Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., January 26, 2009 Shvat 1, 5769 | | Israel Time: 12:24 (EST+7)
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Amira Hass / How we busted the naval siege on Gaza
By Amira Hass, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Gaza, Israel News, Amira Hass 

Click here for more articles by Amira Hass

Saturday morning, 7:25 A.M., about 40 kilometers west of the Gaza Strip we discovered that we were led by a different ship than we previously hasd been. Within a few minutes, our suspicions that it was actually a Israel Navy vessel were confirmed when it identified itself to us through its loud speaker system.

It asked which port we set sail from and 15 minutes later asked us to report the names of the passengers aboard.
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"That is not necessary," our vessel, part of the Free Gaza Movement, responded. "You can find our names on the internet and also make a donation."

The movement's previous successful attempt to sail to Gaza from Cyprus encouraged people to donate money, allowing our vessel to be purchased for 240,000 euros.

A few minutes later the voice coming from the Israel Navy vessel was heard again.

"Have a nice day," it said. "You too," we responded. We would be allowed to sail to Gaza. No surprise as the organizers had reached an agreement with the Israel Defense Forces because it justly realized preventing us from passing would only damage Israel's image.

At our port of call a fleet of different sized sailing ships awaited us and their sailors waved at us and shed tears. On the shores, crowds of people lined up. So many beards, I thought looking at the men and the changes brought about by Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip.

There are still no conclusions on Gaza. Hamas has not removed photos of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas from some walls. Surpassingly, we were handed out black and white maps of Palestine.

On the map, Gaza and the West Bank were colored in black. Only two little black marks.

