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Last update - 08:28 25/08/2008
Israel not planning to detain activists' boats leaving Gaza
By Amos Harel
Tags: Israel, Gaza Strip 

Israel is not currently planning to stop or inspect two boats full of left-wing activists when they leave Gaza, because there is no intelligence indicating that the activists plan to smuggle wanted terrorists out of the Strip.

The activists do apparently plan to smuggle out two students who received Fulbright scholarships in the United States, but were denied U.S. visas on security grounds. However, the defense establishment's current thinking is that a clash over this issue would simply play into the activists' hands by generating media attention.

At Washington's request, Israel has already allowed five other Fulbright scholars to leave Gaza.
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The decision not to stop the boats from reaching Gaza was made last Wednesday night in a phone call between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak. But as of the weekend, defense officials had still not ruled out stopping the boats for inspection when they leave the Strip, for fear that wanted terrorists may escape on them.

Wednesday's decision followed several weeks in which the defense establishment had explored various options for preventing the boats from docking, including diplomatic efforts to persuade Cyprus to prevent them from sailing - which failed - and nonviolent means of persuading the boats to turn around before reaching Gaza. Throughout these discussions, however, defense officials had expressed opposition to using force, reasoning that a well-publicized clash between the Israel Defense Forces and unarmed activists was exactly what the latter wanted.

IDF officers explained to Haaretz that there were no grounds for using force, because the boats presented no security risk: None of the activists was known to be involved in terrorist activity, and intelligence assessments deemed them unlikely to try to smuggle arms into Gaza. Indeed, if Israel had a coast guard, the IDF would not have been involved at all in the incident, since the issue is purely one of law and order, they said.

The General Staff therefore concluded that forcibly preventing the boats from landing would be a mistake, and would merely play into the activists' hands. That recommendation was endorsed by Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, and later by Barak.

However, defense sources stressed, this does not mean Israel will respond in the same way to other such attempts. "The Palestinians shouldn't think we'll enable them to bring in another 'Karine A' in the future," said one, referring to the ship laden with weapons that the navy intercepted en route to Gaza in 2002.

DPA adds: Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa praised the boat activists Sunday for successfully challenging Israel's blockade on Gaza. "These Palestinian supporters who have endured hardship to deliver their message to the world and to express their objection to the harsh siege on Gaza, deserve every support and appreciation," Moussa said in a statement. He added that he hoped they would spark a broader movement to defy the blockade by Arab and international activists.

