Israeli Government Threats of Using Force Behind Delay of the Free Gaza Ship Sailing to Gaza

IOG threatens activists boarding siege-breaking vessels

[ 17/08/2008 - 10:04 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

MP Jamal Al-Khudari, the chairman of the popular committee against the Israeli siege of Gaza Strip, has revealed that international activists boarding the siege-breaking ships heading to the Gaza Strip within the few coming days had received threats.

Khudari told a press conference in Gaza on Saturday that the Israeli occupation authority is responsible for those threats in its capacity as the sole party that objected to the arrival of the ships and said it would block them.

He explained that the threats were directly voiced on phone or indirectly through other means, adding that their families were also threatened.

The MP said that threats would not deter or terrorize those activists but rather would boost their determination to go ahead with their mission of solidarity.

The ships are heading to Gaza to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and the one and a half million besieged people in the Gaza Strip, Khudari highlighted, noting that the activists were of various nationalities and different age categories but all were boarding the ships for the single goal of drawing the world's attention to the plight of Gaza and to the IOA's collective punishment against its inhabitants.

He said that the activists plan to anchor at Gaza, tour its various districts and return with sick and stranded people after delivering their shipment of relief.

A position paper by the Israeli foreign ministry's legal department says Israel has the right to use force against the demonstrators as part of the "Oslo Accords, which names Israel as responsible for Gaza's territorial waters".

An Israeli official said the foreign ministry's paper means that security forces could detain the vessels upon entry to Gaza's territorial waters, arrest the passengers and haul the ship to Israel, where the detainees could be interrogated.

Threats to Free Gaza Ship illuminate Israeli stance on mission

Date: 17 / 08 / 2008 Time: 19:19
[Ma'anImages]
Bethlehem – Ma'an –

Reports released Sunday give the first indications as to what the Israeli response to the Free Gaza Ship will be.

Reports claim that Israel is pressuring Cyprus, from where the Free Gaza ship will launch, to halt the voyage. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has also voiced concern over the project.

Initially scheduled to set sail on 5 August, the ship has been delayed; waiting for the right meteorological, and political conditions for the small craft to embark on their voyage. Until now it is unclear what the exact nature of the Israeli response to the Free Gaza ship will be.

On Sunday, however, Israeli press articles hinted at the response that might be expected.

One newspaper reported that the Israeli occupation government foreign ministry said that it "is within its [the foreign ministry's] rights to use force against the seafarers."

"Allowing the ships to reach the Gaza coastline could create a dangerous precedent," the article continued. The statement, it was reported, came after several meetings of Israeli officials on the possible courses of action for the impending arrival of the Free Gaza ship to Gaza.

According to the Israeli occupation navy, there have been no official instructions given as to how to proceed when the ship is encountered.

An official paper issued from the Foreign Ministry cites the Oslo Accords as those which give Israel the right to patrol Gaza waters.

In a statement issued Sunday, the Free Gaza movement reminded Israel that the accords expired in 1999. The accords, in fact, were never fully implemented, and are considered by most to have been a failure now defunct.

The Free Gaza statement, responding to rumours of the use of force against their vessel, stated:

"We are nonviolent human rights activists and we have vowed to take no violent action, in either word or deed, against any other human beings - including against Israeli government and military officials who, apparently, wish us harm."

The ships sailing to Gaza hope to open the port near Gaza City. If they land it will be the first international vessel to dock in Gaza for over a year, and will effectively open Gaza's sea border and break the three year siege on the area.

The movement is prepared to be stopped by the Israeli Navy on their way into Gaza waters. Where the boat is stopped, and the justification given for any Israeli military altercation with the ship, will shed light on the current Israeli mechanisms being used to sustain the Gaza blockade.

Israel unilaterally withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005. The document laying out the terms of the withdrawal stated that "Israel will guard and monitor the external land perimeter of the Gaza Strip, will continue to maintain exclusive authority in Gaza air space, and will continue to exercise security activity in the sea off the coast of the Gaza Strip."