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      1.   Sail to Gaza 03:05  |  Guyava 09/11/08
      2.   thanks amira...nice article 04:01  |  bless you 09/11/08
      3.   When will you write from Shalit`s prison, Amira 04:13  |  Robert 09/11/08
      4.   A letter to Amira Hass 04:34  |  Mark Lincoln 09/11/08
      5.   Johnboy`s Maxim holds true on last paragraph... 04:47  |  BBSNews 09/11/08
      6.   AMIRA IS ALWAYS THERE 04:51  |  indrajaya 09/11/08
      7.   Amira are you going to help free Gilad 04:54  |  Nicole 09/11/08
      8.   A message just for Amira 05:07  |  Jim 09/11/08
      9.   #2 bless you 05:38  |  Conroy 09/11/08
      10.   B & W map of palestine 05:59  |  robert 09/11/08
      11.   Amira Hass. 06:05  |  Maureen Ann 09/11/08
      12.   Not pro-Gaza, but anti-Israeli ship. 07:03  |  Israeli citizen 09/11/08
      13.   #3, ROBERT, when he writes from pals prison cells 07:15  |  VIPER 09/11/08
      14.   Only two little black marks 07:39  |  Tzfonit 09/11/08
      15.   Amira Haas and her lack of human values 08:05  |  Joe Sittizen 09/11/08
      16.   Amira. You are my princess. 08:05  |  American 09/11/08
      17.   To VIPER: Shalit 08:44  |  Robert 09/11/08
      18.   Amira and the Challenge you should Undertake 09:05  |  Tzfonit 09/11/08
      19.   Amira`s actually helping the Israeli government 09:11  |  Jonathan 09/11/08
      20.   I still don`t know why Alan Johnston didn`t describe captivity 09:19  |  x-ray 09/11/08
      21.   Who is `we` ? `Haarertz` endorses Treason? 09:21  |  Shalom Freedman 09/11/08
      22.   Contravening Maritime Law 09:33  |  Phil 09/11/08
      23.   Sail to Gaza 09:44  |  A. Abrahams 09/11/08
      24.   240.000 euros for a ship!!! 09:57  |  scallywag 09/11/08
      25.   Eventually, I believe there will be a twist of events 09:59  |  Dutch 09/11/08
      26.   For our dear friend Dutch 10:12  |  Amira Hess 09/11/08
      27.   Olmert, you should`ve stopped the first boat, fool 10:18  |  McQueen 09/11/08
      28.   Amira, Mark Licoln doesn`t get the people power bit 10:40  |  Dutch 09/11/08
      29.   The days of leftist outrage are over 10:57  |  Jonathan 09/11/08
      30.   Does Shalom Freedman wants Haaretz to break the law too? 11:03  |  Dutch 09/11/08
      31.   Amira, Thank you 11:19  |  Dutch 09/11/08
      32.   Busted the seige? 11:31  |  David Nigel Braham 09/11/08
      33.   Failed Mission 11:36  |  A.J. Myers 09/11/08
      34.   #3 - Shalit`s prison 11:54  |  raymond deane 09/11/08
      35.   raymond deane get real 12:27  |  Jonathan 09/11/08
      36.   29 Jonathan, think again... 13:00  |  Dutch 09/11/08
      37.   Dluble Standard Dutch waits for a turn of events 13:08  |  Tzfonit 09/11/08
      38.   To raymond deane 34 - `Palestinian` women and Children prisoners 13:46  |  Dolly 09/11/08
      39.   nd so Claire Short has fallen for Al Qaede now flourishing 14:16  |  Pathfifinder 09/11/08
      40.   Sow what exactly did you bring to Gaza? 14:38  |  Hamid 09/11/08
      41.   And They are "Two Little Black Marks" 14:45  |  Jane 09/11/08
      42.   Haaretz conducts subjective political Censorship 15:12  |  Jonathan 09/11/08
      43.   # 40, HAMID 15:37  |  indrajaya 09/11/08
      44.   Amira Hess from Ramallah - not Hass in Gaza! 15:40  |  doubledutch 09/11/08
      45.   Naval Siege Busted 16:01  |  Fredy Ross 09/11/08
      46.   what about the west bank siege 17:07  |  M. Abbas 09/11/08
      47.   When did they stop shooting traitors? 17:15  |  paul almond 09/11/08
      48.   How did they "bust the siege"? 17:37  |  Hastaroth 09/11/08
      49.   Amira still conspiring against her country 17:53  |  Raoul 09/11/08
      50.   So much brown nosing on one little article! 17:56  |  Emanuel 09/11/08
      51.   Celebrating Labhras 18:42  |  Labhras`s admirer 09/11/08
      52.   "busting the siege" 18:43  |  crit 09/11/08
      53.   Gaza Blockade 18:54  |  NM 09/11/08
      54.   37 Tzfonit, Israeli officials portrayal of Palestinians 19:05  |  Dutch 09/11/08
      55.   Amira Hass 19:10  |  B.D. Shepen 09/11/08
      56.   Gaza 19:23  |  Fair 09/11/08
      57.   Aiding and abetting a terrorist entity, but doesn`t get locked up 19:46  |  AniAshkeloni 09/11/08
      58.   It`s a "quarantine," not a "siege"! Get the terms right! 20:01  |  DJStahl 09/11/08
      59.   Amira`s journey to Gaza 20:10  |  daruish the persian 09/11/08
      60.   Haaretz Correspondent? 20:22  |  simon 09/11/08
      61.   DJStahl. Focus on the terrrible conditions not the terms 20:40  |  Dutch 09/11/08
      62.   Twaddle 21:32  |  Mark Lincoln 09/11/08
      63.   Dutch, you`re a Hamas supporter _and_ you favor reality over ... 21:54  |  DJStahl 09/11/08
      64.   Amira , the Princess of Peace . 22:02  |  Abu Ali 09/11/08
      65.   Amira is a Palestinian, not an Israeli 22:15  |  Robert 09/11/08
      66.   Peace will come from justice 23:20  |  Saadeh 09/11/08
      67.   Title should be: How we promote terrorism 00:29  |  David 10/11/08
      68.   amira hass you foolinsh woman 01:44  |  dan yefet 10/11/08
      69.   #17, ROBERT, what a load of BS 01:54  |  VIPER 10/11/08
      70.   "BUSTED" ??The Israeli navy wished you a nice day & sailed off 04:54  |  PETER SM. 10/11/08
      71.   Welcome ! 11:37  |  tristan 10/11/08
      72.   #54 Dutch 13:59  |  Sane European 10/11/08
      73.   #54 continued - "occupied" territories 14:09  |  Sane European 10/11/08
      74.   BUSTING THE SIEGE 14:29  |  Brant 10/11/08
      75.   #64 - Reality check 16:14  |  Joe 10/11/08
      76.   #74 17:03  |  Joe 10/11/08
      77.   to VIPER #69 - Hardly human 21:01  |  Robert 10/11/08
      78.   Great Amira Hass you are really great 13:17  |  Yoav Tadmor 11/11/08
      79.   Is she an israeli journalist or a Palestinian activist?????? 00:26  |  Dov Hatzafon 13/11/08
      80.   Amira a journalist or a propagandist 22:42  |  jeff 03/12/08
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