CAIRO: The Egyptian government condemned Israel for intercepting a ship from a pro-Palestinian flotilla that aimed to break the Gaza blockade. In comments on Wednesday, they said the military action was a violation of international law. “The Israeli act sheds the light once more on the tragedy of the Gaza Strip which has been under Israeli siege for five years now,” newly appointed but yet to be sworn in Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed al-Orabi said in a published statement. “This belligerent act conducted by Israel exposes its false claims that it had ended its occupation of the Gaza Strip,” he said, adding that the Jewish state must take full responsibility for the economic conditions in Gaza. He pointed out that Egypt would continue efforts to alleviate the Gazans' suffering by easing up the entry of relief aid and facilitating the movement of Palestinians in and out of Gaza through Rafah border crossing. The French-flagged Dignity al-Karama was boarded Tuesday afternoon by commandos five hours after the Navy first contacted the yacht 50 miles from the Gaza coast, in international waters. The ship was then towed to Israel's Ashdod port and the 15 international activists are to be deported, the Israeli foreign ministry said. BM
