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<h1><font size=4><b>ISRAELI NAVY TRACKS SHIP CARRYING AID FOR
GAZA</b></font></h1><font size=3>28. Dec, 2010<br>
<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/1228/1224286362273.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/1228/1224286362273.html<br>
<br>
</a><b>by</b> <b>MICHAEL JANSEN<br><br>
</b>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.<br><br>
The ship, christened Asia One, is to offload passengers and cargo valued
at $1 million at el-Arish.<br><br>
Activists and aid are to proceed to Gaza by land rather than directly
challenge Israel’s block- ade at sea.<br><br>
This new effort to reach Gaza comes seven months after Israeli naval
commandos killed nine Turkish activists on the Istanbul ferry <i>Mavi
Marmara</i> and seized half a dozen ships taking part in the largest
blockade busting flotilla mounted since 2008.<br><br>
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.”<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
SOURCE:
<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/1228/1224286362273.html">
IRISHTIMES.COM</a><br><br>
<b>About the Author: <br><br>
Michael Jansen </b>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. <br><br>
<br><br>
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