U.S. group plans 'Free Palestine' aid flight to Gaza
Organizers spent year raising funds to charter plane that can land where there is no airport; flight scheduled for spring.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Gaza flotilla Gaza HamasA U.S.-based pro-Palestinian organization is planning to fly a plane-load of aid to Gaza, in defiance of an Israeli blockade on the Hamas-ruled territory. The flight was scheduled for this coming spring.
"We intend to send an aircraft to Gaza in much the same way boats were used - without going through Israeli or Egyptian airspace," the Palestinian news agency Ma'an quoted an organizer of the initiative as saying.
In May, the pro-Palestinian organization IHH organized a flotilla of ships that sailed to Gaza carrying supplies. The Israeli Navy intercepted the ships, with clashes aboard one of the vessels resulting in the deaths of nine Turkish activists.
The California-based Free Palestine Movement sponsoring the flight has been linked to the IHH, Channel 2 reported Sunday, adding that the organizers of the flight had spent a year raising the funds required to charter the plane, which can be landed in places where there is no airport.
The current initiative to send an aircraft into Gaza poses a unique security challenge as it would be difficult for Israeli forces to intercept an airplane without causing casualties. However, diplomatic pressure could still thwart the mission.
Israel imposed the blockade on Gaza in 2007, after the Islamist Palestinian group Hamas violently seized control over the territory. The blockade aims to prevent the entry of weapons and other materials that can be used in warfare against Israel.
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illustration |
| Photo by: Ilan Assayag |
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All the food will go to the warlords
And the Hamas militants use civilian as targets,
and have been used by many nations, Israel is no different and has a right to do it to defend itself, like many other countries have. Don't the Israeli civilians have a right to defend themselves by using a blockade? Survival of the fittest, if it isn't a right, then so be it, because it's reality.
sail from the Caspian to Gaza, 2-3 months ago? can someone please enlighten me on it's progress. HAHAHAHA!!!!!
fire a warning shoot, and if they don't turn back -- shoot it down!!!!!!!!!!
This plan is 100% political and 0% aid related, just as was the "Aid" flotilla from Turkey, which amongst other useless things in its cargo, was full of expired medications. If this Californian group wants to give real real aid, let it go through official US - Israeli channels, and if they like they challenge Israel's embargo in the international courts (but will lose). The amount of money they are willing to spend chartering a runway-less aircraft would otherwise buy a huge amount of supplies, that obviously they consider that the Gazan Palestinians don't really need.
Just curious.
pig shits.
I did not imagine this possibility, that´s great because the occupation forces wont stop them, just do it!
It is getting below freezing out there---political isolation --boycotts --facts emerging on just how undemocratic Israel is. Yep---proverbial fan is about to get a delivery.
The IDF could -albeit with great difficulty- land a group of commandos via helicopter, surround the plane, and destroy any contraband. However accomplished, the plane and its supporters cannot be allowed to distribute its contents without Israeli inspection.
Israel has a right to prevent/stop an invasion. The plane will be just that. Shoot it down.
you had the "right" to kill the sailors of the Liberty in cold blood?
Any mission other than that will be futile and only prolong the long wait of the decent Palestinians who yearn to one day enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of their happiness in their proud State, living in peace alongside Israel and its neighbors.
IT IS NOT SO MUCH TO HELP THE GAZANS WHO NEED NOTHING,BUT JUST LIKE CELEBRITIIES WANTING TO GAIN NOTORIETY. A LOT OF ...BULL BY THEM
Those will no doubt be the last words of any pilot, for one must understand, that the IAF will shoot down any aircraft approaching Israel airspace without permission, the same applies to most countries anywhere in today's world especially after 9/11. The fact that the US has shot down many drug related light aircraft is no conspiracy theory either, its a fact. True, the great Abie Nathan flew to Egypt in his red plane, that alone was a feat, however, in those days Egyptian Radar was not that sophisticated. So, what do we have here.? A question of babbling mindless village idiots or just another PR Campaign, for today's news media are full of catastrophes, Pakistan floods,Australia floods,China floods, Guatemala floods, New Zealand earthquakes and the Chilean miners trapped 700 meters below ground, who no doubt are the true heroes today. Nobody, can compete with the latter. A jolly good day from snowy Swiss Alps.
As far as I know Gaza is not israeli airspace, and didn't Israel leave Gaza?
if they are really interested in give humanitarian aid they would not be trying to provke a confrontation. what a waste just another propoganda ploy to try and give Israel a black eye. they are not interested in giving humanitarian aid. it time these people stop trying to be martars and truely start giving real humanitarian aid.even the name of this organization is full of propoganda. the palestinians are not in bondage except by their own leadership. billions of dollars in aid has been given. where has all this money gone? not to aid the people is for sure, and if not to people then where. where do you think?
Gaza port has been a closed military zone since 1967
fortunately for them no country would permit them to take off. Just PR
Are cowboy wannabees living in the US...no sensible Israelis would do it...it's just the little kids that never grew up...
