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Last update - 01:02 02/12/2008
Israel turns back Libyan ship bound for Gaza with aid
By Reuters
Tags: israel news, gaza, libya

The Israel Navy on Monday turned away a Libyan ship heading to Gaza with 3,000 tons of humanitarian aid, ending the most high-profile effort yet to break a blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory.

The Al Marwa was approaching the Gaza coast when it was stopped by an Israel Navy vessel. The navy vessel ordered the Libyan ship via radio contact to turn back, said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor, adding that no force was used.

In Gaza's small port, spectators, journalists and dozens of porters had
a
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ssembled to await the arrival of the Libyan ship.

It was not immediately clear where the Libyan ship was now headed. If unable to unload the cargo in Gaza, the ship would return to Libya, said a senior Libyan government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the ship's journey with the press.

"The Israeli warships are making it difficult for the ship to reach the Gaza coast, in spite of the fact that this is a civilian ship, sent to help Palestinians during the siege," the official said.

Gaza's borders have been largely sealed by Israel and Egypt since the Islamic militant Hamas group seized control by force in June 2007.

At times, restrictions were eased to allow the movement of medical patients, Muslim pilgrims, humanitarian supplies and a trickle of commercial goods.

However, Israel re-imposed a tight closure November 5 to force Hamas to halt rocket fire on Israeli border communities. The closure has led to shortages of many basic goods.

Since the summer, international activists have organized three trips from
Cyprus to Gaza on smaller vessels. Israel did not intercept the activists' boats, which carried some medicine and other supplies.

The trip by the Libyan ship, loaded with food, powdered milk and blankets, marked the most notable attempt yet to break the blockade.

The international community, including Arab countries, has not recognized the Hamas government. Nonetheless, there has been growing concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Last week, Arab foreign ministers said in a joint statement in Cairo that
their governments would send food and medicine to Gaza. They did not say
specifically whether they would deliver the aid by sea or by land.

The foreign ministers said they would coordinate with Egypt to ensure the
supplies enter Gaza, suggesting they would take the land route, rather than confronting Israelis at sea.

However, Egypt has also kept the Rafah crossing with Gaza closed most of the time.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum on Monday urged Egypt to open Rafah and allow international aid to reach Gaza. "We believe that there is no justification to keep the Rafah terminal closed," Barhoum said, adding that it causes the slow death of 1.4 million Palestinians in Gaza.

