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Last update - 22:19 07/12/2008
Tel Aviv police seize Israeli-Arab boat set to deliver aid to Gaza
By Yuval Goren and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents and News Agencies
Tags: Israel news, humanitarian aid 

Israeli police on Sunday foiled an attempt by Israeli Arabs to set off in a boat from Israel to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip with a cargo of food and medical supplies.

Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip has been stepped up in recent weeks amid a surge of violence along its frontier with the Palestinian territory.

The Israeli Arab Islamist Movement organized what was to have been the first boat journey from Israel to the Gaza Strip with humanitarian supplies.
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But police in the port of Jaffa instructed the boat's owner not to set off for Gaza and ordered him to move the vessel to the nearby Tel Aviv marina, where it was put under watch.

"We warned the boat's owner that he would be breaking the law and would be arrested if his boat were to try to sail to Gaza," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Israeli law bans Israeli citizens from traveling to the Gaza Strip, territory Israeli soldiers and settlers quit in 2005.

Israeli Arab MK Ahmed Tibi (Ra'am-Ta'al) said in response to the incident that "this is a cowardly act by people and the police who fear our delivery of medication to Gaza's Shifa hospital. The boat trip is a humanitarian act aimed at breaking the cruel siege."

The United Nations and human rights groups have voiced concern about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and called on Israel to ease its blockade.

Last week, the Israeli navy turned back a Libyan ship which Palestinian and Libyan officials said was trying to deliver 3,000 tons of food, medicine and other aid to the Gaza Strip.

Israel, apparently seeking to avoid a public confrontation, had previously allowed several boats carrying pro-Palestinian foreign activists and humanitarian goods to dock in the Gaza Strip after setting sail from Cyprus.

Also Sunday, three residents of northern Israel were detained for questioning after arriving in Jaffa with a truckload of equipment meant to be loaded on the boat. The police explained that they were operating under clause 24 of the disengagement law which requires every Israeli citizen who enters the Gaza Strip to obtain authorization in writing.

Later, the IDF said four Qassam rocket and three mortar shells hit southern Israel on Sunday. There were no injuries reported. Militants fired at least 10 rockets and as many mortar shells at Israel over the weekend.

The sanctions have deepened the hardship for Gaza's largely impoverished population of 1.4 million, though some goods and fuel continue to enter the territory through smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border.

Speaking ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel has no intention of accepting the ongoing fire, indicating Israel could abandon the truce and strike harder at militants in Gaza. But he did not announce any concrete steps.

"Over the last few days I met with the defense minister, and we agreed that we will formulate Israel's position based on guaranteeing that this situation will not continue," Olmert said.

In a move meant to bolster Hamas' moderate rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Israeli government gave its final approval to the release of 230 Palestinian prisoners from groups allied with Abbas' Fatah movement, according to a government statement. Spokesman David Baker said the release, timed to coincide with the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, would take place later this week.