Related articles:
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  • The view from the boat / 'Ordinary people can do something'
  • Israel threatens protesters against sailing to Gaza
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      1.   Smuggling out will gather as much attention 03:28  |  * BEN JABO 25/08/08
      2.   How will getting the kids out help? 03:33  |  Aphemia 25/08/08
      3.   Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, said... 04:48  |  Akiva P 25/08/08
      4.   Aphemia: these geniuses aren`t thinking that far 05:07  |  Realist 25/08/08
      5.   Aphemia,#2, send them to russia 06:21  |  Voice of Reason 25/08/08
      6.   blokade 07:17  |  bystander 25/08/08
      7.   israel lost this fight and will lose many more to come! 08:15  |  lakshmi 25/08/08
      8.   bystander 08:16  |  keesmeess 25/08/08
      9.   Bystander, #6 08:22  |  Michael 25/08/08
      10.   bystander 09:04  |  scallywag 25/08/08
      11.   2 Aphemia - They Might make Good Theatre 09:34  |  Mark of Lewiston 25/08/08
      12.   # 6 questioning the blockade issue 09:58  |  sharon 25/08/08
      13.   LAKSHMI Where was the "fight"? How many hurt? 10:14  |  PETER SM 25/08/08
      14.   BYSTANDER Bombing Israeli civillians is war.War includes blockade 10:18  |  PETER SM 25/08/08
      15.   Israel ennemy 14:13  |  Ralph 25/08/08
      16.   #6 bystander 18:50  |  Lynn 25/08/08
      17.   Good Idea 19:13  |  Mark Lincoln 25/08/08
      18.   I`ll start taking these people seriously when they`ve flown their 19:30  |  ivo 25/08/08
      19.   It`s Called "Projecting" 19:31  |  Gray 25/08/08
      20.   ISM honchos duped the rank and file 19:51  |  Scharker Yid 25/08/08
      21.   No Gray, it`s called wishful thinking 20:28  |  Realist 25/08/08
      22.   The Gazans are dissatisfied with the gifts 21:09  |  x-ray 25/08/08
      23.   21 Realist, sour grapes! These intrepid organisers accomplished 21:10  |  lakshmi 25/08/08
      24.   Yes, Gray, I agree. 21:19  |  Sylvie 25/08/08
      25.   Lakshmi -- did you find that article yet? 21:53  |  bbl 25/08/08
      26.   #21 Realist--- exactly! 22:04  |  Malone 25/08/08
      27.   Gray -- who do you think your audience is? 22:05  |  bbl 25/08/08
      28.   Gray -- it`s a non story 22:13  |  bbl 25/08/08
      29.   let them go home and cry about not getting having any propoganda 22:28  |  zionist forever 25/08/08
      30.   Bon voyage and good riddance! 23:06  |  Harvey 25/08/08
      31.   Israel not planning to detain activists` boats 23:10  |  henia 25/08/08
      32.   lakshmi, Israel proved it blockades arms,terror, not aid & clowns 23:26  |  Realist 25/08/08
      33.   Lakshmi -- how many boats had been stopped? 23:44  |  bbl 25/08/08
      34.   # 18 ivo 23:49  |  Axel 25/08/08
      35.   # 26 bbl 23:52  |  Axel 25/08/08
      36.   For Peter SM # 14 00:26  |  Clickfool 26/08/08
      37.   bbl; My "lies"..... from another Liberty Liar 00:41  |  Gray 26/08/08
      38.   where is shalit? 00:41  |  bobby 26/08/08
      39.   Boats not to be detained 00:42  |  graczek 26/08/08
      40.   Another example of the arrogance 01:03  |  Jess Ghannam 26/08/08
      41.   Gray, no doubt you`ll be replying to bbl`s fatuous remarks! 02:42  |  lakshmi 26/08/08
      42.   bbl ...Exposing another Liberty Liar 02:55  |  Gray 26/08/08
      43.   lakshimi; I`ve submitted .... 02:59  |  Gray 26/08/08
      44.   lakshimi; #32....just waiting for the "mail" 04:06  |  Gray 26/08/08
      45.   LAKSHMI10 seperate US investigations are all part of a conspiracy 04:10  |  PETER SM 26/08/08
      46.   Interesting Twist on the Old Adage 04:35  |  JP 26/08/08
      47.   Clearing up Liberty Lies...for bbl 06:28  |  Gray 26/08/08
      48.   The USS Liberty Part 1 06:33  |  Ramius 26/08/08
      49.   lakshimi; Haaretz quit posting just before.... 06:43  |  Gray 26/08/08
      50.   USS Liberty Part 2 07:00  |  Ramius 26/08/08
      51.   bbl: My "lies"...?Here`s your chance.... 07:07  |  Gray 26/08/08
      52.   What Siege 07:08  |  Dani 26/08/08
      53.   gray 07:17  |  zionist forever 26/08/08
      54.   #32 - Sure Lakshmi 07:18  |  JES 26/08/08
      55.   realist - sour grapes? 07:34  |  Mary Hughes 26/08/08
      56.   Gray, here`s a corrected URL 09:03  |  BBSNews 26/08/08
      57.   #30 graczek 09:05  |  Franco 26/08/08
      58.   #55 Mary Hughes 11:04  |  Franco 26/08/08
      59.   Axel #34: I didn`t know you were the referee on who`s qualified - 11:46  |  ivo 26/08/08
      60.   54 JES and Gray: Gray thanks for the link,I plan to look into it. 13:49  |  lakshmi 26/08/08
      61.   55 Mary Hughes, spot on! israel lost this fight and will lose 13:58  |  lakshmi 26/08/08
      62.   Liberty 16:01  |  Frances 26/08/08
      63.   Lakshmi -- afraid or unable to answer my questions? 19:41  |  bbl 26/08/08
      64.   63 bbl,no point in baiting me about the citation! I told you a 20:17  |  lakshmi 26/08/08
      65.   Lakshmi -- why is this the first ship? 21:25  |  bbl 26/08/08
      66.   Ramius; WHY DID ISRAEL STRAFE THE LIFEBOATS?" 22:22  |  Gray 26/08/08
      67.   50 Ramius, check my post to JES at 60. concerning the 23:16  |  lakshmi 26/08/08
      68.   #15 Ralph 02:34  |  Jim 27/08/08
      69.   65 bbl,your questions are getting curiouser and curiouser! 14:08  |  lakshmi 27/08/08
      70.   lakshimi; I think that if "bbl" will.. 19:08  |  Gray 27/08/08
      71.   Axel - You can`t be taken seriously 14:48  |  * BEN JABO 28/08/08
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