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ARTSAKH ACTIVIST DR.ELENI THEOCHAROUS INVOLVED IN INCIDENT WITH ISRAELI
PATROL BOAT, WHILE TAKING HUMANITARIAN AID TO PALESTINIANS IN GAZA
Friday December 26 - Nicosia - Gibrahayer e-magazine
December 30, 2008 - Associated Press - LARNACA, Cyprus - Israeli naval
vessels reportedly have rammed a Gaza-bound boat carrying doctors,
medical supplies and international peace activists - among them former
U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney.
According to a statement released early today by the aid
mission's organisers, the 66-foot yacht Dignity was struck on the bow
side, took on water and suffered engine damage.
In recent months Israel has permitted several similar missions
to reach Gaza, but with the two sides now locked in combat the Israelis
apparently have decided to prevent the latest ship from reaching port
in the besieged territory.
The ship sailed to Lebanon after the incident, according to a
statement released early today by organisers. They also said Dignity
was 90 miles off the coast of Gaza, in international waters, when it
was intercepted by the Israelis, who allegedly also fired machine guns
into the water to stop the ship from reaching Gaza.
The Israelis have denied their ship deliberately struck the
Dignity, telling The Associated Press that the ships collided when
Dignity tried to manoeuvre around the Israeli ship.
The aid vessel left Larnaca with almost 3.6 tons of
Cypriot-donated supplies and 16 passengers, including McKinney, Cypriot
lawmaker Eleni Theocharous and activists from Britain, Australia,
Ireland and Tunisia, organisers said.
McKinney, who unsuccessfully ran this year for the U.S.
presidency on the Green Party ticket, said she will petition U.S.
President-elect Barack Obama to speak out against the Israeli attacks
on Gaza.
Theocharous, who is also a surgeon, said supplies include
urgently-needed surgical equipment and antibiotics that will be used to
treat the wounded.
"We're hoping that the Israelis are receptive to our very clear
focus that this is a humanitarian mission," said Caoimhe Butterly, the
spokeswoman for the Free Gaza group. "This is a symbolic relief
shipment and we hope that it will be the first of many."
The Fr ee Gaza group has made five deliveries of aid by boat to
Gaza since August, defying a blockade imposed by Israel when Hamas won
control of the territory in June 2007. One of their ships was named
after the USS Liberty, an American spy ship that the Israelis attacked
during the Six Day War in 1967. Israel claims they thought the ship was
Egyptian, though surviving crew-members and others have long maintained
their identity was clearly known to the attacking ships and aircraft.
The previous aid ships have all been allowed entry to Gaza, but
organisers say they are aware the Israeli navy may stop them this time.
Israel launched the deadliest bombing campaign against
Palestinians in decades on Saturday in retaliation for rocket fire
aimed at civilians in southern Israeli towns.
The strikes in Gaza have killed at least 315 people and wounded
1,400. Israel has launched more than 300 air-strikes, and its military
has said naval vessels have also bombarded targets from the sea.
It is also sending tanks toward the Gaza border and approving
the call-up of thousands of reserve soldiers in apparent preparation
for a ground offensive.
"We will try to make it to send the message to the Palestinian
people that they are not alone and to the rest of the world that they
must consider what is going on there right now," Theocharous said.
PATROL BOAT, WHILE TAKING HUMANITARIAN AID TO PALESTINIANS IN GAZA
Friday December 26 - Nicosia - Gibrahayer e-magazine
December 30, 2008 - Associated Press - LARNACA, Cyprus - Israeli naval
vessels reportedly have rammed a Gaza-bound boat carrying doctors,
medical supplies and international peace activists - among them former
U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney.
According to a statement released early today by the aid
mission's organisers, the 66-foot yacht Dignity was struck on the bow
side, took on water and suffered engine damage.
In recent months Israel has permitted several similar missions
to reach Gaza, but with the two sides now locked in combat the Israelis
apparently have decided to prevent the latest ship from reaching port
in the besieged territory.
The ship sailed to Lebanon after the incident, according to a
statement released early today by organisers. They also said Dignity
was 90 miles off the coast of Gaza, in international waters, when it
was intercepted by the Israelis, who allegedly also fired machine guns
into the water to stop the ship from reaching Gaza.
The Israelis have denied their ship deliberately struck the
Dignity, telling The Associated Press that the ships collided when
Dignity tried to manoeuvre around the Israeli ship.
The aid vessel left Larnaca with almost 3.6 tons of
Cypriot-donated supplies and 16 passengers, including McKinney, Cypriot
lawmaker Eleni Theocharous and activists from Britain, Australia,
Ireland and Tunisia, organisers said.
McKinney, who unsuccessfully ran this year for the U.S.
presidency on the Green Party ticket, said she will petition U.S.
President-elect Barack Obama to speak out against the Israeli attacks
on Gaza.
Theocharous, who is also a surgeon, said supplies include
urgently-needed surgical equipment and antibiotics that will be used to
treat the wounded.
"We're hoping that the Israelis are receptive to our very clear
focus that this is a humanitarian mission," said Caoimhe Butterly, the
spokeswoman for the Free Gaza group. "This is a symbolic relief
shipment and we hope that it will be the first of many."
The Fr ee Gaza group has made five deliveries of aid by boat to
Gaza since August, defying a blockade imposed by Israel when Hamas won
control of the territory in June 2007. One of their ships was named
after the USS Liberty, an American spy ship that the Israelis attacked
during the Six Day War in 1967. Israel claims they thought the ship was
Egyptian, though surviving crew-members and others have long maintained
their identity was clearly known to the attacking ships and aircraft.
The previous aid ships have all been allowed entry to Gaza, but
organisers say they are aware the Israeli navy may stop them this time.
Israel launched the deadliest bombing campaign against
Palestinians in decades on Saturday in retaliation for rocket fire
aimed at civilians in southern Israeli towns.
The strikes in Gaza have killed at least 315 people and wounded
1,400. Israel has launched more than 300 air-strikes, and its military
has said naval vessels have also bombarded targets from the sea.
It is also sending tanks toward the Gaza border and approving
the call-up of thousands of reserve soldiers in apparent preparation
for a ground offensive.
"We will try to make it to send the message to the Palestinian
people that they are not alone and to the rest of the world that they
must consider what is going on there right now," Theocharous said.