Israel adds Turkish organizers of Gaza flotilla to terror watch list
Israel calls Lebanese and Iranian attempts to break siege 'hostile'; IHH tells European Parliament members it has assembled six ships for flotilla to sail next month.
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Service and News Agencies Tags: Israel news Gaza flotilla Israel Turkey Israel IranIsrael on Wednesday added to its terror watch list theTurkish pro-Palestinian group that sent an aid flotilla to Gaza last month, and issued stern warnings to Lebanese and Iranian organizers of similar aid ships, Israeli media reported.
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Pro-Palestinian activists demonstrating ahead of expected arrival of a Freedom flotilla in Gaza. |
| Photo by: AP |
The Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Aid (IHH) told members of the European Parliament it had assembled six ships for the next flotilla and put out an appeal for others to join its bid to break the Israeli blockade after its last convoy was the target of the Israeli raid in May.
Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry Director-General Yossi Gal briefed foreign diplomats on Wednesday on Israel's preparations for this arrival of the Lebanese flotilla.
Gal emphasized that Israel sees the flotilla as hostile, due to its origin in an enemy state as well as the connection between the flotilla's organizers and Hezbollah.
The intelligence picture regarding this new flotilla is still not clear, particularly on the timing of its departure for Gaza. In recent days, the Foreign Ministry has asked several countries to pass along messages to Lebanon, asking for the flotilla to be stopped.
Among others, Israel has told the United States, France and the United Nations to send the message to Lebanon that Israel views the flotilla as a "provocation intended to escalate the violence." Through intermediaries, Israel has received a response from Lebanon, according to which the Lebanese government cannot stop the flotilla because it is a private initiative.
The Foreign Ministry has also directed Israel's representatives overseas to begin diplomatic and public relations activities in regards to the Lebanese flotilla and to emphasize that Israel would not allow it to arrive in Gaza.
In Wednesday's briefing to foreign diplomats in Israel, Gal stressed that because the flotilla is setting off from an enemy state and is supported by Hezbollah, Israel cannot dismiss the possibility that the boats will carry weaponry and terrorist operatives.
"The flotilla will not be allowed in," Gal said. "We are asking you to recommend to your citizens not to participate in this flotilla."
Gal also said that because Lebanon is an enemy state, Israel would not be required to release the operatives on board if the boats are stopped and towed to the port of Ashdod.
"They could be incarcerated according to Israeli law," Gal said.
Israel also issued a stern warning to Iranian and Lebanese organizers who plan to send three more aid ships to Gaza later this week.
Attempts by the Iranians and Lebanese to break Israel's blockade of Gaza would be seen not just as a provocation and a breach of law, but as a "hostile" act because the ships and their cargo are from enemy states, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor.
"They are under a different status," he said, referring to the earlier aid flotilla forcefully intercepted on May 31, which had carried aid and activists mainly from European states including Turkey, Greece and Ireland.
"They are coming from an enemy state and it means that of course the treatment is different, because legally they are different," Palmor said of the Iranian and Lebanese ships.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman had conveyed a similar message in a meeting with Ashton, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
Palmor said Israel's Foreign Ministry had no conclusive information as to when the ships would arrive and therefore said "it's much too early to go into practical terms" as to how Israel planned to deal with the vessels.
The Turkish flotilla is due to sail in the second half of July, IHH said. The group invited the international media to inspect all goods on board before the convoy sails to "demonstrate their commitment to total transparency."
Israel says the IHH has links to Muslim militants, which the group denies.
Richard Howitt, a British member of the European Parliament who organized IHH's press conference at the parliament in Strasbourg, said the European Union had an obligation to ensure respect for humanitarian law and access for the next flotilla.
"If this terrible tragedy tips the balance so that the international community finally insists on full and unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza, then some good can still come out of it," he said, referring to the deaths in the last convoy.
Israel has said it is considering softening its blockade in the wake of international condemnation of the flotilla assault. The EU said on Monday it hoped the easing would begin "in the next days."
