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ISRAEL READY TO STOP BOATS HEADING FOR GAZA
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Nov 2 2011
The Israeli navy will prevent two yachts carrying pro-Palestinian
activists which left Turkey on Wednesday from breaching an Israeli
blockade and reaching the Gaza Strip, an Israeli military official
said.
Lieutenant-Colonel Avital Leibovich, speaking to reporters by
telephone, would not say how the boats might be stopped, saying only
"we will have to assess and see if we are facing violent passengers."
Israel was aware two yachts had set sail carrying Irish, Canadian
and US activists, Leibovich said. Describing their journey as a
"provocation", she said they were still far from the Israeli and
Gazan coast.
Israel would offer to unload any aid supplies on board and deliver them
to Gaza, Leibovich said. Israel blockades the Gaza coast to prevent the
smuggling of weapons to Palestinian gunmen in the territory, she added.
The military spokesman's office said the navy was "prepared to contact"
the vessels and had "completed the necessary preparations in order
to prevent them from reaching the Gaza Strip."
Israel has blockaded Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory
in 2007, after routing Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas. Israel permits humanitarian aid and supplies to reach the
territory through a land crossing, and Gaza also shares a border
with Egypt.
An Israeli government official told Reuters earlier that Israel "will
take whatever measures will be necessary" to maintain its blockade.
Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish nationals on one ship in a
Gaza-bound flotilla last year when the activists fought them with
clubs and knives as the commandos tried to seize control of the ship
to enforce the blockade.
The incident badly damaged ties between Israel and Turkey, which
reached a crisis point two months ago when Ankara expelled the Israeli
ambassador after Israel rejected Turkey's request for an apology for
the flotilla deaths.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Nov 2 2011
The Israeli navy will prevent two yachts carrying pro-Palestinian
activists which left Turkey on Wednesday from breaching an Israeli
blockade and reaching the Gaza Strip, an Israeli military official
said.
Lieutenant-Colonel Avital Leibovich, speaking to reporters by
telephone, would not say how the boats might be stopped, saying only
"we will have to assess and see if we are facing violent passengers."
Israel was aware two yachts had set sail carrying Irish, Canadian
and US activists, Leibovich said. Describing their journey as a
"provocation", she said they were still far from the Israeli and
Gazan coast.
Israel would offer to unload any aid supplies on board and deliver them
to Gaza, Leibovich said. Israel blockades the Gaza coast to prevent the
smuggling of weapons to Palestinian gunmen in the territory, she added.
The military spokesman's office said the navy was "prepared to contact"
the vessels and had "completed the necessary preparations in order
to prevent them from reaching the Gaza Strip."
Israel has blockaded Gaza since Hamas seized control of the territory
in 2007, after routing Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas. Israel permits humanitarian aid and supplies to reach the
territory through a land crossing, and Gaza also shares a border
with Egypt.
An Israeli government official told Reuters earlier that Israel "will
take whatever measures will be necessary" to maintain its blockade.
Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish nationals on one ship in a
Gaza-bound flotilla last year when the activists fought them with
clubs and knives as the commandos tried to seize control of the ship
to enforce the blockade.
The incident badly damaged ties between Israel and Turkey, which
reached a crisis point two months ago when Ankara expelled the Israeli
ambassador after Israel rejected Turkey's request for an apology for
the flotilla deaths.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress