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Seized Gaza Flotilla Boat Docks in Ashdod, Convoyed by IDF

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Israeli Navy fighters boarded the Swedish boat Marianne of Gothenburg (pictured above) taking over the vessel carrying 18 political activists and journalists bound for the Gaza Strip

The flagship boat of the Gaza flotilla docked in the Ashdod port in Israel on Monday, convoyed by Israeli security forces.

Earlier in the day Israeli Navy fighters boarded the Swedish boat Marianne of Gothenburg, taking over the vessel carrying 18 political activists and journalists bound for the Gaza Strip. The takeover was accomplished without incident.

Its passengers will be questioned and then deported.

“IDF says has intercepted and captured Marianne,” the organizers tweeted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the soldiers and officers on the “determined and effective operation to stop the vessel, which was trying to enter Gaza illegally.” The declared aim of the organizers – Israeli, Arab and European activists – was to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which Israel says is essential in order to prevent Palestinian terror group from arming.

“This flotilla is nothing but a demonstration of hypocrisy and lies that is only assisting the Hamas terrorist organisation and ignores all of the horrors in our region,” Netanyahu said.

“Preventing entry by sea was done in accordance with international law and even received backing from a committee of the UN Secretary General,” he said.

The other three ships had changed their course and were “heading back to their ports of origin,” according to a statement by “Canadian Boat to Gaza,” issued by the activists before the Israeli navy commandeered the Marianne.

“We once again call on the government of Israel to finally lift the blockade on Gaza,” the statement said. “Our destination remains the conscience of humanity.”

“In accordance with international law, the Israeli Navy advised the vessel several times to change course,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

“Following their refusal, forces visited and searched the vessel in international waters in order to prevent the intended breach of the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip. The forces have reported that use of force was unnecessary, and that the process was uneventful. The vessel is currently being escorted to Ashdod Port and is expected to arrive within 12-24 hours.”

Organizers also said they had lost contact with the Marianne and that Israeli Navy boats were seen trailing the flotilla.

“We lost contact with Marianne at 22.57 (UTC). Boat location: 31º43′ N, 32º33′ E, about 105nm from the destination Gaza city” they tweeted.

The vessels of the so-called Freedom Flotilla III set sail last week with the stated aim of delivering medical equipment and solar cell panels for use in Gaza, with the Marianne av Goteborg – a fishing boat sailing under a Swedish flag – leading the flotilla.

Having maintained that the flotilla will serve no humanitarian purpose, and is solely aimed to defy the Israeli blockade of the enclave, Israel warned that the boats would be intercepted.

Israeli troops boarding the vessel handed the activists a letter, accusing them of hypocrisy in singling out Israel for alleged human rights violations at a time when brutal wars raging across the Middle East claim heavy tolls.

“It appears you have strayed from your course,” the message from PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s office read. “Perhaps you intended to set sail to the nearby locale of Syria, where Assad’s regime is perpetrating a massacre of its own people, with the backing of the murderous Iranian regime.”

“Whereas in Israel we are faced with a situation where terror group such as Hamas are out to attack innocent civilians. It is against those murderous endeavors that we defend Israeli citizens in accordance with international law,” the open letter further stated.

Listing the humanitarian aid provided by Israel to Gazans following last year’s devastating 50-day war, the document clarified that Israel “is not prepared to allow the delivery by sea of weapons to the Gaza-based terrorist groups, as was the case in the past.”

Lawmaker Basel Ghattas of the Joint Arab List, the Israeli Arab Knesset Member who joined the flotilla, had earlier called on Netanyahu to allow the boats to dock at the Palestinian enclave.

(I24 News)

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