Piracy in Palestinian territorial waters

Piracy in Palestinian territorial waters

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A Lebanese ship is escorted by an Israeli naval boat near the port in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009. Feb 6, 2009 Gaza / PNN – The Israelis committed blatant piracy says the European Campaign to Lift the Siege on Gaza. The reference is to a Lebanese ship carrying aid to the Gaza Strip which Israeli naval vessels commandeered yesterday. Not only did the Israelis take the ship, the humanitarian aid, including blood, they took the passengers. Gaza City’s Jamal Al Khudari, an independent member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the Chairman of the Popular Committee against the Siege, issued an urgent call to release the crew. He also noted that the Israelis had put their lives in danger while still at sea by knocking out communications. Among the 20 passengers was an Al Jazeera correspondent who reported Israeli forces opening fire at the ship, climbing aboard and then beating passengers. Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said of the Israelis, "those who commit massacres against innocent civilians in Lebanon and Gaza will not hesitate to attack a ship carrying humanitarian supplies to the world." After holding the ship in Ashdod Port the Israeli administration is expelling it to Lebanon and deporting the passengers. However one man is missing. As far as the aid is concerned, the Israelis confiscated the medical supplies and humanitarian cargo, but says it will transfer 1,000 units of blood on board to Gaza City hospitals. Under the year and a half siege most medical supplies and medicines are periodically banned. The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is still considered disastrous by human rights organizations. PLC member and head of the Palestinian National Initiative Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi referred to conditions as catastrophic. The European Campaign said on Friday in a statement issued from Brussels that it holds the Israeli administration responsible for the lives of those on board and called for international intervention in stopping Israeli aggressions in Palestinian territorial waters. "The Israeli piracy comes in the framework of the occupation’s efforts to undermine international solidarity and break the will of a million and a half people trapped in the Palestinian Gaza Strip."