Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Gaza ‘flotilla’ blocked by Israeli navy


The Israeli navy on Tuesday boarded a boat carrying a small group of pro-Palestinian activists, thwarting the latest attempt to break Israel’s maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip.
There was no resistance by the 10 passengers and three crew members, the Israeli military said. Passengers and crew would be taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod and handed over to the border authority, it added.
The French-flagged ship, known as the Dignite-Karama, sailed from the Greek island of Kastellorizo on Saturday. It was originally scheduled to make the journey as part of a flotilla heading for Gaza, but all the other ships were either damaged – raising accusations of sabotage – or were blocked from leaving port by the Greek authorities.
Platform Palestine, the French group that co-organised the voyage, said Israel’s move “clearly shows the military logic of Israeli politics, which only speaks the language of force”. More >>>