Related articles:
  • Israeli Arab leaders vow to sail to Gaza to break blockade
  • Israel turns back Libyan ship bound for Gaza with aid
  • Haniyeh: Arrival of blockade-busting boats spells end of Gaza siege
  • Amira Hass / How we busted the naval siege on Gaza
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      1.   Israel... 10:45  |  Maureen Ann 07/12/08
      2.   To Jail 10:45  |  Ofer 07/12/08
      3.   MK Ahmed Tibi`s comments. 11:00  |  David Nigel Braham 07/12/08
      4.   Why didn`t Ahmed Tibi just send it through the UNWRA 11:56  |  PETER SM 07/12/08
      5.   collective punishment 13:15  |  Gaza resident 07/12/08
      6.   To Maureen Ann - Gaza as a prisoner of innocents 13:41  |  James 07/12/08
      7.   Collective Punishment of Sderot 14:56  |  Neil Kuchinsky 07/12/08
      8.   For How long can Israel supporters justify its crimes? 15:19  |  Gisele 07/12/08
      9.   ofer 2 /Germany was the terrorist who attacked Europe 15:23  |  Gisele 07/12/08
      10.   to gisele in beirut:We owe our enemy nothing! 15:41  |  Arie 07/12/08
      11.   Let`s make a deal 15:42  |  Arie 07/12/08
      12.   simples olution 15:43  |  George 07/12/08
      13.   #5 Gaza resident 15:45  |  John Allen 07/12/08
      14.   But Giselle, Palestinians ARE waging war against Israel 15:50  |  James 07/12/08
      15.   #6 James. You don`t understand what a democracy is. 15:53  |  John Allen 07/12/08
      16.   Gaza resident # 5 The Economic Blockade 16:00  |  Jeff Northridge 07/12/08
      17.   #8 Gisele in Beirut 16:03  |  John Allen 07/12/08
      18.   To: Maureen Ann 16:10  |  Angel 07/12/08
      19.   Gisele # 8 For As Long As... 16:11  |  Jeff Northridge 07/12/08
      20.   To: Gisele 16:15  |  Angel 07/12/08
      21.   #9 Gisele in Beirut 16:22  |  John Allen 07/12/08
      22.   Gisele 16:40  |  Fish 07/12/08
      23.   Mumbai did it for me.... 16:42  |  Lynn 07/12/08
      24.   When will Israel be blockaded? Seems fair enough. 16:46  |  Lou Medel 07/12/08
      25.   To gaza resident-YOU HAVE 3 CHOICES 16:49  |  Arie 07/12/08
      26.   Gisele,we want proofs that "Pals" are starving.Any pictures ???? 16:52  |  Hakim 07/12/08
      27.   Israeli law enforced, Arab point made 16:55  |  Mark Lincoln 07/12/08
      28.   Gisèle from Beirouth 17:31  |  Serge 07/12/08
      29.   A WAKEUP CALL FOR GISELE 17:39  |  Brant 07/12/08
      30.   Illegal occupations came first Neil... 17:52  |  BBSNews 07/12/08
      31.   Maureen . . . 18:34  |  SDHD 07/12/08
      32.   Bad luck, Gaza is not carpeted with rokets 18:36  |  maurice 07/12/08
      33.   Gisele`s war 18:41  |  SDHD 07/12/08
      34.   Gisele 18:55  |  Jonathan 07/12/08
      35.   Gisele? Think again. 19:06  |  Budding Genious 07/12/08
      36.   IT IS A SIN 19:14  |  Avi 07/12/08
      37.   So many simple minds 19:35  |  real vision 07/12/08
      38.   Actually Ofer, we did 19:41  |  Mark Lincoln 07/12/08
      39.   There goes Lincoln, saying ridiculous things again 20:20  |  SDHD 07/12/08
      40.   BBS News 20:48  |  judith 07/12/08
      41.   Lou Medel invokes Warsaw 20:51  |  SDHD 07/12/08
      42.   BBS` "PIDDLING ROCKET" RATIONALE 21:03  |  Brant 07/12/08
      43.   This is outrageous in the extreme... 21:07  |  Magnus K. 07/12/08
      44.   Mark Lincoln I disagree 21:32  |  Jonathon 07/12/08
      45.   To #5 Gaza Resident 21:48  |  Leon 07/12/08
      46.   BBSNews 30 - how is the occupation of WB 21:57  |  ChanahS 07/12/08
      47.   M. Lincoln 21:58  |  JoJo 07/12/08
      48.   #1 Moureen , criminals belonge to prison 22:29  |  TOMY 07/12/08
      49.   #16 Jeff and others who call for stopping 22:39  |  TOMY 07/12/08
      50.   Yawn 23:22  |  Colin Wright 07/12/08
      51.   These were medicines and essentials! (3d try!!!) 23:43  |  Magnus K. 07/12/08
      52.   Dr. Strangelove 00:28  |  Capt Ahab 08/12/08
      53.   All you need do is look at the pictures to see how they suffer 00:34  |  Arie 08/12/08
      54.   mark lincoln:"Israel is not at war with gaza?" 00:37  |  Arie 08/12/08
      55.   To magnus: What other State provides comfort to its enemy? 00:43  |  Arie 08/12/08
      56.   I`d like to add something. 00:45  |  Magnus K. 08/12/08
      57.   Magnus K#40 01:05  |  Narvik 08/12/08
      58.   To: Magnus 01:34  |  Angel 08/12/08
      59.   moronann,you need to stfu until you give your house and land back 02:08  |  terrornator 08/12/08
      60.   gaza resident "collective punishment" get used to it,thats what 02:10  |  terrornator 08/12/08
      61.   MAGNUS. PLEASE!! 02:12  |  Brant 08/12/08
      62.   lincoln,only a moronic propaganda BS eating fool would consider 02:12  |  terrornator 08/12/08
      63.   For Gaza Resident #5 02:25  |  leo 08/12/08
      64.   For Gieselle # 8 02:29  |  leo 08/12/08
      65.   I insist 03:25  |  Avi 08/12/08
      66.   To everyone shooting at me 04:00  |  Magnus K. 08/12/08
      67.   Arie, Brant and Narvik, might I also add. 04:32  |  Magnus K. 08/12/08
      68.   No Room For Criminal Treasonous Acts 05:02  |  Mark Hamil 08/12/08
      69.   BRANT, PLEASE DON`T BE A WINGNUT... 05:23  |  BBSNews 08/12/08
      70.   Mark Hamil 11:41  |  Magnus K. 08/12/08
      71.   BSNews, please continue being a fool 00:25  |  SDHD 09/12/08
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