[News] Israel Attacks Humanitarian Ship to Gaza in International Waters

[Anti-Imperialist News]

BREAKING NEWS: Israel Attacks Humanitarian Ship to Gaza in International Waters

by Michel Chossudovsky
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24783

Montreal, 12.30 AM EST,

Global Research has been in contact with the Spirit of Rachel Corrie, 
a Malaysian ship carrying a humanitarian aid cargo to Gaza, which has 
been attacked in international waters by Israel.

The vessel left the Port of Piraeus, Greece on Wednesday, May 11 
carrying 7.5 kilometers of UPVC (plastic) sewage pipes to help 
restore the devastated sewerage system in Gaza. The humanitarian 
initiative is sponsored by Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF) and 
participating in this mission includes anti-war activists and 
journalists, consisting of 7 Malaysians, 2 Irish, 2 Indians and 1 Canadian.

The Spirit of Rachel Corrie is an initiative of  The Perdana Global 
Peace Foundation (PGPF) chaired by Malaysia's former Prime Minister 
Dr. Mahathir Mohamed. The Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG) 
(Global Research) is also participating in this mission.

At 10.54 pm Eastern Time (EDT), the Spirit of Rachel Corrie was 
intercepted by an Israeli ship and a Egyptian ship in international waters.

10:54pm EDT, Gaza 5:54am: We have been intercepted by Israeli ship 
and Egyptian ship. We are disobeying the orders and sailing ahead to Gaza.

10:57pm EDT, Gaza 5:57am: One Israeli warship coming to us very fast! 
We are in international waters, therefore they have no right to 
attack us. We are still sailing ahead.

10:59pm EDT, Gaza 5:59am: They are opening fire across our ship! We 
are still sailing ahead.

11:09pm EDT, Gaza 6:09am: They are shooting all over the place. We 
can't continue ...

11:35pm EDT, Gaza 6:35am: They circled our ship twice and fired 
across our ship. Machine guns. No one was injured. One of the fishing 
nets caught the propeller, so we can't move now.

11:37pm EDT, Gaza 6:37am: The Israeli ship was coming from one end 
and the Egyptian ship was coming from another end. Firing. We are 
just stalled now. Everybody is okay. No one is injured.

In a subsequent communication from the boat, it would appear that 
Israel sought the collaboration of Egypt and the humanitarian vessel 
was escorted into Egyptian territorial waters. A subsequent report 
from the ship confirmed that the Egyptian vessel acted in support of 
the Mission.

We will be informing our readers as events unfold.

The first press reports state that

"Israeli naval forces fired warning shots at a Malaysian ship 
carrying aid to Gaza as it approached the shore, forcing it to 
withdraw to Egyptian waters, the vessel's Malaysian organiser told AFP."

"The MV Finch, carrying sewage pipes to Gaza, had warning shots fired 
at it by Israeli forces in the Palestinian security zone this morning 
at 0654 Jordan time (0354 GMT)," said Shamsul Azhar from the Perdana 
Global Peace Foundation.

Israeli naval forces fired warning shots at a Malaysian ship carrying 
aid to Gaza as it approached the shore, forcing it to withdraw to 
Egyptian waters, the vessel's Malaysian organiser told AFP.

"The MV Finch, carrying sewage pipes to Gaza, had warning shots fired 
at it by Israeli forces in the Palestinian security zone this morning 
at 0654 Jordan time (0354 GMT)," said Shamsul Azhar from the Perdana 
Global Peace Foundation.

"Currently the ship has been forced to anchor in Egyptian waters, 30 
nautical miles from Gaza," he told AFP." [emphasis added]

Global Research is in contact with the Ship and will be providing 
updates in the next few hours.




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