Israeli navy surrounds Gaza-bound boat

AL Jazeera Middle East

Marines tell crew on French yacht they will take control of the boat if it does not change course and leave the area. Last Modified: 19 Jul 2011 08:17

The vessel had declared an Egyptian port as its destination but later changed course towards Gaza [AFP] Israeli naval vessels have told a French yacht carrying pro-Palestinian activists intending to sail to the Gaza Strip to leave the area, according to an Al Jazeera correspondent. He said a communication from an Israeli vessel told the yacht on Tuesday that marines would take control of the boat if it did not heed their instructions. "The boat is surrounded by at least three Israeli ships and since 9.06am (0706 GMT) all the communications have been jammed. We can't get in touch with them by phone or by internet," Julien Rivoire, an organiser, said by phone from Paris. The 17-passenger Dignite Al Karama had declared an Egyptian port as its destination when it left Greek waters on Sunday, but activists on board later said they were redirecting towards the Gaza Strip hoping to arrive by Tuesday afternoon. "This 'little' boat symbolises the determination of the international solidarity movement to break the blockade on Gaza and express its support for the 1.6 million Palestinians imprisoned there since 2007," a statement released from the boat said. "We're cleaning ourselves up a little bit before arriving. Morale here is like the sky and sea - very good," wrote French activists on board, adding in English: "Gaza, off we go, stay connected!!!" The boat was originally part of a 10-ship flotilla which had been due to sail for Gaza at the end of June. On Monday, Israeli deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon said Israel would prevent any attempt to breach the naval blockade on Gaza. "If this boat is on its way to Gaza, which is a breach of international maritime law, and tries a provocative act - yes, we shall intercept it," he told reporters in Jerusalem. "But I assure you we shall try our best to make those on board very comfortable." Thomas Sommer-Houdeville, a French activist who spoke to the AFP news agency from on board the boat on Monday evening, said the vessel was only carrying a "symbolic message of peace and hope and love". Israel, he said, had no reason to intercept it. "We hope that they will not, we don't have a plan but we have a peaceful humanitarian mission. We are a peaceful boat flying a French flag," he said. Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists when they stormed a Gaza-bound flotilla in the Mediterranean last year.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

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