[ 03/06/2010 - 12:41 PM ]
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- The Israeli government is holding official contacts with its Irish counterpart in a bid to convince the Rachel Corrie aid ship to unload its shipment of relief material to Gaza Strip in the Israeli-controlled port of Ashdod.
The Hebrew radio said on Thursday that Israel was trying to convince the Irish government and the captain of the Ship to divert its destination to Ashdod to avoid another attack at sea similar to the one against the Freedom Flotilla on Monday that ended with the killing and wounding of many solidarity activists on board at the hands of the attacking Israeli commandos.
The Irish vessel is expected to reach the Gaza coast within the coming 48 hours following a technical problem that delayed its arrival at the time of the other ships in the Freedom Flotilla.
A crew member said that the ship was adamant on continuing its voyage to Gaza despite the Israeli siege.
Rachel Corrie to arrive Gaza Friday or Saturday
NICOSIA, (PIC)-- The Irish ship named Rachel Corrie, which fell behind the Freedom Flotilla convoy, is ploughing ahead with its attempt to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip despite Monday’s attack by the Israeli navy and due to arrive tomorrow or the day after.
The organizers said that Rachel Corrie, which was named after the American activist who was killed in 2003 by an Israeli military bulldozer, sailed from Malta on Monday.
Derek Graham, one of the crew members aboard the ship, told the Irish radio that there are 15 passengers on board the ship including a Nobel peace prize laureate.
He said that he and the others aboard the ship had a meeting after what happened on Monday morning and decided to continue their mission, noting that the ship is carrying medical appliances, school supplies and cement bags.
Meanwhile, the European campaign to end the siege announced that it was able to secure funding for three other aid ships after it received earlier funds for three ships of the new Freedom Flotilla convoy.
The campaign added that it managed within the past 24 hours through intensive worldwide contacts to obtain funds for six ships that will be among a huge fleet scheduled to sail for Gaza in the next few days.
In Israel, war minister Ehud Barak visited the Shayetet 13 military base on Wednesday and praised the commandos who participated in the deadly raid on the Gaza-bound aid Freedom Flotilla on Monday for carrying out their mission as they were told, the army radio reported.
"You carried out the mission and prevented the flotilla from reaching Gaza," Barak said.
"We always need to remember that we aren't in North America or Western Europe, we live in the Middle East, in a place where there is no mercy for the weak and there are no second chances for those who do not defend themselves,” he added.
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