Gaza-bound aid flotilla departs Turkey Thu Nov 3, 2011 1:38AM GMT Two Gaza-bound relief boats have set sail from Turkey carrying humanitarian relief aid to the besieged Palestinian territory in the newest attempt to break the Israeli blockade of the coastal enclave, Press TV reports. The mini aid flotilla, called Freedom Waves to Gaza and made up of an Irish and a Canadian boat, left the Turkish port city of Fethiye on Wednesday afternoon, a Press TV correspondent reported. Although the aid flotilla is scheduled to arrive in Gaza on Friday, the Israeli regime is reportedly preparing to launch an attack on the humanitarian convoy before it reaches its destination. The Canadian ship Tahrir and the Irish ship Saoirse, which are now in international waters, are carrying 27 people, including journalists and crew members, along with 30,000 dollars worth of medicines. Israeli blockade on Gaza has caused a severe shortage of medical supplies, according to a World Health Organization's May 2010 resolution, which demanded that Tel Aviv end the siege immediately. The passengers on Freedom Waves to Gaza are from Canada, Ireland, Palestine, Egypt, the United States and Australia. They say their international humanitarian mission is "to challenge Israel's ongoing criminal blockade of the territory." "The closure in Gaza began 20 years ago, so it has been an increasing closure, an increasing crackdown on their freedom of mobility, and it is high time that this blockade was ended," said David Heap of the Canadian boat. "Of course we are listening to the voices of the Arab Spring. The boat's name is Tahrir. We obviously are in solidarity with all of the freedom movements in the region, but the critical need for us is to keep challenging and, in all of that turmoil, not forget that the Palestinians of Gaza are under blockade and do not have their freedom of movement," Heap added. The Israeli military attacked the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in international waters on May 31, 2010, killing nine Turkish activists on board the Mavi Marmara, which was part of the six-ship aid convoy. Relations between Turkey and Israel have seriously deteriorated since Israel's assault on the humanitarian mission in the Mediterranean Sea. The organizers of the latest flotilla said, in an attempt to prevent Israeli intervention, they had organized their mission secretly. Gaza has been blockaded since 2007, a situation which has caused a decline in the standard of living and brought about unprecedented levels of unemployment and poverty. Tel Aviv slightly eased the land blockade of Gaza after the May 2010 attack, allowing in more consumer goods. However, the naval siege of the Gaza Strip remains in place, exports are banned, and imports of raw materials and construction materials are restricted. http://www.presstv.ir/detail/208119.html Predictions anyone? Mine: they will be intercepted and be sent home.
Egypt opened the Rafah gate to Gaza completely. The blockade of Gaza is over. The activisits on board these ships want Israel to open its gates to the Palestinian suicide bombers. What other interpretation is possible?
Exactly there is no siege on the Egyptian side, take the ships to Egypt and port them across the Sinai. The Israelis have every right to control the waters around their nation and this is just an attempt to provoke a war and I think many in the world want to see an Arab Israeli War.. I think they beleive the Arabs will actually win this time.
This is a sad, human condition -dismantle all borders, then there will be peace. Let's Call Canada and the US Canada North and Canada South.
The right to access Palestinian waters - with Palestinian permission- must be maintained. There will be another convoy after this one, then other, then another, until the world shuns Zionism and all who support it, filthy, ethnic cleansing doctrine that it is.
The Viva Palestina one is coming December to coincide and highlight the massacre of the Palestinian men women and children in Cast Lead.
I believe they will be turned back with the help of other countries!!! I also believe that Cast lead 2 is in the offing! I still have no understanding why HAMAS isn't supporting Abbas in the SC! Regards Highlander
Really? You havent figured out Abbas' SC push results in two states? And we all know Hamas' creedo regarding Israel, dont we?
Hamas did terrible things to those men, women and children. Makes one wonder how much support Hamas has left. Can you imagine if Hamas puts them thru that again. Looks like the Hamas has loosened the leash on IJ a bit and the missiles have been falling again. Im sure we'll all be blaming Israel when theyre forced to go into Gaza again,while conveniently forgetting again what provoked it.
The only thing Palestinians would be inheriting is radioactive scorched earth. Good luck living in Chernobyl and picking through the radioactive ruins, because that is all the Jews will leave you with.
