‘Largest Flotilla Yet’ En-Route to Gaza
NEWS, 20 Sep 2010
Ynet reporters – TRANSCEND Media Service
Ships from Britain, Morocco, Qatar to rendezvous in Syria, sail toward el-Arish Port in northern Sinai Peninsula; activists plan to enter Gaza through Rafah Crossing, deliver humanitarian aid.
Four months after being injured on board the Mavi Marmara ship, one of the participants of late May’s Gaza-bound flotilla on Saturday joined what organizers are calling “the largest flotilla yet.”
Kevin Ovenden set sail from Britain Saturday morning along with 30 other activists on a voyage they dubbed “Viva Palestina.” Their goal is to reach the Gaza Strip through Rafah Crossing – after docking in Egypt’s el-Arish Port at the northern Sinai Peninsula.
At the same time, activists from Qatar and Morocco are making last arrangements before heading for Syria and joining the locals en route to the Gaza Strip.
“Our mission last time was to take aid in and to highlight the siege,” Ovenden told CNN. “That’s our mission this time.”
Ovenden also denied claims that activists aboard the Mavi Marmara carried weapons that were used against the soldiers during the raid.
“I witnessed the man one meter in front of me being shot in the leg, a man 50 centimeters to the right of me being shot through the abdomen,” Ovenden said of the experience.
“Neither of them had anything in their hands. There were no Israeli commandos within the immediate proximity. They were shot from above, so it was simply unfeasible — in that incident I saw – for anyone to claim they were in fearing for their lives when they rang out those shots,” he added.
DISCLAIMER: The statements, views and opinions expressed in pieces republished here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of TMS. In accordance with title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. TMS has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is TMS endorsed or sponsored by the originator. “GO TO ORIGINAL” links are provided as a convenience to our readers and allow for verification of authenticity. However, as originating pages are often updated by their originating host sites, the versions posted may not match the versions our readers view when clicking the “GO TO ORIGINAL” links. This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.