ISRAEL seemingly revels in brutality to a degree without current parallel among democratic nations. Time after time, its actions underline a determination to ignore the standard strictures that constrain states to use only the minimum degree of force rightly or wrongly considered consistent with legitimate national interests.

Instead, it seems willfully to rejoice in exceeding those bounds, confusing deliberate resort to repression with display of strength as it props up its self image as the toughest kid on the Middle East block.

Whatever the death toll that arises from this morning’s attack on  a convoy of vessels bound for Gaza, the loss of life seems entirely without justification on the basis of the facts as they are known so far. That the bloodshed has state sanction only serves to render it morally more despicable.

What we have is another illustration of the doctrine of disproportionate response, seen otherwise in the Gaza incursions of 2008-09 or the assassination of Mahmoud al Mabhouh in Dubai earlier this year.

Israel’s frankest defenders freely acknowledge that this policy is not in the country’s long-term best interests. It is disastrous for its standing among liberal opinion in the west, and only reinforces the hatred and hostility to which it is subject across the Middle East and wider Muslim world.

The approach of the Israeli government conclusively shows that it has no desire to reach accommodation with Hamas on any reasonable basis. It’s apologists will pause here to ask whether it should come to an accommodation with Hamas; pragmatism alone suggests the answer to the question can only be yes if Tel Aviv is serious about achieving any workable settlement to the Israel/Palestine problem.

Gratuitous misuse of violence as the foundation of Israeli statecraft inflames the suspicion that the Israeli political class has no intention of securing a two state solution, or indeed any solution whatsoever, and in reality prefers a murderous status quo.

Nor do the routine pro forma condemnations that will inevitably issue from the mealy mouths of the quartet provide reassurance that the international community is genuine in its purported desire for a deal.

I’m neither under any illusions about the repugnant anti-semitism of Hamas, nor unaware of Israel’s contribution to its genesis. But I do know that the engrained obstructionism at any price currently instantiated by the Netanyahu administration acts as an absolute roadblock to the roadmap.