Cyprus lets activists sail to Gaza, despite Israeli siege - Haaretz

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Last update - 08:58 21/08/2008

Cyprus lets activists sail to Gaza, despite Israeli siege

By The Associated Press

Tags: Gaza Strip, Cyprus, blockade

LARNACA, Cyprus - Cyprus will allow two boats carrying members of a U.S.-based activist group to sail for Gaza in defiance of Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory, authorities here said Wednesday.

The two wooden sailboats have passed a safety inspection, Cyprus' Merchant Shipping Director Serghios Serghiou said.

He said the boats have also been given safety certificates from Greece, where the vessels are registered.

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We have not prohibited the departure of the boat, Serghiou told The Associated Press.

Protest organizer Paul Larudee said the boats - the 21-meterFree Gaza and 18-meter Liberty - will set sail around midnight tonight from Larnaca port for the estimated 30-hour trip.

Members of the Free Gaza protest group said some 40 activists from 16 countries, including 81-year-old Catholic nun Anne Montgomery, will attempt to break the blockade Israel imposed on Gaza last year in a bid to set a precedent for others to follow.

They plan to deliver 200 hearing aids to a Palestinian charity for children and hand out 5,000 balloons.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said the ministry had told activists in a letter that all humanitarian aid should be delivered through Israeli-controlled border crossings. But Mekel refused to say how Israel would respond if the activists tried to break the blockade.

Thomas Nelson, 64, said the group expects the Israeli navy to intercept the boats and arrest those onboard. The Portland, Oregon-based attorney said activists plan to resist any attempts to arrest them in a non-violent way.

Nelson said there is no security threat to Israel here, except the truth and Israel is afraid of the truth.

Nelson said lawyers from the U.S.-based National Lawyers' Guild would file legal action against Israel in an appropriate legal forum if Israeli authorities kidnap activists in international waters.

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1.	Sigh, another bunch of "non-violence" dupes	07:08	\|	Joe Sittizen	21/08/08

2.	Clash of the Titans (Lawyers)	07:33	\|	Mark of Lewiston	21/08/08

3.	Send it to Africa!! (Have you seen anyone w/hunger in Gaza??)	07:54	\|	Alain	21/08/08

4.	Let them land!	09:35	\|	Yonatan	21/08/08

5.	#1 Joe Sittizen	09:37	\|	Jim	21/08/08

6.	To Joe Sittizen	09:39	\|	Gazawi	21/08/08

7.	Israeli citizens	09:47	\|	Suzy	21/08/08

8.	another crooked report	09:51	\|	raymond deane	21/08/08

9.	None of Israel`s Business?	11:34	\|	Slibovitz	21/08/08

10.	OLMERT, LET THEM IN TO GAZA!! THEN THEY`LL SEE!!	11:35	\|	Dan	21/08/08

11.	Learn PALs Learn!	12:07	\|	Kevin	21/08/08

12.	Heddy Epstein is not a Holocaust Survivor	12:08	\|	Slibovitz	21/08/08

13.	Anti-Zionist Jews are on the boats. So what?	12:12	\|	Slibovitz	21/08/08

14.	An Epic Movie, the Pride of Humanity	12:13	\|	Kevin	21/08/08

15.	Troblemakers	12:46	\|	US CITIZEN	21/08/08

16.	#1 Aid packages to Portland	13:43	\|	Aphemia	21/08/08

17.	I.S.M is a self confessed Palestinian organised front.	13:43	\|	PETER SM	21/08/08

18.	Bravo, brave ship, sail on ! The winds are with you ! The divine	14:22	\|	lakshmi	21/08/08

19.	#6 Lie that she is Holocaust Survivor	14:33	\|	Liliane	21/08/08

20.	#2MARK IS CLUELESS AS TO MARITIME LAWS	14:53	\|	x marks the spot	21/08/08

21.	Gaza waters are officially a war zone - treat accordingly	15:36	\|	Arie	21/08/08

22.	A solution	15:39	\|	Arie	21/08/08

23.	Very sad	15:55	\|	A mother	21/08/08

24.	Ignorance on display as ever	16:14	\|	Sylvie	21/08/08

25.	Pallywood propaganda	17:20	\|	utagawa	21/08/08

26.	Slibovitz #12	17:28	\|	mariapalestina	21/08/08

27.	Partial activists	18:36	\|	tom	21/08/08

28.	20 X - Proving Their Point	21:24	\|	Mark of Lewiston	21/08/08

29.	#26 - MariaPalestina	21:44	\|	Slibovitz	21/08/08

30.	SLIBOWITZ	22:14	\|	Shoshanna	21/08/08

31.	Thanks	22:44	\|	Bea	21/08/08

32.	Lesson for Shoshanna	23:10	\|	Slibovitz	21/08/08

33.	#26 Slibovitz twisting Finkelstein`s words	23:13	\|	Kevin	21/08/08

34.	Slibowitz, one of Israel`s worst enemies...	00:21	\|	BBSNews	22/08/08

35.	#21 Errrrr, no, they are not, Arie	01:41	\|	Johnboy	22/08/08

36.	Good luck to the sailors	01:56	\|	jjvanka	22/08/08

37.	Arie (#21)	01:59	\|	jjvanka	22/08/08

38.	Bravo!	03:23	\|	Maggie	22/08/08

39.	Peace ships	03:35	\|	Mitch Katz	22/08/08

40.	Slibowitz, one of Israel`s worst enemies... - 3rd try	04:12	\|	BBSNews	22/08/08

41.	mariapalestina..Thank you	04:41	\|	LB	22/08/08

42.	How about a little sympathy for the US and Israel, we both suffer	12:01	\|	Rod	22/08/08

43.	Welcome publicity	00:35	\|	jjvanka	23/08/08

44.	Come on Slibo, Keep it up....	01:24	\|	Gray	23/08/08

45.	Extremists Are Terrified By Exposure	07:20	\|	Gray	23/08/08

46.	Confront Crimes; Past and Present	07:27	\|	Gray	23/08/08

47.	Nelson is a Muslim	19:42	\|	Dvir	24/08/08

48.	Tom Nelson is Muslim-Communist Lawyer	22:15	\|	Lee Kaplan	24/08/08

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