Israel blocks Libyan ship taking aid to Gaza

Israeli navy insists ship lands the goods outside Gaza for delivery by land



The Amalthea is loaded with supplies at Lavrio, near Athens last Friday before it set sail for Gaza. Photograph: John Kolesidis/Reuters
A Libyan ship carrying aid for Gaza docked at an Egyptian port today after the Israeli navy stopped it from reaching the Palestinian territory.

The Amalthea, flying under a Moldovan flag, will unload its cargo and transfer it to the Red Crescent for delivery to Gaza by land across the border, said Gamal Abdel Maqsoud, director of the Egyptian port of el-Arish.

Israeli missile ships stopped the ship yesterday from reaching the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by Hamas. Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza after the Islamist group took control of the territory in violent clashes with the rival Fatah group in June 2007.

The Amalthea was the latest ship to attempt to break the embargo, six weeks after the Israeli navy's interception of an aid flotilla in which nine Turkish activists were killed. The assault prompted a wave of international condemnation and resulted in Israel agreeing to ease its blockade of Gaza. But it has maintained the naval embargo, insisting it is necessary and justified under international law to prevent weapons being shipped to Hamas.

The Amalthea sailed from Greece at the weekend carrying up to 15 activists and 2,000 tonnes of food and medicine, according to the organisers, a charity chaired by a son of Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader.

Youssef Sawani, director of the charity, told Reuters it was a "peaceful mission". But Gabriela Shalev, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, wrote to Ban Ki-moon, the secretary general, expressing concern "that the true nature of its actions remains dubious".

Following intense Israeli diplomatic efforts, Greece – from where the boat sailed – Moldova – under whose flag the boat is operating – and Egypt all agreed that the Amalthea should be directed to el-Arish, 40km (25 miles) from Gaza, where its cargo could be unloaded, inspected and transferred to Gaza, according to Israeli officials. Israel had also invited the activists to unload the shipment at the Israeli port of Ashdod, a similar distance from Gaza.

Despite ceding to calls for the blockade to be relaxed in the aftermath of the assault on the flotilla on 31 May, Israel has insisted the commandos who carried out the raids acted in self-defence. It has resisted calls for a UN-led inquiry but has appointed two panels, one military and one civilian, to review the raid.

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Gaza aid ship changes course for Egypt

Watches this Gaza aid ship changes course for Egypt
Amalthea being shadowed by Israeli military which has warned it will not be allowed to reach Gaza Strip



Crates of cooking oil are loaded on to the cargo ship Amalthea in Greece. Photograph: Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images
A Libyan charity's ship carrying aid for the Gaza Strip has changed course for Egypt after Israel warned those on board not to try and dock in Gaza.

The Moldovan-flagged Amalthea is heading to Egypt's El Arish port, an Israeli official has said. Egypt says the Amalthea has been granted permission to dock in El Arish and authorities plan to transfer its declared haul of 2,000 tonnes of food and medicine overland to neighbouring Gaza.

The new course appears to lessen the likelihood of a repeat of a confrontation that killed nine pro-Palestinian activists on 31 May when Israeli soldiers boarded the Mavi Marmara.

Before turning around, the captain of the Amalthea had told the Israeli navy that it had engine troubles. The military had four missile ships tailing the Libyan vessel.

The Libyan charity, headed by the son of the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, said the Amalthea left Greece on Saturday carrying 2,000 tons of food and medical supplies.

Israeli has invited the activists to unload the shipment at the Israeli port of Ashdod.

The 31 May raid focused international attention on Israel's blockade of Gaza, imposed after the Islamic militant and anti-Israeli Hamas overran the Palestinian territory in June 2007. The international criticism forced Israel to ease its land blockade of the territory but it has maintained the naval embargo, insisting it is vital to keep weapons out of Hamas's hands.

The Gaza blockade and the challenges to it have caused Israel serious diplomatic damage, putting it on the defensive against demands for inquiries and criticism over Gaza's plight.

Israel says the commandos who took part in the 31 May raid had been defending themselves against violent pro-Palestinian activists. Activists have said they acted in self-defence after Israeli troops landed on their ship.

Israel has resisted calls for a UN-led inquiry but has appointed two panels, one military and one civilian, to review the raid.

Findings released on Monday from an Israeli military-commissioned report found flawed planning and intelligence gathering but concluded the commandos were justified in opening fire after being confronted by violent pro-Palestinian activists.

The mandate of the civilian inquiry is limited to investigating the legality of the operation. Two international observers have been attached to the civilian

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Israeli navy on alert as Libyan aid ship heads for Gaza

Experience Israeli navy on alert as Libyan aid ship heads for Gaza

Israel has strictly maintained its blockade of Gaza port. Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP
A Libyan ship carrying aid and activists is heading for Gaza in a mission that Israel has described as an "unnecessary provocation".

The Israeli navy is monitoring the vessel's progress and preparing to intervene if it continues on a course to Gaza.

"I say very clearly, no ship will arrive in Gaza. We will not permit our sovereignty to be harmed," the foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, said in a radio broadcast.

The ship, Amalthea, sailed from Greece at the weekend. It is carrying up to 15 activists and 2,000 tonnes of food and medicine, according to the organisers, a charity chaired by a son of the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

The new attempt to break the naval blockade of Gaza comes six weeks after the Israeli navy's lethal interception of a flotilla, in which nine Turkish activists were killed. The assault prompted a wave of international condemnation and resulted in Israel agreeing to ease its blockade of Gaza.

However, it is strictly maintaining its sea blockade, saying it fears that any relaxation could lead to arms being shipped to militants in Gaza.

The Amalthea's captain was quoted as saying: "I haven't received any instructions to change the ship's original course. I am sailing to Gaza." The crew were expecting to reach Gaza on Wednesday.

"We hope the Israelis will not ban the ship from entering the port of Gaza," Youssef Sawani, director of the Libyan charity organising the trip, told Reuters.

"If they decide to do so we have no means to object to that. This is a peaceful mission. Our sole goal and intention is to have the goods delivered to those who need it. It is not to make an event or a show in high seas."

Israel has made intense diplomatic efforts to ensure the Amalthea does not approach Gaza.

Greece, from where the boat sailed, Moldova, under whose flag the boat is operating, and Egypt all agreed the Amalthea should be directed to El-Arish in Egypt, where its cargo would be unloaded, inspected and transferred to Gaza, Israeli officials said.

Gabriela Shalev, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, wrote to the secretary general Ban Ki-moon, saying: "This mission is completely unwarranted ... We are deeply concerned that the true nature of its actions remains dubious."

She urged the international community to exert influence on Libya "to prevent the ship from departing to the Gaza Strip".

A spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry said: "We are concerned about another political provocation. Libya is not a country that is heading efforts to protect human rights."
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2010