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that will avoid a confrontation on the seas
What law is Israel is referring to that is going to be broken by breaking the blockade? United Nation has already called the blockade illegal and has asked Israel repeatedly to remove it. And how can Israel even claim that collective punishment of Gazan which is the direct result of the blockade is a law. Is Israel trying to build a case against itself by making this nonsensical statements?
Turkey should investigate how terrorists got on the boat.
The Turks have just entered Irak once again looking to kill some Kurds.These Kurds do not find themselves in international waters...
it is not international waters, it is iraqi territory where PKK terrorists are located. they enter into Turkey to kill innocent people. Just a few days ago, a wife of a serviceman has been shot dead in her balcony. Everybody knows who is looking to kill the innocents. Thank you patrick to confirming my earlier comment in the below....
To avoid the another army thuggery, like on the Mavi Marmara, I reckon the Iranian aid ship should be approached in internationial waters by an unarmed border patrol, which would be searched upon boarding, to make sure they wont'use or plant any weapon, and to make sure they have no deadly intentions anymore. In turn, this patrol would have full access to search the iranian ship for as long as it takes to make sure she carries no weapons. Then she could safely sail to Gaza.
What is it with these people? It's now no more trying to aid the palestinians, it's purely attention seeking and stretching the patience of Israel. Even the Iranian regime have joined this bloody bandwagon. I dont think one needs to waste any time with this transgressors especially the enemies of the state. Sink them, not once but everytime they enter territorial waters. Like I said before and never went into print, it'd help the tourism industry with a lot of these ships used as artificial reefs. The Iranian regime have so much to do for their own state, yet they want to go and mess in the backyard of "a state that should cease to exist on the face of this earth". Goodluck dreamers
Turkey occupies Kurdistan, let this brutal country first pull out Kurdistan and release the Kurdish children from Turkish jail.
in the Gaza Strip and offer to conduct peace talks with Hamastan with the object of ending hostilitie and making a permanent peace. If the Hamas entity refuses, which it will, then Israel can declare that a state of war exists between Hamastan and the State of Israel, and then can legally close all its borders and not let anything through, not even humanitarian aid. Israel can also stop supplying water, fuel and electricity. And Israel can blockade ALL ships heading for Gaza and even sink them if necessary.
hence the blockade
Let them sail up the Egyptian coat to gain entry to Gaza. I bet the Egyptians will be happy to see them.
Turkey is playing very disgusting play with Iran.
The ships refusing to dock in Ashdod and trying to break blocade shoud be sunk. Let sharks sort out "peace activists" from islamic provocateurs.
The idea that a muslim state can be a friend and allie of Israel is absurd.Never give technology to a islamofashist state,it'll turn against you..
Kurds are oppressed more than Gazans. we want Israeli aid
literally, PKK has already been receiving support from Turkey's so-called allies. I guess you do not need any aid at the moment. Of course, nobody can stop israel if they wish to send their aid but it will change turkey's foreign policy completely on mideast and there won't be a return, even if, when the Erdogan term ends. At least israel and turkey still have got a chance to make up right now.....
Go to the middle east, Israel
The shift in Turkey's policies towards islamic states and more anti Israeli have their affects, I hope you realise the flotilla was just an excuse. And with your foreign minister saying extremist remarks regarding our capital, I don't believe our relationship would ever be the same again in the eyes of the Israeli public. We're mad, and we're feeling back stacked by Turkey, especially with all the help we gave you in 1999's Earthquake. Somehow I doubt if there was an earthquake now in Israel, you'd send even 10% of the aid we sent you.
Way to go! I wish I could come too, this is the only way to bring change as clearly the Americans are twittering about. In the end, it is only the people that can do it.
