Second Free Gaza mission faces Israeli non-passage threat

Date: 28 / 10 / 2008  Time:  14:06
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Despite Israeli occupation government threats of no-passage, the second Free Gaza boat set sail from Cyprus on Tuesday with Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council Mustafa Al-Barghouthi aboard along with and several members of the European parliament and medical doctors.

The SS Dignity, the successor to the Free Gaza ship, sent the Israeli occupation government notice on Monday that they would be entering Gaza carrying no weapons and having been cleared by Cyprus customs officials. The letter assured that the intention of the mission, like the first, was purely humanitarian. The group said it expected to make an uneventful landing in Gaza on Wednesday.

On Tuesday morning the Jerusalem Post published an article quoting unnamed Israeli officials who stated that they have “no plans to tolerate a repeat performance” of the Gaza ships.

In a press statement Tuesday afternoon the Free Gaza movement commented, “Israel has not bothered to inform us of a legitimate reason for preventing us from delivering medical supplies, doctors, lawyers, and prominent human rights advocates to the Gaza Strip. Indeed, Israel has not bothered to communicate with us at all.”

They reiterated their determination to enter Gaza a second time, and indicated that there would be several following ships.

From on board the ship Barghouthi said “The aim from this voyage is to assure the people of Gaza that West Bank Palestinians are united with them; it holds a message of solidarity.”

He added that all Palestinians could show their support for unity by urging all political parties to take the national conciliation talks in Cairo next month seriously.

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