Posted on 12/26/2008 9:18:38 PM PST by fella
Dec 27, 2008 3:23 | Updated Dec 27, 2008 3:26 'Iran Red Crescent vessel heads to Gaza' By JPOST.COM STAFF AND YAAKOV LAPPIN
An Iranian Red Crescent vessel laden with humanitarian supplies is due to set sail for the Gaza Strip on Saturday, AFP reported, quoting the Islamic Republic's state broadcaster.
Red Crescent director Ahmad Navvab was quoted as saying, "Despite the Zionist regime's opposition... this consignment will leave Bandar Abbas for Palestine on Saturday and will arrive in 12 days."
He said that the ship contains "over 2,000 tonnes of food, medicine and appliances," as well as Iranian doctors and aid workers.
Earlier in December, Prof. Raymond Tanter, president of the Washington-based Iran Policy Committee told The Jerusalem Post that the vessel carried a "hidden agenda," providing cover for an attempt by Teheran's al-Quds Force to spread its influence and possibly ferrying intelligence agents.
"The Iranian Red Crescent ship sailing to the Hamas- controlled Gaza Strip is an example of Teheran's effort to gain political influence through social aid programs, subvert societies with intelligence agents acting as charitable officials, and encourage the Sunni Muslim street to believe that the Iranian regime is on their side, despite its Shi'ite face," he warned.
"The hidden agenda of the Red Crescent is to spread the Iranian conception of Islam to the Sunni Arab heartland, including Gaza," Tanter said. "Teheran spends millions of dollars per month on 'charities,' coordinated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' Quds Force."
In response, the IDF Spokesman's Office said the military was aware of media reports on the ship and that the Foreign Ministry had final say on vessels seeking to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip. Ministry officials declined to comment.
The Iran Policy Committee is made up of former White House officials, high-ranking military figures and academics who believe that Iranian opposition movements should be bolstered by the West.
Iran's Red Crescent Society and other Iranian charities, such as the Imam Relief Committee and the Persian Green Relief Institute, were all "agents of the Iranian regime to carry out its subversive activities, Tanter said. "In Iraq, the Red Crescent operates as a cover for the Quds Force. While appearing to conduct charitable operations, the Red Crescent in Gaza is probably a way for the Quds Force to get closer to Jerusalem," he added.
"Because all missions of the Quds Force are designed to export the Islamic Revolution, Israeli citizens should be wary of the approach of an Iranian Red Crescent ship toward the coast of Gaza, ostensibly carrying humanitarian goods," he said.
"There is the possibility of our ship being blocked just as the Libyan ship was blocked," Iranian Red Crescent secretary-general Ahmad Moussavi said last week, referring to a vessel Israel intercepted last month.
In the past, Israeli officials described attempts by the Free Gaza Movement, which has successfully landed ships on Gaza's shores, as publicity stunts by radical activists
RIGHhhhht ....... 2,000 tonnes of heavy weapons is more like it.
Appliances. Yeah, that's the ticket. Appliances.
Preparing the "laundry" with their new "washing machines".
> A government scientist has warned that climate change, and specifically the rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is pushing up toxins and lowering nutrients in eucalyptus leaves.
The muslims probably would not hesitate to blow up a Red Cross Vessel, so why not sink this Red Crescent Vessel just to be on the safe side? No harm, no foul.
No. That’s barbaric. But an accident at sea is very unfortunate.
Keep the vessel offshore and force them to unload all the cargo onto a barge for inspection.
I doubt they’d agree to that, though. For they’d be caught smuggling weaponry.
> No. Thats barbaric. But an accident at sea is very unfortunate.
Sea travel is fraught with Risk, and Neptune is not a muslim god.
*snort*
Blow the damn thing out of the water and ask questions later. Funny how bold these turds got after Obama got elected.
Jimmy Carter going to be on this one?
Sink it.
Reality is it would be probably near impossible for Iran to smuggle weapons into gaza
the 122mm Katyusha insulin injectors.
those are recognized medical devices...in hell!
Sounds like the makings of a nice underwater reef!
Mark
Sounds like a good target for the Gabriel V missile system.
Quick someone alert the Somali Pirates.
And Iran's untested nuke device, to be quietly floated into the port city of Haifa in the dead of night...
That was my first thought as well.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.