They will never make it.
this is ridiculous idea. Israel has control of airspace.
Are they not aware that Hamas recently squandered millions and millions of dollars on surface to air missiles / High explosives/ weapons /ammo and mortars ? Recent raids by Egypt intercepting large shipments of these weapons to be smuggled thru the tunnels ? If they were so desperate for cash and or medicine why not smuggle these items thru the tunnels ??These so called aid groups are either being played or complicit into facilitating Hamas into procuring even more weapons , When i think of FAMINE and people dying left and right, center due to a lack of food and medicine , the last people i think of are the people of Gaza , Want to help somebody ? try some underfed , starving people in some of those African countries first , They are the ones who need your help !! not the people of Gaza ,
Death is not the end of a person’s life. It is only the beginning of the next stage of life. Death is that interim stage when man leaves this temporary world of today for the eternal world of tomorrow. He goes out of the temporary accommodation of the world to enter the eternal resting place of the Hereafter. The coming of this stage in the Hereafter is the greatest certainty in one’s life. No one can save himself from this fate in the Hereafter
live life to its fullest
What people will do to be made renowned and famous ........Wow.......a celebrity ......fools rush in where agels fear to tread.....
When Hamas will recognise Israel's right to exist and cease to bomb Israel, then Gaza could develop their own airport and Port , as once was, and live a normal life , next to Israel.
Both achievable when Israel recognizes the right of a fully sovereign Palestinian state to exist in line with 1967 internationally recognized borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Yeah, as long as its not cement and pencils...ever read the non-blocked goods list?
I guess someone needs to bring more designer clothes for their new mall.
On their non-existent runway. Let the Gazans pick them out of the rubble afterwards.
Nothing new there....
Let the Gazans pick them out of the rubble afterwards. ?
you can fly you can swim or you can sail......you still owe the world two answers.............1) why would you try to avoid security check ups either by israel or egypt 2)given that the hamas is trying to undermine abu mazen why would you try to help them do so by shifting the center of attention from the PA to the so called free gaza campaign
They are linked to IHH a terror organization thats why. No doubt a planeload of peace demonstarotr not afraid to be martyred. Can you imaguine teh headlines? Peace demonstartors make an impact delivering gaza aid.!...lol
For security reasons Israel cannot let any plane land in Gaza. Therefore they should warn the world that there airforce will shoot down any plan trying to break the blockade by landing in Gaza.
And you must also believe that the Pals have the legitimate right to shoot down Israeli civilian planes.
...in that the organizers might have the forethought to have some outfit like Price Waterhouse (the accounting firm that used to certify the "Oscar" votes) tally up the plane's contents--and then get some very well-known (but arguably suicidal) "public figure" to get on board--and, well, you get my drift, right?
I don't understand why ppl have to go looking for trouble. If they do this they are asking for it. BTW whilst they're flying in aid to those poor Palestinians maybe they can drop a letter for Gilad as well. Oh wait I forgot, when it comes to aid these ppl discriminate! They wouldn't take Gilad a msg with the Flotillas & they won't do it with a plane. I can't believe the double standards!
May be also they can take letters to the more than10000 civilian Palestinians in Israeli jails. Gilad is a French citizen that was captured while serving in the Israeli army (excuse me I meant defense forces)
During the last attempt to deliver aid to the Palestinian people of Gaza there was the same false allegation against the organizers that they refused to deliver a letter for Gilad Shalit. An Irish member of parliament personally declared his willingness to carry a letter from Gilad's parents for him. This time will be no different. As regards looking for trouble. There would be no need for it if Israel would allow in basic materials like cement to rebuild the destroyed houses. Look at the latest list of goods prohibited entry into Gaza and then wonder who is looking for trouble!! The list of prohibited goods includes: spices like coriander, ginger and nutmeg. Canned and dried fruit. Fresh meat. Seeds and nuts. Fishing rods and ropes for fishing. Fabric for clothing. Chicken hatcheries, chickens. Donkies, horses, goats and cattle. Musical instruments (!), newspapers, wood for construction and of course cement. This list is by far not exhaustive, but shows that the blockade is meant to make life a misery for the civilian people in Gaza. Now who is looking for trouble!!! The occupied or the occupier??
But you are right about one thing: there is a huge difference between Palestinians in Israeli jails caught committing or trying to commit murder of random civilians, and Gilad Shalit caught patrolling border between Israel and Gaza (on Israeli side).
Maybe Aziz should ask how the so-called Pals "civilians" are being treated in Israeli jails as compared to the other way around and maybe your "civilians" might want to stay there rather than return to Hamastan.
israel is crying for one of its people while there is 13 thousand Palestinians in israeli prisons.
yeah, take everything it needs to bring death, trouble and possible clashes to the region. what a bunch of stupid idiots those "aid"-people are, if you want to help, dock to ashdod, but that would be too easy for you, wouldn't it?
Let the people in the plane see how Hamas receives and distributes the aid. Then we can all laugh at them try and get home on foot when Hamas steal the plane.
