Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 05-10-2016

The Israeli navy has intercepted a sailboat carrying pro-Palestinian females activists trying to break the country’s decade-long blockade of the Gaza Strip saying it was escorting the vessel to the port of Ashdod.

In a statement on Wednesday the Israeli navy says its forces had “redirected” the Zaytouna-Oliva in order to prevent a “breach of the lawful maritime blockade” of the Palestinian enclave.

The Israeli navy says the takeover was brief and there were no injuries — avoiding a repeat of violence seen during a 2010 takeover of an international flotilla the Mavi Maramara in which 10 Turks were killed in clashes with Israeli troops.

Thirteen women, including South African Olympian Leigh-Ann Naidoo and 1976 Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Maguire, were travelling aboard the Zaytouna-Oliva in the Mediterranean towards Gaza when it was intercepted by the Israeli navy.

Dubbed “Women’s Boat to Gaza”, the Zaytouna-Oliva set sail from Barcelona in September and was carrying women of various nationalities in addition to Naidoo and Maguire.

Zaher Darwish, one of the coordinators of the flotilla, says the boat was intercepted about 40 miles (60 kilometers) from Gaza and was not carrying any aid.

He says the goal was “symbolic” – to call attention to the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, which he called illegal.

“People have the right to move. We have the right to move,” Darwish said. “We are aiming to the conscience of the people. And the conscience of governments. They have to act and express their non-acceptance of this situation.”

Israel and Palestinian fighters in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008.

While UN officials have called for the blockade to be lifted, saying conditions are deteriorating in Gaza, Israel maintains it to keep material it claims could be used for military purposes from entering the impoverished enclave of 1.9 million people.

Earlier on Wednesday, Israel’s military struck several areas as  Gaza came under attack after a rocket launched from the Palestinian enclave hit the nearby Israeli city of Sderot, with no casualties reported on either side.

– Agencies

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