Kuala Lampur, Oct. 2 -- The Israel-Palestine conflict is not only a political and humanitarian issue but also touches upon the realm of international maritime law.

The interception of humanitarian flotillas heading towards Gaza raises important legal questions.

Although Israel is not a party to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), many of its provisions have crystallised into customary international law that binds all states.

Were Israel's actions consistent with international law, or do they constitute a violation of the principles of navigational rights?

Navigational rights under UNCLOS

UNCLOS 1982 recognises two main forms of navigational rights:

Innocent passage. Article 17 provides that the ships o...