Israel’s army is to prevent the arrival of ship with activist Thunberg in the Gaza Strip – Diepresse.com
« You will not reach Gaza, » said the Israeli Minister of Defense Katz. He accuses Thunberg of anti -Semitism. The activists would expect Israel to be attacked at any time.
The Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz has instructed the army to prevent the arrival of the sail yacht « Madleen » operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedin Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC). Human rights activists such as the Swede Greta Thunberg are on board. « I clearly say the anti-Semitic Greta and her Hamas Propaganda-spreading friends: You should turn back better, because you will not reach Gaza, » said Katz on Sunday.
The activists then stated in online service X that they calculated “at any time” to be intercepted or attacked by Israel. They called on their respective governments to protect them. On board the “Madleen” are activists from Germany, France, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands. « We are not afraid of them, » said German human rights activist and fellow sailor Yasemin Acar with reference to the warning of the Israeli minister.
The yacht under British flag had left Sicily on June 6th and is currently on the way to the Gaza Strip besieged by Israel off the Egyptian coast.
Thunberg rejects anti -Semitism allegations
Thunberg, who became known as climate activists, rejected the allegations of anti-Semitism and said that she had joined the Madleen crew to show « Israel’s illegal siege and escalating war crimes » in Gaza. She also wants to underline the urgent need for humanitarian aid. According to the FFC, the “Madleen” transports a symbolic amount of relief goods, including rice and baby food.
According to the French Palestinian EU MP Rima Hassan, the action wants to draw attention to the Israeli blockade for auxiliary deliveries and the ongoing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip. The MP of the French left-wing party LFI is controversial in France because of their statements about the war in the Palestinian area. In February, she was denied entry to Israel as part of an EU parliamentary trip.
« We will stay tuned until the last minute – until Israel cuts the Internet and the networks, » Hassan told the AFP news agency on Sunday. « We are twelve civilians on board. We are not armed. There is only humanitarian aid, » emphasized Hassan. No state « replied », she complained. « The message is that Israel can act unpunished, without any protection guarantee for us. »
Climate activist Thunberg wanted to travel to the Gaza strips with a ship of the « Freedom Flotilla » at the beginning of May. However, the ship had been damaged on the way. Activists suspected that Israel had attacked the ship with a drone. Thunberg had repeatedly participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
UNO: 2.3 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip of Hunger threatened
The United Nations warned that most of the 2.3 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip are threatened by hunger because of Israel. Katz said that the blockade was essential for Israel’s national security because Israel wanted to switch off the radical-Islamic Hamas. « The state of Israel will not allow anyone to break the sea blockade of the Gaza Strip, the main purpose of which is to prevent the arms transfer to Hamas, » said Katz.
An FFC spokeswoman said on Sunday that the ship is currently about 160 nautical miles (almost 300 kilometers) from Gaza. You also prepare for being intercepted. In addition to Thunberg, eleven other people are on board, including the French EU MP Hassan.
Israeli media reported that the military planned to intercept the yacht before reaching the Gaza Strip. It should then be escorted to Ashdod’s Israeli port. The crew would be brought away from there.
In 2010, Israeli commands killed ten people when they entered the Turkish ship « Mavi Marmara », which led an auxiliary convoy towards Gaza. (APA/Reuters/AFP)
