Israel Intercepts Two Boats Bound for Gaza

[ProgressiveProfessor]

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said on Friday that it was preparing to board two small boats that were sailing toward Gaza to challenge Israel’s maritime blockade of the Palestinian coastal enclave.

The boats, one Canadian and the other Irish, were carrying 27 pro-Palestinian activists, journalists and crew from nine countries. The military has stated that it will prevent the boats from reaching Gaza.

The Israeli navy notified the vessels that they were en route to an area under blockade and advised them to turn back, or to sail to a port in Egypt or Israel, the military said in a statement. Yigal Palmor, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, said that the boats had stopped sailing.

More at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/05/world/middleeast/israel-intercepts-two-boats-bound-for-gaza.html?_r=1
=====================================
This has been flying under the radar for many, but two more boats set out from Turkey to Gaza. Reportedly they too have been intercepted.

Erdogan must have been annoyed at being pushed out of the headlines recently...

[bemildred]

1. Israel Navy contacts Gaza-bound aid vessels

Two boats approached the coast of the Gaza Strip on Friday with the intent to violate Israel's naval blockade of the territory and were met by Israeli navy vessels.

In Gaza, activist Amjad Shawwa said the boats were about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Gaza and had been warned over the radio by an Israeli navy ship to change course.

The Israelis told the boats, carrying supplies and 27 international pro-Palestinian activists, that they were entering a closed military zone, Shawwa said.

He said the passengers intended to continue to Gaza.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-navy-contacts-gaza-bound-aid-vessels-1.393717

[vminfla]

2. Uneventful

I bet these "peace activists" were disapointed that the Israelis did not draw their guns and kill one of them.

[azurnoir]

3. Video of ship being boarded

looks like guns were indeed drawn

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=435163

[vminfla]

4. Nice pleasure cruise boat,

I bet they even had a bartender named Isaac. I hope they enjoyed their excursion.

[shira]

5. Not surprisingly, the attention whores had no cargo whatsoever on board for the needy...

http://cifwatch.com/2011/11/04/idf-makes-contact-with-crew-of-flotilla-near-gaza-who-admit-they-have-no-cargo/

But it's okay.

The intentionally blind still take these "humanitarians" seriously.

[azurnoir]

6. Yes one of the two ships was not carrying any cargp ........next? n/t

[vminfla]

7. I think self-indulgent attention whore pretty much sums it up.

I hope the high waves did not upset their tummy after brunch was served on the lido deck.

[holdencaufield]

13. I'm surprised ...

... that Sean Penn and Paris Hilton haven't chartered their own Gaza boats and filled them with paparazzi.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

14. You don't think drawing attention to human rights abuses is a good idea? N.T.

I quite agree with you that attracting international attention was probably a large part of the goal of this mission; I applaud them for it, and hope that other people keep reminding the West what Israel (and Egypt) are doing to Gaza.

[vminfla]

15. There is a direct correlation between these attention whores and human rights abuses

Human rights abusers and terrorist groups like IHH help fund some of these little excursions trying to light up sympaty for terrorists.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

16. You appear to be using "terrorist" as a synonym for "Palestinian". N.T.

[vminfla]

17. Demonizing Israelis as human rights abusers is unacceptable

calling Islamic Jihad a terrorist organization is simply a matter of repeating information found on a State Department list.

[aranthus]

8. What evidence do you have that the other ship carried cargo? n/t

[vminfla]

9. That is self-evident

How else did the first ship get their hors d'oeuvres?

[shira]

10. Neither ship carried aid. Just tourists. From YNet...

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4143893,00.html

[azurnoir]

11. yes IDF claims no humanitarian aid the activists say they were carrying medical equipment

wonder how IDF defines humanitarian aid beyond possibly peanutbutter?

[vminfla]

12. Sure, but Dramamine is only useful to sea-going partiers on pleasure cruises

Hardly the stuff of universally applicable medical equipment. Unless, of course, they leave the pleasure yachts in Gaza for Islamic Jihad to take team building cruises.