​The conclusion from Harriet Sherwood’s “fact-finding mission” (Troubled waters: Palestinian fishermen caught in Israel gunboat policing net, 25 July) is clear. None of the Palestinian allegations she went to check were supported by what she saw. No live fire, no interfering by the Israeli navy before the boat crossed the three miles line and no ramming of Palestinians boats. Apparently, she was left with nothing more than a long list of baseless allegations. The boat (Oliva) is well known to the Israeli Defence Force, due to it regularly provoking similar confrontations. The Oliva – with no fishermen on board – childishly provoked the otherwise uninvolved Israeli navy and crossed the three miles line. And yet the navy’s only reactions were warning sirens and use of water cannons.