"Narrative Summit" Releases 2025 Recommendations to Cement Egypt's Position as a Global Tourism Destination    Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Israel navy boards activist ship heading to Gaza: military
Published in Daily News Egypt on 01 - 07 - 2009

JERUSALEM: The Israeli navy on Tuesday boarded and seized a ship carrying pro-Palestinian activists that was heading to the Gaza Strip in defiance of Israel's blockade, a military spokesman said.
"In the last hour an Israeli navy force intercepted, boarded and took control of the cargo boat 'Arion' ... as it was illegally attempting to enter the Gaza Strip, the spokesman said late in the afternoon.
The military said the ship, which was sailing under a Greek flag, was the same vessel known as the "Spirit of Humanity, which was sailing to Gaza to protest the Israeli blockade on the Hamas-ruled territory.
The spokesman said the navy had been contacting the boat since Monday evening and warned that it would not be allowed to enter Gazan waters "because of security risks and an existing naval blockade.
After the navy boarded the converted ferry it towed the vessel toward the nearby Israeli port of Ashdod, the spokesman said, adding that the activists on board would be handed over to authorities.
He said no shots were fired during the incident.
The boat was sent by the US-based Free Gaza Movement, which said it was carrying a "symbolic cargo of humanitarian aid to pressure governments and international relief groups to do more to rebuild Gaza.
Greece quickly protested the seizing of the Greek-flagged vessel, saying we remonstrated with the Israeli side and asked for the ship, the crew and the passengers to be released immediately, foreign ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras said in a statement.
As we have said in the past, all legal activity by non-governmental organizations must enjoy freedom, he said.
Amid media reports that several Britons were on board the boat, the Foreign Office in London also expressed concern, although it said it was still trying to clarify the facts.
We would be concerned if the stories of the Israeli Navy boarding the boat in international waters were true, a spokesman said.
We strongly advise all British nationals against travel to Gaza, including the waters off Gaza. We have made it clear to Israel that we are very concerned for the safety of British nationals.
Activists have made five successful missions to Gaza from Cyprus since August 2008 - but boats have been turned back twice by Israeli forces.
Israel has maintained a strict blockade on the Palestinian territory since the Islamist movement Hamas seized power in 2007, and it launched a massive 22-day offensive on Gaza in December in a bid to halt rocket fire.
On Dec. 30, shortly after the Gaza war erupted, an Israeli navy vessel collided with a Free Gaza boat, almost sinking it, in what activists called a deliberate ramming .
Earlier on Tuesday, the Free Gaza movement said that Israeli warships had surrounded the Spirit of Humanity and threatened to open fire if it did not turn around.
At one point, the Israelis jammed the boat s instruments, blocking their GPS, radar and navigation systems in direct violation of international maritime law, the group said.
The Israeli foreign ministry said the boat s owners had lied before departure from Cyprus about the vessel s destination, saying it was bound for Port Said in Egypt.
The ministry also said that under the 1993 autonomy accords struck with the Palestinians, Gaza s territorial waters, like its land borders, were Israel s responsibility.
Former US congresswomen Cynthia McKinney, one of 21 activists aboard the Spirit of Humanity, expressed outrage.
We demand that the Israeli government call off their attack dogs, the Free Gaza Movement quoted her as saying a few hours before the vessel was intercepted.
Irish Nobel peace prize laureate Mairead Maguire, for her part, said US President Barack Obama has called upon the Palestinians to abandon violence but Israel is denying them the right to non-violently resist the siege of Gaza.


Clic here to read the story from its source.