Former Israeli Air Force combat pilot evades coast guards to get on Gaza-bound boat
Former Israeli Air Force combat pilot evades coast guards to get on Gaza-bound boat
Swedish Ship to Gaza
Former Israeli Air Force combat pilot
boards Gaza-bound boat
Came by motor boat, evading Greek
coastguard, greeted with cheers
"Estelle" due at Gaza shore
Saturday or Sunday
Activists on board:"Determined to
reach Gaza, consent to UN inspection"
Israeli peace activist Yonatan Shapira, who had
been a combat pilot in the Israeli Air Force and refused to take part in the
bombing of Palestinian cities, has arrived on board the Swedish boat
"Estelle" which is making her way towards the coast of Gaza. When the
Estelle passed near the shores of Greece, Shapira and other activists made
their way in a motor boat, evading vessels of the Greek Coast Guard which
sought to bar their way. "Along with the Greek Coast Guard we saw a
ship which seemed very much like an Israeli Navy vessel, though it did not fly
a flag" said Shapira. He was received with cheers by activists already on
board. Shapira had taken part in a similar sailing last year, being taken off
by Israeli Navy Commandos near the Gaza shore and spending time in police
detention, but not charged with any criminal offence.
Meanwhile, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor has sent a letter calling on the United Nations to stop the Estelle from reaching her destination. To this activists on board respond: "If this means that Israel has decided to cede control over Palestinian territorial waters to the UN, this would actually be a step forward.
The UN and many other representatives of the
International Community have for years characterized the siege of the Gaza
strip as inhuman and incompatible with International Law.
Ship to Gaza Sweden assumes that that UN will not
take over the implementation of this policy, by itself preventing a peaceful
vessel from delivering humanitarian supplies.
Ship to Gaza and the Freedom Flotilla have never
opposed lawful inspections of cargo and vessel by representatives of the UN, as
well as by national authorities in the ports and waters we have passed
through. We welcome further inspections of this kind by the UN, once we have
anchored at Gaza City. What we refuse to accept is something which also the UN
and the majority of The International Community oppose: The illegal siege of
the Gaza Strip, with its devastating humanitarian results.
The Estelle has now set course to Gaza and, weather
permitting, is due to get there on Saturday.
Adam Keller, Spokesperson of Gush Shalom, who is in
ongoing contact with the Estelle activists, says that Israel's Prime Minister
and Defense Minister still have some forty-eight hours' grace to make a wise
and courageous decision, avoid another show of Israeli brute force in
international waters and let the Estelle dock at the Port of Gaza – while
implementing a thorough UN inspection of her cargo, to which the activists specifically
consent.
Satellite phone to Estelle: +870773234011
Ship to Gaza-Sverige
Spokespersons:
Dror Feiler: +46 702855777
Mattias Gardell: +46
703036666
Ann Ighe: +46 709740739
Victoria Strand + 46 727356564
Media coordinator:
Mikael Löfgren: +46 707983643
Gush Shalom
Spokesperson
|
posted by Mohamed S Kamel @ 9:23 PM
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