The plane will be full of explosives so hamas can try and fly it aftwards into ISrael. Warn it, then shoot it down if it does not turn back
but first try to send some help to Cuba. Let's see how well that goes.
I wish them luck! and, love to all peaceful and decent people whoever they are.
Or just shoot it down and let us know what you are.
Won't even begin to even the score of the devestation caused daily by the Gazans in Hamasstan
shoot it down . You may think about us whatever you wish , we can't care less, it so meaningless.
Can not in a few years but in a few months the same issues now Israel is facing with Arabs you will experience with Kurds. Now Kurds are openly demanding a new flag and a new national anthem from Turkey. What would be the result? Giving South Anatolia as a new Kurdish state or keep on a united Turkish state. Either way if would not make any difference. If you accept the Kurdish state they would ask for more. Nothing is sufficient. The reality is Palies wants all Israel. I'm afraid there is no solution either conflict.
couple of questions to be asked first: 1) how big is the plane and how can it hold? 2) will allowing on plane to land create a deluge of other planes flying to Gaza, 3) why do this at all? "aid", especially now, can get in through checkpoints. is this to avoid checkpoints or smuggle arms?
Since we are being warned in advance, no one will know for sure what will be inside then plane. No chances will be taken, and the IAf will be given their orders. I have no doubt that if teh USa knew about teh 9/11 hijacking it would have shot all teh planes down without hesitation or remorse. Do you really expect ISrael to do anything less than what Uncle Sam would do.
*cough* The "new flag" in the region was brought by the League of Nations when they created Israel. The idea of a Palestine is'nt older than Israel of today,
The difference is, all the Kurds lives in Turkey carry a turkish passport, there are about hundred Kurdish origin parlementers in the parlement, there are kurdish origin generals in turkish army, there are many kurdish origin business man all over Turkey, there are no restiriction of movement for kurdish origin people in Turkey (No walls, no bounderies).Yes there is problem but it is totally different to the Palestenian-Israeli situation. One should not compare it like as the Palestanian problem.
all of gaza is israeli airspace !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My, they'll write anything, no matter how wrong, stupid or bizarre
there are bery strict corridors that must be used. Any plane that starys out of these corridors risks becoming a smoking pile of junk. You can not reach gazan airspace without passing through ISraeli Air space. I love to watch useful idiots become martyrs, puts a smile on my face. I hope these isiots at least bought the plane they are about to lose
gaza remains israel until san remo 1920 is dissolved !! as this is impossible it remains israel !
As long as the blockade is in place, the approach is also interdicted airspace. Ask yourself why it's so important to these people to establish a link to Gaza without cargo inspections. Besides that, the payload of any V/STOL plane with the range to reach Gaza from a neutral country (Cyprus, for preference) will be negligible--less than one truck of the type that pass through the border crossings daily. The objective of these people is not to "bring humanitarian aid"--if it was, the Mave Marmora would not have been sailing practically "in ballast", but would have been loaded to its gunwales--but it wasn't. The primary objective of these ships (and now planes) is to break the blockade--which is an act of war under international law. Any party initiating an act of war gets whyat it deserves.
They'll write ANYTHING. Any BS, any insult, nothing is too stupid, ignorant, bizarre or bigoted.. And the over all effect is, they show us what they are... it's hilarious.
and israelis say they left Gaza!!!!!
It seems very unlikely that this organization would be interested in flying from the US to Gaza. Not only would it be much more expensive but you would get all the extra difficulties that come with a bigger aircraft.
The american are very good peoples very helpful! u must know our struggle is against the Zionist lobby decision maker in ur government not against u and ur noble values! they have been and still driving u to take the wrong decisions !
And most Americans support Israel and distrust Arabs, including so-called 'palestinians' and you lebanese and syrians.
Tell that to Hizbullah which is about to get lebanon burned to teh ground with it next military adventure against ISrael. My Unckle used to be teh ambassador there many years ago. he spooke of how beautiful Lebanion was. Soon it will be a pile of rubbkle and rotting corpses because of hizbullah. Get rid of hizbullah save lebanon, then make peace..oh yeah I forgot Syria wont let you
Turkey just cut off her nose to spite her face. Tourism is down to nearly zero in Turkey. Who visits a nation who murder over a million Armenians, Kurds, and insults Israel unnecessarily? Surely not monied tourists.
The IDF who can't win a war against anyone evenly armed?
I would think that any aircraft would be shot down with extreme prejudice. Oh well, give it a try if you can find a pilot stupid enough to fly the plane.
and elsewhere have no problem martyring themselves for that cause. Your cheap shots at Israel are just that. Qhaddafi had threatened to crash a civllian airliner into Israel.
There is no reason to even do this as aid is being delivered to Gaza via land. It's just looking to provoke Israel, and it may succeed. I would issue a standing order and make a statement loud and clear for the entire world to hear - the plane comes close to Israeli airspace (not even into it, but close to) and it will be shot down with extreme prejudice...
Got any other BS needs airing?
Paulaine its hard to complain when you are dead. How bizarre your thinking is.