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Last update - 14:39 30/08/2008
'Free Gaza' blockade-busting boats planning a second voyage
By News Agencies
Tags: activist, gaza, israel 

Two boatloads of international protesters who defied Israel's blockade of Gaza sailed into Cyprus' Larnaca port late Friday, carrying seven Gaza Palestinians who had been confined to the territory.

Some 32 protesters escorted the Palestinians on the 30-hour voyage that they hailed as effectively ending Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory.

"It's opened the door to everything," said U.S.-based Free Gaza Group organizer, American Paul Larudee. He said the way is now clear to deliver humanitarian assistance and ferry people in and out. Free Gaza plans a second trip to Gaza within the next month.
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Protester Derek Graham, 40, an electrician from Ireland said the group wants to start a regular ferry service linking Gaza to the east Mediterranean island to keep the borders open.

The two small boats sailed into Gaza last Saturday to protest Israel's yearlong blockade of Gaza, imposed after the Islamic militant group Hamas overran the territory. Since then, Israel has allowed only minimal humanitarian supplies to enter, causing shortages and hardship. Few Gazans are permitted to leave due to Israeli and Egyptian travel restrictions.

Israeli officials said the decision to allow the boats to reach Gaza and then to sail back to Cyprus was an attempt to deny the protesters a propaganda victory.

A group of 50 well-wishers greeted the protesters and Palestinians at dockside. Each passenger was handed a red rose as he or she disembarked.

Some protesters displayed Palestinian passports that Gaza authorities had issued them.

The Palestinians include a Palestinian teenager who protesters said had lost his left leg from the hip to an Israeli tank shell explosion two years ago.

Saed Musleh, 15, accompanied by his father Khaled, sailed to Cyprus in hopes of being fitted with an artificial limb either on the island, or another country.

Free Gaza member, Palestinian Musheir Elfarra, 47, said Palestinian authorities agreed to cover the teenager's medical expenses. An ambulance took Musleh to Larnaca General Hospital for a checkup.

"I hope all my fellow children who lost limbs can get out of Gaza and get artificial limbs," Musleh said through an interpreter. "I hope the entire world follows the example of this group of activists who broke the siege."

Also among the Palestinians was a mother and her four children who were reunited with her Cyprus-based brother after a decade.

Aiman Soboh, owner of Limassol-based company Soboh Petroleum hugged and kissed his sister Maha and her children aged between 4 and 18 after Cypriot officials cleared their paperwork.

"I feel very happy," said Maha. "It's very bad there, it's like a prison. ... I wish for freedom in Palestine."

Soboh said his sister and children would remain on the island until they decide where they want to live permanently. Among their options is Canada.

Larudee said one of the two boats would make the trip back to Gaza in two to four weeks time loaded with medical supplies.

He said the boat would ferry more Palestinians to the island on the return trip after the passengers are vetted to ensure they have the appropriate travel documents.

Larudee said organizers would coordinate with Cypriot authorities to ensure no Palestinians are turned away.

Cyprus, which lies some 240 nautical miles west of Gaza, is generally viewed as sympathetic towards Palestinians. Members of a Cypriot peace group, with close ties to the present communist administration, met activists who arrived in the port of Larnaca on Friday.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire brokered by Egypt in June. As part of that deal Israel has eased its blockade of the territory, allowing in more humanitarian goods and medical equipment.

