Blockade runner
July 19, 2011
Israeli naval commandoes boarded a French yacht carrying pro-Palestinian activists to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday after warning the vessel that it was sailing toward blockaded waters.
The French-flagged yacht Dignitie/Al Karama was surrounded by at least three Israeli ships 40 miles off the cost of Gaza, according to Julien Rivoire, one of the flotilla's organizers based in Paris. The yacht is carrying 10 activists as well as three journalists and three crew members.
"The boat is surrounded by at least three Israeli ships… all the communications have been jammed," Rivoire told the news agency AFP. "We can't get in touch with them by phone or Internet."
Stranded in Greece
The Al Karama was originally part of a flotilla, anchored at the Greek island of Kastellorizo, that the movement Free Gaza planned to send to the Gaza Strip.
Under diplomatic pressure from Israel, Athens banned the flotilla from leaving Greek harbors. The Al Karama subsequently departed Greece alone on Saturday and set course for Gaza after spending a night anchored at sea.
"If the boat is on its way to Gaza, which is a breach of international maritime law, and tries a proactive act - yes, we shall intercept it," Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon told reporters in Jerusalem on Monday.
Peaceful mission
The Israeli navy said in a statement that it had warned the vessel that it was on course for Gaza and that any supplies on board could "be transferred, legally, through existing land crossings and the Ashdod port."
Passengers on board, however, said Israel had no reason the stop their vessel.
"We hope that they will not, we don't have a plan but we have a peaceful humanitarian mission," French activist Thomas Sommer Houdeville told the news agency AFP. "We are a peaceful boat flying a French flag."
Gaza has been blockaded by Israel since the 2006 kidnapping of an Israeli soldier.
Author: Spencer Kimball (AFP, dpa, AP, Reuters)
Editor: Ben Knight