Israel takes lead in battling Somali pirates

While most in the international community debate what to do about the growing scourge of piracy in the India Ocean, Israel is taking the lead in battling the increasingly bold Somali pirates.
On Sunday, Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz announced the opening of the Rescue Coordination Center as a subdivision of Israel’s Shipping and Ports Authority.
The center will operate a naval center to aid in the search and rescue of vessels attacked by pirates in the Red Sea. It will additionally be involved in protecting the environment against pollution.
The news comes just little over a month after a private Israeli security company made headlines when its guards managed to fight off Somali pirates who were attacked an Italian cruise ship.
It was one of the first instances of armed crew aboard a civilian ship successfully repelling a pirate attack.