Israeli navy to confront pro-Palestinian vessels off Gaza

'Humanitarian' ships aim to draw attention to 'blockade' of coastal Strip

By ICEJ News

18 Aug 2008

The Israeli Navy has been ordered to turn back two boats manned by 44 pro-Palestinian foreign activists which will attempt later this week to “break the siege of Gaza."

The navy has several methods of confronting the boats, which set sail from Crete and are headed for Gaza after a stop-over in Cyprus, said officials. The boats are expected to approach the Gaza Strip by the end of this week.

Aftwer getting wind of the protest voyage, the Israeli Foreign Ministry's legal team instructed the government that under the terms of the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians, the Mediterranean waters surrounding Gaza are under Israeli control. In addition, Gaza has been declared a war zone, allowing the Israeli navy to patrol the waters around Gaza, Israeli officials asserted.

The Free Gaza Movement organization that arranged the boats said they were on a humanitarian venture, but the claim was dismissed by the officials. They explained that the voyage was mainly a publicity stunt and Hamas was wanting to take advantage of it. The boats are anticipated to enter waters surrounding Gaza, deliver equipment, and collect Palestinians living in Gaza, before leaving.

A Free Gaza spokeswoman said last week in Cyprus that the protestors had been invited to Gaza and they would not be deterred from their mission. The group also claimed that one of its activist received a threatening phone call at her home in France on Thursday, with the anonymous caller warning "the ships will be blown up."

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