Israel Navy contacts Gaza-bound aid vessels
The Israel Navy has made initial radio contact with the vessels Tahrir and Saoirse, which are sailing toward the Gaza Strip, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson said in an announcement Friday.
The Israel Navy notified the vessels that the area they were en- route to, off the coast of Gaza, was under a maritime security blockade in accordance with the international law, and advised the vessels that they could turn back at any point, thereby not breaking the maritime security blockade, the announcement said.
In addition, Israel Navy soldiers presented the activists on board with the legal options of transferring supplies to the Gaza via the existing land crossings and after coordinating with the relevant Israeli authorities.
The activists on board refused to heed the navy's call and refused to act in accordance with the instructions they were given. The flotilla is now heading toward the area under closure.
The activists set sail from Turkey Wednesday aboard the Tahrir and Saoirse ships carrying medical supplies. The Israeli military had said it would not permit them to breach its blockade.
According to flotilla organizers, Israel Navy ships are about 11 kilometers from their vessels, Israel Radio reported. The organizers instructed the activists not to resist IDF forces should they be stopped.
An IDF spokesperson said earlier that the "Israel Navy is prepared to stop vessels attempting to break the maritime security blockade on Gaza."
The United States warned Thursday that the new effort by pro- Palestinian activists to send the flotilla to challenge Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip was dangerous and urged U.S. citizens not to take part.
In May 2010, nine Turkish activists, including one with dual U. S.-Turkish nationality, were killed in an Israeli raid on a similar convoy, which nearly ruptured the ties between Turkey and Israel.
Editor: Fang Yang
English.news.cn 2011-11-04 21:08:33 FeedbackPrintRSS
JERUSALEM, Nov. 4 (Xinhua)
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