Originally, the "siege" policy was motivated as the means to make the Gaza population unhappy with Hamas rule and induce them to overthrow it. It didn't work, and actually should not have been expected to work because historically, Arab masses do not overthrow rulers, Arab militaries do that, but in Gaza Hamas IS the military. The policy failed to achieve its goal, but was continued nevertheless under changing explanations (today it is the Shalit excuse). Only after the "flotilla" debacle is the policy changing. How much damage can a pointless, visibly failed policy cause? 1. For the present "flotilla" incident, read the various articles, and consider in addition that the UN may become more inclined to send the Goldstone Report to the Hague. Also, the governing Islamic party in Turkey might have found the excuse to break relations with Israel, which it avoided doing for fear of the Turkish military. The Turkish military might now be convinced that this has to be done. 2. Operation Cast Lead (late 2008) was caused by the pointless "siege" policy. Hamas offered to continue the then prevailing cease fire provided that Israel lifts the siege. Israel refused. Result: Abbas had to stop peace negotiations with Israel. Olmert said he was very close to a deal with the PA, but then Cast Lead "happened". No, idiot, it didn't just happen, Olmert preferred the "siege" over a peace deal. Such an incredible choice should go into the history books!
You act as though thousands of rockets weren't landing in Israel BEFORE the blockade. Anti-Israelis are morons.
FOR A CEASEFIRE NOT 1 ROCKET, ROCK, BULLET, MOLOTOV COCKTAIL ETC... MUST NOT COME FROM GAZA INTO ISRAEL. ROCKETS FLEW FROM GAZA TO ISRAEL IN THE MONTHS OF THE "CEASE FIRE" WHETHER THEY CAME FROM HAMAS OR ANOTHER GROUP IS BS, THEY COME FROM GAZA AND HAMAS RUNS GAZA THAT IS ALL THATS NEEDED. YOUR POINT THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO KEEP THE CEASE FIRE IS THEREFORE BS. ONCE 1 ROCKET COMES OVER, THE CEASE FIRE IS FINISHED. ISRAEL LIKE USA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE NOTION OF PROPORTIONALITY AND NEITHER SHOULD REASONABLE PEOPLE. THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE PROPORTIONAILITY IS TO NOT ATTACK.
There are two distinct issues in the Gaza situation, one is the "siege" and the other is the Naval blockade. 1. The "siege" is the prevention of delivery to Gaza of raw material and items beyond basic necessities of life, and prevention of exports. This destroys the Gaza economy and reduces Gazans to destitution. The siege operates over land, sea, and air and was started when Hamas took over the Gaza government. 2. The naval blockade prevents ships from going in or out of Gaza and was in effect even before Israel left Gaza. Its role is the prevention of weapon smuggling. Imports were in the past handled through the port of Ashdod, which enabled Israel to examine them. The international community is of course against the "siege", but was not against the naval blockade. The activists tried to break the "siege", but since they couldn't do it over land, they picked the naval part.
... you will understand why my reply to SDHD covers your complaint as well.
these are not peaceful activists. especialloy coming from lebanon (hizbulla) and Iran. No matter what we do Israel is wrong. I say give back gaza to egypt.
Gaza is not Israel's to give.
what about giving back the west bank as well?
That Egypt be severed from Gaza, the first offer included Gaza, Egypt countered with the offer less Gaza. Amazing how its all Israel's fault and never Arab states
All people whom you don't like are not terorists...Furtermore yes we don't belive in Hamas and tayyip and iran.. but gaza is not a city of israel and we know that jews are smart but Fascism is not suitable for Israel
JORDAN SAID HELL NO WE REFUSE. This was also part of Jordan's recognition of PLO which removed all claims to land of WB by jordan and ceded them to PLO how that works legally I dont know.
It was reported that Netanyahu and Tony Blair have reached an agreement to lift the "siege" of Gaza, thus allowing all goods other than those of military value to enter Gaza over land. This should be put in place within days, certainly before any of the planned flotilas arrive. This step will turn the flotillas superfluous and rid Israel of the nuisance. Ships that would insist on breaking the naval blockade should have their propellers or motors disabled (say, by throwing nets over them) and have then towed to Ashdod. Let the ships themselves be confiscated to cover the costs.
good dooers are siding with cuthroaths and robbers against the true victim ,here Israel..
