Dec. 3, 2008 AP and Yaakov Katz , THE JERUSALEM POST

Leaders of Israel's Arab community say they'll head to Gaza on a boat laden with humanitarian aid to defy their government's blockade of the territory.

Zahi Nujeidat, a spokesman for Israel's Islamic Movement, said dozens of Arab Israelis will set sail Sunday from the Israeli port of Jaffa. It is the first such aid shipment sent from Israel.

So far, international activists have made three successful boat trips from Cyprus to Gaza. However, Israel's navy turned away a Libyan vessel earlier this week. Despite the blockade, more ships plan to set sail, including from Qatar.

Israel and Egypt imposed a closure on Gaza after militant group Hamas seized power in June 2007.

The Navy turned away th Al Marwa on Monday, ending the first effort by a sovereign country to break the blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory.

The boat was stopped as it approached Gaza after leaving Port Said in Egypt on Sunday. The Navy radioed the vessel and ordered it to turn back, officials said, noting that force was not used.

In Gaza's small port, spectators, journalists and dozens of porters had assembled to await the arrival of the Libyan ship.

A senior Libyan government official told the Associated Press that the ship would return to Libya.

"The Israeli warships are making it difficult for the ship to reach the Gaza coast, in spite of the fact that this is a civilian ship sent to help Palestinians during the siege," the official said.

Last summer when I said the first boats must be stopped this is the reason why.