Israeli Navy Boards Pro-Palestinian Activist Ship Off Gaza

[News_Editor]

Israeli Navy boards pro-Palestinian activist ship off Gaza < br />

2012-10-21 07:25:19 GMT+7 (ICT)

GAZA (BNO NEWS) -- The Israeli Navy on Saturday boarded and seized a pro-Palestinian activist ship on the Mediterranean high seas to prevent it from breaking Israel's maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip, a military spokesperson said. The vessel was later directed to the port of Ashdod.

The Swedish-owned, Finnish-flagged boat SV Estelle, a three-mast schooner, left the Italian city of Naples on October 7 with about 30 people from eight countries, including Norway, Sweden, Greece, Spain, Israel, and Canada. Organizers said the vessel was carrying humanitarian cargo such as cement and children's books.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it boarded the vessel after numerous calls were made to the passengers on board. "As a result of their unwillingness to cooperate and after ignoring calls to change course, the decision was made to board the vessel and lead it to the port of Ashdod," a military spokesperson said.

Earlier, Dror Feiler, a spokesman for the Stockholm-based organization Ship to Gaza Sweden, said SV Estelle was being "attacked" in international waters. "Five or six military vessels surrounded Estelle," he said. "Soldiers wearing masks are now trying to board the ship. The attack took place on international waters: N31 26 E33 45."

The Israeli military, meanwhile, insisted its soldiers operated as planned and took every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of the passengers. "After boarding the vessel by IDF soldiers, who did not need to use force, the passengers were attended to and offered food and beverages," the spokesperson added.

After the vessel arrived at the Ashdod port, the passengers were transferred to the custody of Israel Police and immigration authorities at the Ministry of Interior. The spokesperson added that any organization or state which wants to transfer supplies or aid to the Gaza Strip can do so via existing land crossings in coordination with Israeli authorities.

In May 2010, nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed and dozens more were injured when Israeli commandos boarded a ship participating in the 'Freedom Flotilla I', which was heading to the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid on board. The incident caused global outrage over alleged excessive force, but Israel has denied such allegations and said its commandos were being attacked.

Following the incident, Turkey withdrew its Ambassador to Israel and suspended joint military exercises, as well as banning any Israeli military aircraft from entering its national airspace. The most recent flotilla attempt in November 2011 also failed to reach Gaza shores after Israeli soldiers boarded the vessels and directed them to Ashdod.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-10-21

[geriatrickid]

Nice timing. Unfortunately for the people looking to stir up sh*t, no one is in the mood for it.

At least it ended peacefully and the goods will be unloaded in Israel, inspected and then shipped to Gaza.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts have been deleted. If you have no point to make, then don't post.

[Chicog]

Perhaps I should elucidate. The Israelis haven't let building materials into Gaza since they were forced to partially lift the blockade. They claim they can be used to build weapons or some such codswallop. Even then they limit what foodstuff crosses the border to the bare minimum.

They claim they have nothing against the people, but simply Hamas, yet funnily enough it's Hamas who are smuggling in the goods that Palestinians need, so the Israelis are shooting themselves in the foot.

By the way, anyone else boarding a ship in International waters would be called pirates.

How come the Israelis can get away with it?

Edited October 21, 2012 by Chicog

[Ulysses G.]

Poppycock. A UN investigative committee concluded in the Palmer Report that the naval blockade is legal under international law.The blockade is necessary to limit Palestinian rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip on Israel's cities and to prevent Hamas from obtaining other weapons.

[Chicog]

Poppycock. A UN investigative committee concluded in the Palmer Report that the naval blockade is legal under international law.The blockade is necessary to limit Palestinian rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip on Israel's cities and to prevent Hamas from obtaining other weapons.

As I understand it, there are 12 miles of territorials waters and 12 miles of contiguous zone in which they are entitled to enforce a blockade. There is no justification for them to board a ship in International waters. That in my book is piracy.

More to the point, why can't they do what other nations do which is inspect and detain or release? What is the problem with a boatload of cement and kid's books docking in Gaza?

Answer: They don't want activitists there highlighting what they are doing to the people of Gaza.

[Ulysses G.]

More to the point, why can't they do what other nations do which is inspect and detain or release? What is the problem with a boatload of cement and kid's books docking in Gaza?

Answer: They don't want activitists there highlighting what they are doing to the people of Gaza.

They can bring the supplies to an Israeli port and all legal materials will be forwarded to Gaza. That is international law. Activists can enter via the land border and "highlight" whatever they want.

