Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) said the "factual errors" blamed by the White House "could be not getting their stories right." (The Hill)

Home Sales Set to Plummet in Markets Hit Hard by Foreclosures. (Bloomberg)

Poll: California voters favor Arizona law. (LA Times via Don Surber)