The Israeli government has intercepted two small boats sailing toward Gaza that were preparing to challenge its maritime blockade of the Palestinian coastal enclave, the New York Times is reporting. The military has said it will prevent the boats, which are Canadian and Irish and carrying 27 pro-Palestinian activists, from reaching Gaza.
The Israeli government warned the boats that they were headed to a blockaded area. It then advised them both to either turn back, or sail to a port in Egypt or Israel. Yigal Palmor, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in a statement that the boats had stopped sailing. The Israeli navy will only board the boats if all attempts to contact the crew have failed.
The Israeil authorities view the attempts to break the blockade by the boats, which both sailed from a Turkish port on November 2, 2011, as a provocation to embarrass Israel and undermine its security. The interception comes after Israeli commandos raided a large flotilla in May 2010, and fatally shot eight Turkish protesters and an American youth of Turkish descent.
Ehab Lotayef, an organizer on the Canadian boat of Egyptian descendant, said in a video message that the participants “are not going to challenge Israel physically. We are a peaceful mission that is committed to the safety of the personnel on board” the two vessels.
Written by: Karen Benardello