Islamist are the new communists.
Against such pressure not even Israel will be able to keep up the control over Gaza. Humanity will win and Turkey is the voice against this inhumanity. C*
When will you guys get it. Israel is at war with Hamas. In a war a naval blockade is legal. Check out the history of naval blockades. Israel is fighting an enemy that is sworn to its destruction. What do you think other countries do in the same situation? The Mavi Marmara was lucky. Other countries in the same situation would have blown that ship out of the water. Amazing how everyone considers Israel actions as illegal and have no comments to other countries that do the same or worse.
Yes, it will, I agree there are bigger forces happening now especially psychologically and most of the EU have condemned Israel.
muhsin, this inhumanity you talk about sounds quite hipocritical...where was turkeys voice when israel left gaza for peace and got rockets instead? typical muslim speech... am israel hai...✡
turkey - a voice against inhumanity? funny. i wonder about people like you... did you see the video clearly showing israelis being beaten by these "peace activists"? if so, how do you write what you write? do you know that israel left gaza as a gesture of peace... only to have thousands of missiles sent in israel's direction from gaza? are you aware that you are siding with hamas by saying that this gaza blockade should cease? i think you do... and that is scary.
...nothing, and you reading this from a brazilian.
after all they are blocking the bording with gaza as well - only the jews get critizised not the arabs/muslims stinks of a double standard - which makes you a hypocrite!
So long as a terrrorist regime that vows to destroy Israel remains in power, so does the blockade. Remove Hamas and then the blockade goes down. Keep Hamas in power and allowing them to import sophisticated weapons to use against in Israel will only lead to incredible suffering on the part of Gazan residents. The choice is simple, Hamas or Gaza, you cannot and will not have both.
'and have no comments to other countries that do the same or worse. ' People do react on these situations too, but obviously not in a comment on an article on another topic (i.e. this one).
You are too far away , you do not know anything about us and ME, but your leader does !
Good. Then we can look forward to more videos on youtube showing the terrorists in action. I am really enjoying this stupidity.
Good luck Israel. Anti-islamists will reach a new height like anti-communism in the rest of the world. If you remember red scare and the Russians are coming; now it will be the islamists are coming. Erdogan, forget about all that islamophobia - it will only increase. You just don't understand what they are afraid of.
"Erdogan, forget about all that islamophobia". What do you mean "forget"? He is counting on it. This is what will keep him in power, the more racists are vocal (on both sides) the better for Erdogan. Until the whole thing collapses on his head, that is. Remember Milosevich?
A question i've always had, isn't the Gaza Port in shambles and not able to receive large ships? Furthermore where will they get Alash from to unlaod the ships? I am assuming the aid is in Cargo Containers so how do you unload this containers? surely they are not going to unload it manually onto dingys and do multiple runs. Anyone know? as if the above is true much of the AID can't be delivered and as such let them go thru with 1 caveat, THEY, (leb+Iran ships) CAN NEVER DOCK AT ASHDOD as they are from Hostile states.
The crates cannot be properly inspect without being unloaded first. Secondly, Gaza port is not equipped for unloading any cargo on their own.
Gaza port was widened and deepened with round the clock shifts to prepare for the last flotilla.
The last shipments coming from the flotillas were refused by Gaza. They also refused to have Fatah oversee the goods coming in, which would expedite and increase the goods entering Gaza.
All ships trying to breach the blockade will have their steering disabled and forcefully pulled into the Ashdod port for inspection, then released. Period. Clarity is essential so that everyone will know what to expect.
If they have ships to throw away then let them keep sending them. Eventually they will tire of the manuever.
the aid flotillas are arriving with a full passanger list to prevent allowing Palestinians to use the ships for emmigration. Give the pals the ships and do a Cuban stile EXODUS TO TURKEY!