The document also stated, however, that "Israel recognizes the great importance of the continued activity of international humanitarian organizations assisting the Palestinian population. Israel will coordinate with these organizations arrangements to facilitate this activity."

The Free Gaza ship is a Humanitarian vessel bringing needed supplies into the area and has no violent or military intentions. The group has also corresponded with Israeli occupation government foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, among other Israeli officials, and invited them to the welcome ceremony in Gaza.

There has been no Israeli response telling the Free Gaza ship that they are unwelcome in Gaza waters.

In its statement, however, the Israeli Foreign Ministry does not site the unilateral withdrawal paper in its justification for using force. Rather, they cite the 1993 Osli agreement.

The 1993 accord, officially titled "The Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements is the main agreement signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation," does not give any concrete information on the status of the sea border for the Gaza strip. The agreement sets out terms for future cooperation on development projects including a sea port in Gaza, but there has been no cooperation regarding any of these issues since the mid 1990s.

If Israel is still operating within parameters of the Oslo accords, than the ship should be halted 20 nautical miles off the cost of Gaza.

Threats to the crew may indicate popular reactions to the mission

Some of the crew of the ship has reported that they have received threatening phone calls warning them that the ships will be sunk on their way to Gaza.

Lauren Booth, sister in law of former British Prime Minister and current Middle East Quartet Envoy Tony Blair, reported receiving a call at her family home in France. An anonymous caller told her husband "your wife is in great danger. These ships will be blown up.

Israeli sources: Israel may attack 'Free Gaza' boats

Sunday August 17, 2008 21:03 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

As a group of non-violent activists and journalists from Israel, the U.S., Europe and around the world set sail from Cyprus to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza by boat, Israeli officials have told Israeli media sources that they will not hesitate to use force against the boats.

Tom Nelson, a lawyers from Portland, Oregon, USA, and one of the participants in the 'Free Gaza' movement, told the IMEMC that the group is simply trying to bring much-needed medical and food supplies into the besieged Gaza Strip. Nelson added that the participants in the boat action are all veterans of the non-violent movement in Palestine, and most have had the experience of being shot at by Israeli forces while engaging in non-violent action in the past.

According to the Israeli media, Israeli military officials stated that the Israeli Navy would be 'within its rights' to use force against the boats. The Foreign Ministry has issued a position paper stating that under the Oslo Accords, Israel has the right to use force against the demonstrators, as the Oslo Accords (of 1993) name Israel as responsible for the territorial waters of Gaza. But Palestinians contend that subsequent signed agreements, such as the Camp David Accord (2000) and the Gaza disengagement plan (2005) give the Palestinians the right to the use of their shoreline. Palestinian fishermen who fish off the coast of Gaza face constant harassment from Israeli warships stationed just off the coast, and are often fired upon with shells and missiles.

Israel has held the entire population of 1.4 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip under complete siege for over a year, preventing food, fuel, medical supplies and other necessities from entering the Strip. UN Agencies have warned of a fast-increasing humanitarian crisis due to the lack of needed goods, malnutrition rates among children are soaring, and over 150 patients have died from lack of medical care, and from being denied exit from Gaza to receive the medical care they are unable to get in the Strip.

Israeli officials claim that the siege is for 'security reasons', but human rights groups in Palestine, Israel and around the world call this type of siege warfare a form of 'collective punishment' – punishing an entire population for the actions of a few – which is a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the International Declaration of Human Rights, and other international human rights conventions.

The 'Free Gaza' movement is attempting to break the siege with a shipment of several tons of food and medicine. There are 60 participants travelling on several boats through the Mediterranean to try to reach the shore of the Gaza Strip, where they plan to give the humanitarian aid to the Palestinian civilian population.

Israeli officials have said that they fear the shipment would be used by the democratically-elected Hamas government in Gaza to garner support for its party. But 'Free Gaza' participants have stated on multiple occasions, openly and publicly, that tey are completely unaffiliated with any political party, and their only aim is to bring aid to a suffering civilian population.

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