Posted on 12/30/2008 5:47:23 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Activists trying to bring aid to Gaza today claimed their boat had been rammed by Israeli gunboats in a "criminal attack" in international waters.
The Free Gaza Movement said its vessel, the Dignity, was intercepted by several Israeli vessels as it was heading to the Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli aerial bombardment since Saturday.
One gunboat rammed the Dignity on the port bow side, causing heavy damage, although no one was hurt, the group said.
"[The Dignity] is taking on water and appears to have engine problems," the movement said on its website. "When attacked, the Dignity was clearly in international waters, 90 miles off the coast of Gaza.
"The gunboats also fired their machine guns into the water in an attempt to stop the mercy ship from getting to Gaza.
"Israel thumbs its nose in the face of maritime law by attacking a human rights boat in international waters and has put all of these human rights observers at risk.
"At no time was the Dignity ever close to Israeli waters. They clearly identified themselves and the Israeli attack was willful and criminal."
The group said the attack took place as the Dignity carried three tonnes of medical supplies at the request of doctors in Gaza.
The crew and passengers were hoping to treat some of those injured in four days of the Israeli air strikes, with hospitals in the territory overwhelmed.
The Dignity is still in international waters, 40 miles off Haifa, and is making its way slowly to Lebanon. The ship flies the flag of Gibraltar, is piloted by an English captain and its passenger list includes Cynthia McKinney, a former US congresswoman.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Any pictures of her hair while this incident took place? I would love to see her!
Muzzie sympathizer.
Those gunboat officers ought to be commended for doing such a good job!
Lost their dignity, did they? Whining that their scheme to run the blockade didn’t work. I guess Cindy’s aura didn’t work as a shield after all.
They asked her dad if he knew who had stopped her boat, and he said, “It was the J-E-W-S”
Imagine if they actually sank the craft. The sight of her face in the sea would scare away even the most fearsome of sharks.
Typical Liberal puke on the wrong side of any war. All Liberals and the media side with America’s enemies. Now, that’s something to be proud, don’t ya think?
When they declared their intentions to run a blockade, they gave the Israelis no choice but to stop them. They’re lucky Israel didn’t sink their scow.
When you just feel the need to ram something, this is an excellent choice.
“Those gunboat officers ought to be commended for doing such a good job!”
Correction: they should be reprimanded for not doing the job properly, sinking the nutcases.
I guess the Guardian caught on to the “Hide the Dem Party Label” craze.
Nah, Somali pirates, I’d say.
Did you really mean "sink their cow"? LOL
Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said the boat ignored an Israeli radio order to turn back early Tuesday. He said the boat tried to outmaneuver the navy ship and crashed into it, lightly damaging both vessels. The navy then escorted the boat to the territorial waters of Cyprus.Protest boat organizer Derek Graham said the Israeli ship "rammed" the protest boat.
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