<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Israel issues threats as lone flotilla ship set to land in Gaza within 24&nbsp;hours]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>&gt;[ 18/07/2011 &#8211; 04:17 PM ] </p>
<p><img src="https://i2.wp.com/www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/DataFiles%5CCache%5CTempImgs%5C2011%5C2%5Cimages_News_2011_07_18_flotilla_300_0.jpg" alt="" /></p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">GAZA, (PIC)&#8211; Israeli naval forces would never allow the lone ship which managed to slip past the flotilla ban to arrive at the Gaza coast, Israeli political sources said on Monday.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">Some ten of the flotilla&#8217;s ships were impounded in Greece after Israel used political pressure to prevent the flotilla from breaching its unilateral siege of the Gaza Strip and delivering much needed aid.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">A French yacht carrying 17 passengers managed to evade Greece&#8217;s ban on all ships joining the flotilla and eventually ended up in Kastellorizo island on Saturday night, where the passengers were welcomed by locals.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">The yacht, dubbed Dignite – Al-Karama, set sail from that island on Monday and disseminated news that it was nearing the occupied Palestinian territories and that it would land in the Gaza Strip within 24 hours.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">Israeli officials issued threats through media outlets as the ship draws in on its destination. They said they would prevent the ship from reaching the Gaza coast.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">On board the Dignite – Al-Karama are mostly French activists. Also among them are correspondents for a few leading news outlets, including Al-Jazeera and Israel&#8217;s Haaretz.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">Organizers said the yacht was intercepted by Greek coast guards on 7 July. It evaded authorities by officially saying they were sailing to the Egyptian port city of Alexandria. But the group was in fact determined to land in Gaza, organizers have announced.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">&#8220;The boat should be off the Gaza coast on Tuesday afternoon,&#8221; spokesman Maxime Guimberteau told AFP by phone from Paris on Monday.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">&#8220;It is travelling slowly, mainly to conserve fuel,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">&#8220;The fact that the Dignite &#8211; Al Karama is at sea is a setback for the Israeli government which by force or by pressure is trying to perpetuate an illegal and criminal blockade and to silence civil society movements around the world,&#8221; a statement issued from the boat said.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">Greek authorities blocked nine of the flotilla&#8217;s ships carrying 300 activists from 22 countries from departing from its ports and going to Gaza, threatening to use force if orders made under Israeli pressure were not obeyed.</p>
<p style="font-size:10pt;">The authorities say the measure was taken for the “safety” of the ships’ passengers and also to prevent a repeat of what happened in May 2010, when Israeli commandos intercepted the original six-ship Freedom Flotilla and killed nine activists on board.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7hpAqP5WQYH8DafQohKwcnA8llwEO9K3q8FyXe7bTIa7zLH5v9Nuw6aa44wBNP7ADoVz%2filzNvimyCH1VUxyMlSN0G3LibN2li5obFX41R0E%3d">Source</a></p>
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