Related articles:
  • Israeli activist who sailed on protest boat to Gaza arrested
  • Cyprus lets activists sail to Gaza, despite Israeli siege
  • Israel: We let protest boat reach Gaza to stymie bad press
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      1.   The problem with peaceful resistance 00:53  |  judith 30/08/08
      2.   you shouldn`t say this! he doesn`t have a real life in Gaza? 02:03  |  Tamir Palestine 30/08/08
      3.   well...thanks to Cypriot people, sympathetic towards PA 02:09  |  Tamir Palestine 30/08/08
      4.   Actually this is a good Idea 02:28  |  Ramius 30/08/08
      5.   SERIOUSLY, HAARETZ?!?!? 03:07  |  Brant 30/08/08
      6.   This is an exellent idea 03:26  |  Shmulik 30/08/08
      7.   #2..Brant..exactly 03:34  |  Nemesis 30/08/08
      8.   The Pirates of the Med - minus Johhny Depp 04:02  |  Free Gilad Shalit 30/08/08
      9.   Generous hearts, daring souls! 04:28  |  Jim 30/08/08
      10.   Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Wonderful news 04:50  |  Kim 30/08/08
      11.   #1 Judith 05:00  |  Jim 30/08/08
      12.   #2 Tamir Palestine 05:09  |  Jim 30/08/08
      13.   The balloon heros` return on investement is zero 05:32  |  Realist 30/08/08
      14.   #9;Jim and La La Land 05:34  |  Doc Holliday 30/08/08
      15.   Jim, they are no peaceniks, they are Israel-haters 05:55  |  Realist 30/08/08
      16.   #5 Brant 05:56  |  Jim 30/08/08
      17.   #7 Nemesis 06:05  |  Jim 30/08/08
      18.   think again 06:20  |  Paul Freedman 30/08/08
      19.   You Know What? 06:40  |  Yosemite 30/08/08
      20.   #15 Realist 06:54  |  Jim 30/08/08
      21.   #10 Bravo Bravo 07:35  |  Strangelove 30/08/08
      22.   #14 Doc Holiday 07:56  |  Jim 30/08/08
      23.   Medical Supplies? 07:58  |  Jason 30/08/08
      24.   Judith - there is no problem with peaceful resistance. 08:34  |  Palestinian Brit 30/08/08
      25.   Realist....the world isn`t all about Israel 08:41  |  Palestinian Brit 30/08/08
      26.   Ferry to Gaza from Cyprus: great idea! 08:41  |  Ben Alofs 30/08/08
      27.   #26 Ben Alofs 09:08  |  Jim 30/08/08
      28.   Israel invites disaster 09:38  |  Mark 30/08/08
      29.   Let`s see if Israel tries to laugh his second visit off too 10:50  |  Clickfool 30/08/08
      30.   shmulik 10:52  |  scallywag 30/08/08
      31.   jim and the berlin air lift 11:10  |  scallywag 30/08/08
      32.   jim and the guns 11:13  |  scallywag 30/08/08
      33.   jim and the treatment 11:17  |  scallywag 30/08/08
      34.   50 well-wishers 11:20  |  scallywag 30/08/08
      35.   The blockade is now a sieve 11:39  |  Tzfonit 30/08/08
      36.   Judith, this is not peaceful resistance 11:44  |  Tzfonit 30/08/08
      37.   #129 boris the clucking fool and the med in winter 11:47  |  vhardman 30/08/08
      38.   The law of unintended consequences strikes again 11:59  |  Natallie Durson 30/08/08
      39.   ben alofs 12:00  |  scallywag 30/08/08
      40.   Now let`s see if ALL the "Shouters not Shooters" 12:06  |  Ari ben Yisrael 30/08/08
      41.   #32 scallywag 12:14  |  Boycott 30/08/08
      42.   #26 Erratum/Addendum re Gaza Community Mental Healt Program 12:21  |  Ben Alofs 30/08/08
      43.   boycott 12:49  |  scallywag 30/08/08
      44.   GOOD iDEA 13:06  |  Partha Ray 30/08/08
      45.   Ari ben Yisrael breaches my copyright # 40 13:07  |  Clickfool 30/08/08
      46.   For those interested in the GCMHP`s 5th international conference 13:07  |  Ben Alofs 30/08/08
      47.   Topics at the 5th international conference of the GCMHP 13:23  |  Ben Alofs 30/08/08
      48.   JIM IN MURFEESBORO, TN 13:46  |  Brant 30/08/08
      49.   Hello Ari Ben Yisrael, Re: the Shouters 13:46  |  Tzfonit 30/08/08
      50.   #40 If you want to see the real world of Gaza, Ari... 14:13  |  Ben Alofs 30/08/08
      51.   Thank you Jim 14:27  |  mary hughes 30/08/08
      52.   Ben Alofs 14:32  |  mary hughes 30/08/08
      53.   Scallywag 14:34  |  mary hughes 30/08/08
      54.   #50 re wordplay ben aFools 14:35  |  Ari ben Yisrael 30/08/08
      55.   israel has lost this fight and will lose many more to come! 14:40  |  lakshmi 30/08/08
      56.   Hi Tzfonit #49 14:53  |  Ari ben Yisrael 30/08/08
      57.   Israel haters...No 15 15:02  |  Palestinian Brit 30/08/08
      58.   #43 scallywag 15:09  |  Boycott 30/08/08
      59.   mary hughes to speak up for gilad shalit on next gaza visit 15:12  |  vhardman 30/08/08
      60.   #52 Mary and Jim (various posts) 15:26  |  Ben Alofs 30/08/08
      61.   #47 dr ben has this affected the birth rates in gaza ? 15:26  |  vhardman 30/08/08
      62.   mary hughes 15:34  |  scallywag 30/08/08
      63.   Jim, he can go for treatmens anywhere he likes 15:52  |  Tamir Palestine 30/08/08
      64.   by the way... 15:59  |  Lucy 30/08/08
      65.   #48 Brant 16:16  |  Jim 30/08/08
      66.   Jim # 9 Wonderful indeed and what a good idea 16:34  |  ChanahS 30/08/08
      67.   Jim 22 - specious comparison 16:39  |  ChanahS 30/08/08
      68.   News for you Pal Brit 25 16:44  |  ChanahS 30/08/08
      69.   #51 Mary Hughes 16:44  |  Jim 30/08/08
      70.   Partha Ray 44 - absolutely right!