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    Bound for Gaza
    The Libyan ship is the most notable attempt yet to break the Gaza blockade.
      1.   This is awful 10:45  |  Jimmy 01/12/08
      2.   2: Ignorant antisemitism at its best, Jaan 11:16  |  David Teich 01/12/08
      3.   May this be the return of the strong Israel we all once respected 11:21  |  Harvey 01/12/08
      4.   An act of war? 11:34  |  David 01/12/08
      5.   This is piracy 11:41  |  Edward Newton 01/12/08
      6.   Kol Hakavod Israel 11:41  |  Yosemite 01/12/08
      7.   #4 Daniel confirms that Gaza is still under occupation... 11:43  |  JustMe 01/12/08
      8.   Is Gaza Occupied or Not 11:46  |  Sedney 01/12/08
      9.   The Philistines Made Their Choice 11:47  |  Yishai Kohen 01/12/08
      10.   re no°7 11:52  |  Joey 01/12/08
      11.   Libyan ship looked and withdrew - where is IDF militancy? 12:17  |  x-ray 01/12/08
      12.   Lesser of evils? 12:19  |  Tidhar 01/12/08
      13.   #10 not occupation, a state of war 12:43  |  Mickey 01/12/08
      14.   Gaza is OFFICIALLY OCCUPIED... 13:06  |  BBSNews 01/12/08
      15.   War? 13:06  |  Daniel 01/12/08
      16.   Tidhar, how about a boycott of Israeli goods instead? 13:15  |  BBSNews 01/12/08
      17.   #8 Piracy 13:24  |  Ahmed 01/12/08
      18.   hear the anti semites squeak again in ignorance 13:37  |  victor hardman 01/12/08
      19.   Israel turns back 13:37  |  Frank Mazuca 01/12/08
      20.   Mr. Victor Hardman 13:49  |  JJ 01/12/08
      21.   Yasser Arafat used to live in Libya 13:54  |  lady from USA 01/12/08
      22.   BBSNews 19, no comparison, learn history mate! 13:57  |  Harvey 01/12/08
      23.   Did anyone say that Gaza is not occupied? 14:12  |  Palestinian 01/12/08
      24.   PALESTINIAN AND OCCUPATION 14:31  |  Brant 01/12/08
      25.   Gaza is part of Israel 14:39  |  Scmidlap 01/12/08
      26.   #25 Lady: Arafat, the Egyptian, lived in Tunis 15:17  |  Alicia 01/12/08
      27.   Not a smart move by Israel 15:19  |  tristan 01/12/08
      28.   Hamas Public Relations Network 16:09  |  Barry 01/12/08
      29.   Libya is at war with Israel 16:39  |  Gee 01/12/08
      30.   WHY THE SHIP CAN`T BE LET IN 16:39  |  Barry S. Roffman 01/12/08
      31.   Sedney #11 you`re wrong 16:41  |  Gee 01/12/08
      32.   #26 alas, just not true 16:45  |  Outsider 01/12/08
      33.   Jimmy in Jerusalem is right 16:47  |  Arie 01/12/08
      34.   all boat trips are about trying to embares Israel not help Gazans 17:06  |  zionist forever 01/12/08
      35.   Gaza "Cries" For Humanitarian Aid 17:36  |  Alex 01/12/08
      36.   Palestinian # 27 An Economic Blockade Is Not An Occupation 17:43  |  Jeff Northridge 01/12/08
      37.   THE PRICE OF TERRORISM 18:05  |  Barry S. Roffman 01/12/08
      38.   Occupation 18:12  |  Jasper 01/12/08
      39.   BBS news. We don`t wonder. 18:30  |  judith 01/12/08
      40.   Israelis beg for sympathy while Gaza is dying 18:37  |  Palestinian in UK 01/12/08
      41.   This is a Shame 18:43  |  J-Rock 01/12/08
      42.   3,000 Tons of "Aid?" 18:47  |  Angel 01/12/08
      43.   All crossings into the Gaza Strip must remain closed for good and 18:49  |  Avigdor 01/12/08
      44.   Disgusting action by Israel, but no surprise... 18:56  |  Silvienne 01/12/08
      45.   #40, "Angel"...it`s a real shame... 19:02  |  Silvienne 01/12/08
      46.   re: no 12 Yishai Kohen 19:16  |  kieruu 01/12/08
      47.   Hamas 19:21  |  Jon Z 01/12/08
      48.   Palestinian in UK # 37 Israel Is Not Begging For Sympathy 19:39  |  Jeff Northridge 01/12/08
      49.   Yay For Israel! 19:46  |  J-Rock 01/12/08
      50.   Silvienne...Again with the starving Gazans... 19:59  |  Nemesis 01/12/08
      51.   Jeff Northridge 20:00  |  J-Rock 01/12/08
      52.   That`s not "Israeli waters" 20:35  |  Lee Kaplan 01/12/08
      53.   J-Rock #53 one question 20:41  |  Gee 01/12/08
      54.   Israel`s war of terror 20:45  |  gearoid 01/12/08
      55.   Libya?s ship is filled with hatred 21:04  |  Brian V Hunt 01/12/08
      56.   The Libyan Ship .... 21:07  |  Jasper 01/12/08
      57.   a siege is a siege, not an occupation 21:10  |  Paul Freedman 01/12/08
      58.   to #19 BBS 21:30  |  leo 01/12/08
      59.   Actually, UNRWA has harmed Palestinians 21:31  |  Abu Salah 01/12/08
      60.   #8 Edward Newton 21:33  |  leo 01/12/08
      61.   Let The Arabs Of Gaza Live.... 21:34  |  Ronald 01/12/08
      62.   Re: Silvienne No. 49 21:41  |  Angel 01/12/08
      63.   #54 It amazes me how oblivious you are 21:52  |  James 01/12/08
      64.   Re: BBS #19 22:04  |  Angel 01/12/08
      65.   Time for Egypt to Step Up 22:13  |  Mark of Lewiston 01/12/08
      66.   Libya, Egypt,Hamas &anti-Israel; posters 22:22  |  Alan 01/12/08
      67.   to #66 No surprise Isreal has an ally 22:27  |  james 01/12/08
      68.   What right does Israel have?? 22:28  |  Smart 01/12/08
      69.   to Harvey #26: 22:39  |  anonymous 01/12/08
      70.   J-Rock 22:41  |  judith 01/12/08
      71.   Has anybody looked at the ship? 22:44  |  Gee 01/12/08
      72.   When will idiots learn... 22:45  |  Magnus K. 01/12/08
      73.   James 22:47  |  judith 01/12/08
      74.   Johan Odin - Lets move all the Palestinians to Norway. Johan 22:47  |  Ben 01/12/08
      75.   Israel in the eyes of the world 22:51  |  a jew 01/12/08
      76.   SAD state of affair, deniying foods/medicines 23:46  |  M. Teresa 01/12/08
      77.   74#Ben, got a better idea as UR foreing to this 23:50  |  Eskimo 01/12/08
      78.   Re: M(etumtemet) Teresa 00:03  |  Angel 02/12/08
      79.   People will spit in Israelis face and avoid their goods 00:25  |  Dutch 02/12/08
      80.   why cant Israel Inspect the Boat the libyans say they dont mind 00:28  |  Gisele 02/12/08
      81.   Re: Gearoid # 54 00:29  |  Angel 02/12/08
      82.   Humanitarian Aid Verboden! 00:32  |  Matty Groves 02/12/08
      83.   Just say no entrance to Gaza Strip show 00:36  |  moral 02/12/08
      84.   no justification to keep the Rafah terminal closed 00:42  |  Jewboy 02/12/08
      85.   # 71 gee 00:55  |  Axel 02/12/08
      86.   Calm down. It`s war, is all. 01:07  |  Phil T. Lucre 02/12/08
      87.   A Jew 02:25  |  A Goy 02/12/08
      88.   #36 What Jeff refuses to admit. 02:25  |  Johnboy 02/12/08
      89.   #85 Axel- GMT 02:29  |  * BEN JABO 02/12/08
      90.   Carrying on 02:56  |  Al khansa 02/12/08
      91.   Libya is an enemy of Israel 03:02  |  Bruriah Sarah 02/12/08
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