Libyan aid ship continues toward Gaza

Jerusalem (News Today) - A Libyan-backed ship laden with humanitarian goods to Gaza -- in violation of an Israeli blockade -- was due to arrive at the Palestinian territory Wednesday morning, an organizer said.

Despite efforts by Israel to divert the ship, the ship will continue to its intended destination, said Yusuf Sawani, the executive director of Gadhafi International Charity and Development Foundation that sent the ship.

"We confirm that the ship is definitely heading to Gaza; we have no other destination other than Gaza," Sawani said Tuesday. "This is where we think humanitarian assistance and relief material should go."

Sawani has been speaking hourly with those aboard the ship, he said.

The Israeli navy has approached the vessel and given the chief of mission and the ship's captain an ultimatum: Divert to the Egyptian port of al-Arish, he said.

"But our answer will remain as always," he said. "We started sailing toward Gaza and Gaza is our target, and we hope that every party concerned will come to their senses and realize that this is a humanitarian, peaceful mission."

He added, "This is not a propaganda stunt."

Sawani said Sunday that the activists on the boat would not resist if confronted by the Israeli military.

Earlier Tuesday, an Israeli official with knowledge of the communications between the Israeli military and the vessel said the ship's captain had agreed to change course and go to Egypt instead.

An Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman, Hossam Zaki, said Egypt is prepared to grant the Libyan ship docking rights.

"We haven't received an official request yet, but if we do, we will grant permission," Zaki said.

The Israeli military had said its navy earlier was making "preparations to stop" the ship from delivering aid directly to Gaza.

The military asked the ship to change course for the Egyptian port of al-Arish, a military spokesman told CNN, adding that troops had not intercepted or boarded the ship.

Israel came under fierce international criticism for killing nine Turkish activists in the course of boarding a Gaza-bound ship in May. Israel said the activists attacked its troops when they boarded the boat.

The new aid ship was launched by a charity headed by the son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. It set sail from Greece on Saturday carrying 2,000 tons of aid.

Israel says it must inspect all goods that enter Gaza so that weapons do not get into the hands of militants. Gaza is run by Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist movement.

The Gadhafi Foundation refers to the ship as the Hope, although it appears to be registered as the MV Amalthea. It is Moldovan-flagged and run by ACA Shipping, based in Greece.

Sawani said that in addition to the crew members, nine others were on board: Six Libyans, one Moroccan and one person from Niger, all of whom work with the Gadhafi Foundation, plus a journalist from the Al Jazeera network.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak Sunday called the ship "an unnecessary provocation."

Barak said Israel would not allow the aid ship to dock in Gaza, but said it could unload goods elsewhere and Israel would allow them to enter the Palestinian territory by land after Israel inspects them.

"Goods can be transferred into Gaza through the port of Ashdod after they are inspected, but we will not allow the transfer of weapons or ammunition into Gaza," he said. "We recommend to the organizers ... to allow navy vessels to escort it to the port of Ashdod or sail directly to al-Arish" in Egypt.

A report Monday on the findings of an Israeli military investigation into the boarding of the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara in May criticized some aspects of the operation.

The operation prepared only one course of action and had no backup plan, military commanders were not presented with options other than boarding the ship, and different branches of military intelligence did not coordinate well enough, the report found.

But the report said the commando team that boarded the ship operated properly, with bravery and professionalism, and that the use of live fire was justified.

Israel has resisted demands for an international inquiry into the incident.

Source : CNN

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