Israel intercepts anti-Israel flotilla without incident

The Israeli navy, headed by women members, intercepted a ship carrying 13 pro-Palestinian female activists trying to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.

According to an IDF statement, “In accordance with government directives and after exhausting all diplomatic channels, the Israeli Navy redirected the vessel in order to prevent breach of the lawful maritime blockade.

“In accordance with international law, the Israeli Navy advised the vessel numerous times to change course prior to the action,” the statement continued. “Following their refusal, the Navy visited and searched the vessel in international waters in order to prevent their intended breach of the lawful maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip. The visit and search of the vessel was uneventful.”

Having left two weeks ago from Barcelona, the group included Mairead Maguire, an Irish Nobel Peace Prize laureate who supports the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Upon arrival in Ashdod, the IDF will search for smuggled items and weapons and check the participants’ documents, after which they will be deported. No humanitarian aid was found.

A second ship had left Barcelona as well but was forced to turn back due to engine trouble.

The women claim that they want to support the women of Gaza who, they say, have been suffering over the past 10 years due to the Israeli blockade. It was in 2006 that the terrorist Hamas regime took control of the Strip after a complete Israeli withdrawal a year earlier.

As explained by Virtual Jewish Library, “Despite the terror onslaught, Israel continues to supply electricity and water to the Palestinian people, and these plants are sometimes hit by the rockets fired by Hamas from within the Gaza Strip, cutting power to thousands.  Since the beginning of 2013, over 20,000 truckloads of supplies from Israel have crossed into Gaza for consumption and use by the citizens.  These supplies include meat, vegetables, canned foods, medical supplies, fuel, water, medical equipment, animal food, school supplies, and cosmetic products. The Palestinian Authority [also ]accuses Hamas of stealing thousands of liters of fuel from local Gazan companies and then telling the media that there is a fuel shortage. Fatah members also claim that Hamas is lying about the fuel shortage ‘crisis’ for propaganda.”

In 2010, Israel raided the MV Mavi Marmara – the largest ship among a flotilla of Turkish vessels traveling to Gaza, ostensibly to deliver humanitarian aid and medical supplies to Gaza. In fact, it was an attempt to defy Israeli sovereignty and to support the Palestinian Hamas terror organization, which rules the Strip. The only humanitarian aid found on board were boxes of expired medications.

IDF forces boarded the Mavi Marmara and were viciously assaulted. They killed 10 Turkish nationals while defending themselves, and several IDF soldiers suffered wounds as well.

By: World Israel News Staff