[News] Israeli Navy tracks ship carrying aid for Gaza

[Anti-Imperialist News]

ISRAELI NAVY TRACKS SHIP CARRYING AID FOR GAZA

28. Dec, 2010
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/1228/1224286362273.html

by MICHAEL JANSEN

THE ISRAELI navy is closely monitoring a vessel carrying medical 
supplies and Asian activists poised to set sail from the Syrian port 
of Latakia for el-Arish in Egypt.

The ship, christened Asia One, is to offload passengers and cargo 
valued at $1 million at el-Arish.

Activists and aid are to proceed to Gaza by land rather than directly 
challenge Israel's block- ade at sea.

This new effort to reach Gaza comes seven months after Israeli naval 
commandos killed nine Turkish activists on the Istanbul ferry Mavi 
Marmara and seized half a dozen ships taking part in the largest 
blockade busting flotilla mounted since 2008.

An unnamed activist insisted there were no weapons on board Asia One. 
If the ship is approached by the Israeli navy during its passage to 
Egypt, he said passengers would "face it with non-violence. We'll 
face it with a prayer in our hearts."

While the aim of the Asian organisers was to enter the Strip on 
December 27th, the second anniversary of Israel's devastating war on 
Gaza, the ship's departure from Latakia has been delayed by the 
Egyptian authorities which need to issue a landing permit for el-Arish.

The first Asian land and sea caravan attempting to break the Israeli 
siege of Gaza set off from India early this month and proceeded to 
Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Syria, picking up activists and donations en route.

Some 160-180 Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist peace campaigners from a 
dozen Asian countries are on board the vessel. They were joined by 
seven Iranian parliamentarians in Syria where a delegation from the 
group met the head of Hamas's politburo, Khaled Mishaal, in Damascus.

Organiser Ashim Roy, an Indian trade unionist, said: "We believe that 
there must be a strong Asian involvement in the global movement to 
end the siege of Gaza and liberation of Palestine." The group 
mounting the convoy is comprised of trade unions, social movements 
and civil society organisations.

The arrival of the Asian convoy coincides with the formal recognition 
by a growing number of Latin American governments of the state of 
Palestine within territories conquered by Israel in 1967.

Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Uruguay have so far extended 
such recognition in spite of Israeli efforts to block this process. 
Israel is lobbying Mexico and Chile to reject recognition but Chilean 
senators have called on the government to grant it.

Recently Norway accorded the Palestinian representative to Oslo the 
status of an ambassador, while Spain, France and Portugal have also 
upgraded representation. Other European states are expected to follow suit.

Palestinians see recognition of the borders of the Palestinian state 
as being significant at this time. While more than 100 mostly 
non-aligned countries recognised the Palestine National Council's 
1988 declaration of independence, recognition by additional countries 
and upgrading of diplomatic representation by European states steps 
up pressure on Israel to end its occupation of the West Bank, East 
Jerusalem and Gaza and allow a Palestinian state to emerge.

SOURCE: 
<http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/1228/1224286362273.html>IRISHTIMES.COM

About the Author:

Michael Jansen was born in the US, took her MA at the American 
University of Beirut and has lived in Lebanon and Cyprus ever 
since.  She lived in Lebanon for many years before moving to Nicosia. 
She has written books on Lebanon and Palestine and is the Middle East 
correspondent for the Irish Times. She also covers Lebanon/Syria and 
the Cyprus conflict for Middle East International. She is regional 
analyst for The Deccan Herald (Bangalore) and columnist for The 
Jordan Times and The Gulf Today. She is the author of five books.




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