Saturday, December 20, 2008
Latest Free Gaza ship docks; fifth since August - Israeli Navy demand ignored

Date: 20 / 12 / 2008 Time: 09:35
www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=34104

Gaza - Ma'an - A ship of civil society activists from around the globe
arrived in the Gaza Strip from Larnaca Port in Cyprus Saturday morning after
being accosted by Israeli warships.

The craft, the SS Dignity, pulled into Gaza Port at 8:00 am after the
Israeli Navy threatened to board and remove two Israelis from the boat.

"We know you have Israelis on board, so either turn back, or we will board
and take them off," said a voice on the ship's radio, the Free Gaza Movement
said in a statement.

"We are going to Gaza," Huwaida Arraf, the delegation leader, reportedly
replied.

Neta Golan, one of the Israelis on board and a co-founder of the
International Solidarity Movement stated, "Countries that commit crimes
against humanity often hide those crimes from their own people. Israel is
doing exactly that by not allowing Israelis to come in to witness what they
are doing in our name."

The Dignity also carried two envoys from the Eid Charity of Qatar who are
going to Gaza to "assess the tragedy there." They will return with concrete
proposals on what Qatar can do "to help alleviate Israel's collective
punishment of the 1.5 million Palestinians."

"This is just the beginning. We are delighted that we are finally able to
see the shores of Gaza and be the first Arab envoys to arrive. We will see
how we can work together to help relieve this terrible situation in Gaza,"
said Alaze Al-Qahtani.

"Everyone said it couldn't be done, that we would never be able to get to
Gaza. But we have now arrived for the fifth time," Darlene Wallach said.

"Now, other ships, especially cargo ships, need to follow in our wake,"
Wallach added.

The ship, carrying two members of the Qatari People's Initiative, is the
fifth Free-Gaza voyage to join what Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC)
member Al-Khudari has called the "ships' uprising."

Al-Khudari added that more such ships would follow, such as a Lebanese
vessel and a European parliamentarians' ship, which is due to arrive early
in January 2009.