Edited October 21, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[Chicog]

More to the point, why can't they do what other nations do which is inspect and detain or release? What is the problem with a boatload of cement and kid's books docking in Gaza?

Answer: They don't want activitists there highlighting what they are doing to the people of Gaza.

They can bring the supplies to an Israeli port and all legal materials will be forwarded to Gaza. That is international law. Activists can enter via the land border and "highlight" whatever they want.

As I said above, Israel has arbitrarily banned construction materials. They can also detain people at the border for as long as they like. It's out of the news once the ship has docked.

[Ulysses G.]

That is because Hamas is a hostile entity that has been shooting rockets and sponsoring terrorist incidents against Israeli civilians for many years. That is why the naval blockade is legal and jusified.

Edited October 21, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[Chicog]

That is because Hamas is a hostile entity that has been shooting rockets and sponsoring terrorist incidents against Israeli civilians for many years. That is why the naval blockade is legal and jusified.

That's because Israel has been shelling Palestinians and driving them out of their homes and into Gaza refugee camps for years, and is stealing Palestinian land by building settlements on it.

Aren't they allowed to fight back? Are they just supposed to be driven out of their land and into the sea or executed or jailed if they use the only military weapon left to them?

Next thing you'll be telling me is that Israel don't kill civilians.

None of which really justifies banning cement does it? What are they going to make out of cement? Concrete bombs? You sort of need an air force to use those to any effect.

[Ulysses G.]

All historically inaccurate, but cement is banned because Hamas constructs underground bunkers and tunnels to store weapons and use for terrorist actions.

Edited October 21, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[chuckd]

All historically inaccurate, but cement is banned because Hamas constructs underground bunkers and tunnels to store weapons and use for terrorist actions.

You beat me to it, UG.

Concrete for tunnels and weapons storage.

[mania]

Do the Israelis allow any cement to make it possible for the Palestinians to build/rebuild their homes?

Is any alternative materials given to the Palestinians to build with?

If not then the ban may seem a bit convenient given the Israeli settlements beyond the green line.

[Jingthing]

Do the Israelis allow any cement to make it possible for the Palestinians to build/rebuild their homes?

Is any alternative materials given to the Palestinians to build with?

...

Some:

The Qatari ambassador Mohammed al-Amadi said cooperation had been arranged with Israel and Egypt to admit building materials and heavy machinery to Gaza, which is under a partial blockade, and work would begin within three months.

...

Gazans started rebuilding from the rubble itself and smuggling cement from Egypt via tunnels until Israel partially eased restrictions in mid-2010, allowing Gaza's economy to revive from rock bottom.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/17/qatar-plan-rebuild-gaza

[mania]

Some:

http://www.guardian....an-rebuild-gaza

Thank you for the link.

That was good of Qatar to provide reconstruction aid

Edited October 21, 2012 by mania

[uptheos]

All historically inaccurate, but cement is banned because Hamas constructs underground bunkers and tunnels to store weapons and use for terrorist actions.

Can't they take them Twinkie's or Reese's Pieces instead?

[Jingthing]

To call it an attack is a gross exaggeration. Israel was enforcing their blockade as fully expected. What kind of attack is that? Actually saying what happened has the desired for propaganda purpose as well.

Edited October 21, 2012 by Jingthing

[GiHadOrange]

Exactly it is a protest against the unjustified blockade.

And if some soldiers with face masks take over your ship while you are in international waters it is indeed an attack.

[Ulysses G.]

There was no "attack." Israel was enforcing a legal defensive blockade that the ship knew about and tried to ignore.

Edited October 21, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[Ulysses G.]

This ship was purposely violating a legal blockade that they were very aware of. They should have followed the law and headed for an Israeli port if they really wanted the goods to make it to Gaza.

[GiHadOrange]

This ship was purposely violating a legal blockade that they were very aware of. They should have followed the law and headed for an Israeli port if they really wanted the goods to make it to Gaza.

It looks more like that Israel violated the law here, as they have no right to board that ship in international waters.

[Ulysses G.]

This ship was purposely violating a legal blockade that they were very aware of. They should have followed the law and headed for an Israeli port if they really wanted the goods to make it to Gaza.

It looks more like that Israel violated the law here, as they have no right to board that ship in international waters.

The Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea states that if you have a boat that is charging a blockaded area you are allowed to intercept even prior to it reaching the blockaded area if you've warned them in advance. The ship had been warned and had a stated goal which of breaking the blockade which was in place to protect the citizens of Israel. The boarding was legal.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Ulysses G.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts deleted as well as replies.

[uptheos]

This ship was purposely violating a legal blockade that they were very aware of. They should have followed the law and headed for an Israeli port if they really wanted the goods to make it to Gaza.

Quite right. No-one was hurt during the boarding, which carried 30 activists. The ship was re-routed by the army to Ashod port, where Twinkies were given out freely. Israel needs to maintain a tight naval blockade of Gaza, which it maintains as necessary to prevent arms smuggling to Hamas and other Palestinian militants. I mean has no-one seen what's happening in the Middle East? Every country surrounding Israel has gone loopy and believe me you don't want to take any chances when you are surrounded by crazy people.

[Steely Dan]

The fact that there were no deaths or injuries makes this story of minuscule importance considering the carnage taking place in every surrounding Country. There is not even a clear cut legal case to be made against Israel as they are blockading potential arms supplies to a terrorist group. At least the fuss surrounding illegal settlement activity has some basis in law to support it, whereas this imho is a transparent attempt to try and get Israel embroiled in the chaos surrounding the Arab spring and has nothing whatsoever to do with any humanitarian concerns.

[Chicog]

The fact that there were no deaths or injuries makes this story of minuscule importance considering the carnage taking place in every surrounding Country. There is not even a clear cut legal case to be made against Israel as they are blockading potential arms supplies to a terrorist group. At least the fuss surrounding illegal settlement activity has some basis in law to support it, whereas this imho is a transparent attempt to try and get Israel embroiled in the chaos surrounding the Arab spring and has nothing whatsoever to do with any humanitarian concerns.

Then you are unaware of Israel's policy towards the Gaza strip and the West bank. It very much IS a humanitarian issue. Israel simply finds it convenient to paint it as a political one.

[Jingthing]

The fact that there were no deaths or injuries makes this story of minuscule importance considering the carnage taking place in every surrounding Country. There is not even a clear cut legal case to be made against Israel as they are blockading potential arms supplies to a terrorist group. At least the fuss surrounding illegal settlement activity has some basis in law to support it, whereas this imho is a transparent attempt to try and get Israel embroiled in the chaos surrounding the Arab spring and has nothing whatsoever to do with any humanitarian concerns.

Then you are unaware of Israel's policy towards the Gaza strip and the West bank. It very much IS a humanitarian issue. Israel simply finds it convenient to paint it as a political one.

In my opinion the actual reality is much more complex. Of course there are serious humanitarian concerns in Gaza. There are also political issues as well both internal and external to Gaza. None of this happens in a clean vacuum. Such as the Gaza government, when they get the supplies that do come, who decides which people in Gaza get it? Edited October 22, 2012 by Jingthing

[GiHadOrange]

The fact that there were no deaths or injuries makes this story of minuscule importance considering the carnage taking place in every surrounding Country. There is not even a clear cut legal case to be made against Israel as they are blockading potential arms supplies to a terrorist group. At least the fuss surrounding illegal settlement activity has some basis in law to support it, whereas this imho is a transparent attempt to try and get Israel embroiled in the chaos surrounding the Arab spring and has nothing whatsoever to do with any humanitarian concerns.

Then you are unaware of Israel's policy towards the Gaza strip and the West bank. It very much IS a humanitarian issue. Israel simply finds it convenient to paint it as a political one.

In my opinion the actual reality is much more complex. Of course there are serious humanitarian concerns in Gaza. There are also political issues as well both internal and external to Gaza. None of this happens in a clean vacuum. Such as the Gaza government, when they get the supplies that do come, who decides which people in Gaza get it?

FYI: The government in Gaza was elected by the people in Gaza.

But this topic is about that Israel thinks it is in the position to decide and to allow what the kind of things the people in Gaza will get and that they are not allowed to use an own seaport.

That is the humanitarian issue.

[Scott]

Continued off-topic posting will earn posters a very long suspension.

[uptheos]

FYI: The government in Gaza was elected by the people in Gaza.

But this topic is about that Israel thinks it is in the position to decide and to allow what the kind of things the people in Gaza will get and that they are not allowed to use an own seaport.

That is the humanitarian issue.

I couldn't care less if the government in Gaza was formed by an almighty. As long as they continue with their rockets, indiscriminate killings and Hamas policy of Israel's extermination, then I for one would say to Israel carry on doing whatever you think will protect you.