Israel set to repeat May 31 aid attack?

The Moldova-flagged cargo ship, Amalthea


Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=134529§ionid=351020202


Israel is preparing to use force against a new Gaza aid ship amid seething protests over its May 31 attack on a civilian convoy bound for the blockaded territory.

The Moldovan-flagged aid vessel Amalthea organized by Libya's Gaddafi International Charity and Development Association has already set sail from the Greek port of Lavrio and is expected to get near Gaza shore Tuesday night.

Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper quoted military sources in a Tuesday report on it website as saying that Israeli navy commandoes were preparing for a forceful interception of the vessel.

The report comes a day after The Jerusalem Post cited Israeli defense ministry sources as saying that Israel had put its navy on high alert in case it should order them to board Amalthea

Tel Aviv has said allowing the ship to enter Gaza will have serious consequences for what it calls Israel's security, and threatened to strike the civilian aid vessel.

The remarks are seen as a slap in the face of the global community which has as yet failed to push an international probe into Israel's lethal attack on the Gaza freedom Flotilla in international waters and the death of nine Turkish civilians onboard the aid fleet.

In the face of Israeli threats and obstructions, the Libyan charity on Monday said its civilian aid convoy was undeterred and determined to break Tel Aviv's siege of Gaza.

"The foundation's team on the vessel has said morale on board is high and that they are preparing to enter Gaza on Wednesday," the Tripoli-based association said on its website on Monday.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak earlier branded the humanitarian bid as “unnecessary provocation,” and urged the organizers to "either let the ship be escorted by navy vessels to Ashdod port (in Israel) or that is sails directly to the port of al-Arish" in Egypt near the border with Gaza.

"We only have food, medicine and young pacifists on the boat," said Mashallah Zwei, a representative for the Libyan charity who is accompanying the mission.

"The Israelis can inspect the ship and if they have an ounce of humanity they will let us unload in Gaza," he said, calling for international pressure on the regime not to disrupt the relief bid.

Zwei had also earlier clarified that the organization was not seeking "a confrontation or a provocation."