An international coalition of activists said Egypt’s removal
of a 4-year-old blockade of the Gaza Strip last weekend will not affect their
plans for a new flotilla, which will depart from various European ports in an
attempt to breach Israel’s sea blockade. Israel says the blockade stops weapons
reaching Hamas, but activists describe restrictions on Gaza’s 1.5 million
residents as a human rights violation.
“The Gaza shore has to be free. That’s why we are sailing
there,” said Vangelis Pisias, a Greek activist.
Pisias said the aid convoy would sail in “20 days,” though
IHH that operates the Mavi Marmara, has said only that the third week of June
was the target date for departure. That would allow Turkey to proceed with
parliamentary elections on June 12 without fear of a possible confrontation at
sea that would likely disrupt the electoral debate and distract the country’s
leadership.
Israeli military officials have said troops have been
training for months to intercept any flotilla, and plan to use different
tactics this time. The officials refused to elaborate. They spoke on condition
of anonymity because of the secrecy of the planning.
Last year’s raid plunged ties between Israel and Turkey to a
new low, and the Turkish government has said it will not block Turkish
activists from setting sail in the Mavi Marmara from a dock on the Golden Horn,
an inlet in Istanbul. Israel eventually released the vessel after seizing it in
the raid, and on Monday workers in blue overalls checked lifeboats alongside a
deck festooned with Turkish and Palestinian flags.
Turkey seeks an Israeli apology and compensation for the
slain activists’ families. Israel eased its land blockade of Gaza because of
the international furor over the raid, but maintains that Hamas, which
violently seized control of Gaza in 2007, seeks to smuggle in weapons for use
against Israel.
