I have previously covered former Democratic Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney's trip to the Gaza Strip here and here, where they garnered quite a reaction. Now that the boat McKinney was travelling on left port and was hit by the Israeli Navy (it has also landed in Lebanon), I figured I would write another diary on the subject. There have been a few others, but I've started a bit of a series and thought I should continue it.
Before you read the rest, it should be noted that the organization that set up this aid mission was Free Gaza. It has sent 5 similar boats - all carrying a few tons of medical supplies, like this one was - to Gaza since the blockade began. All but this most recent boat were accepted into the territory.
A summary of what's happened up to this point: The organization Free Gaza supposedly invited Cynthia McKinney to come to Gaza with the boat they were sending. Whoever made the first move, McKinney boarded a boat in Cyprus, along with three surgeons, about a dozen other passengers (including an Al Jazeera reporter once held in Guantanamo), and a few tons of medical supplies that was headed straight for the victim's of Israel's strike on Gaza. Roseanne Barr praised McKinney and her "God-energy," some Green Party members proudly said they like her, her anti-Semitic father said he hoped she got back safely, and McKinney herself said she was excited to go.
Now, onto the big news. According to the Israeli government, one of their Navy's ships accidentally hit the boat McKinney was on (called the Dignity). AFP reported,
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told AFP that the naval vessel tried to contact the aid boat by radio for identification and to inform it that it could not enter Gaza.
"After the boat did not answer the radio, it sharply veered and the two vessels collided, causing only light damage," Palmor said.
However, those on the boat - who, it should be noted, clearly oppose the policies of the Israeli government - said a different series of event transpired. The captain of the boat (along with a response):
However, the boat's captain, Briton Denis Healey, 54, said on arriving in Tyre that the Israeli navy had made "no contact" with the Dignity.
"Two Israeli gunboats were on our port side distracting us with their bright lights when another Israeli gunboat with its lights turned off rammed us from the front. I think they were distracting us from the port side," Healey told AFP.
"The boat initially took in a lot of water," added Healey who said he was "a bit frazzled."
The Israeli spokesman accused the international activists of "seeking provocation more than ever."
McKinney herself also commented on the "ramming." On CNN, she said, "I would call it ramming. Let's just call it as it is. Our mission was a peaceful mission to deliver medical supplies and our mission was thwarted by the Israelis -- the aggressiveness of the Israeli military."
She also added some details about the collision separately:
"We were prevented from entering Gaza ... by Israeli patrol boats that tracked us for about 30 minutes. They shone their spotlight on us and then all of a sudden they rammed us approximately three times, twice in the front and once in the side," said former U.S. Representative Cynthia McKinney who was aboard the boat.
"Communications from the Israelis indicated that we were involved in terrorist activities ... I presume that's why they rammed our boat," she added.
A bit more of a description of what happened (from AFP again):
The Free Gaza Movement, which has run the blockade six times since August to take humanitarian supplies into Gaza, said the vessel could still sail after the ramming.
Paul Larudee, one of the group's founders, said the Dignity had been "surrounded" in international waters about 70 kilometres (45 miles) off the Israeli coast and 135 kilometres from Gaza.
"It was surrounded by 11 Israeli naval vessels," he said.
"They ordered the boat to stop, and we didn't. They began firing over our boat and into the waters next to the boat. When the boat wouldn't turn back, one of the naval vessels rammed the boat, but not enough to disable the boat."
The Dignity was given a rousing welcome when it arrived in Tyre, with hundreds of residents clambering aboard fishing boats to greet the activists with cheers and a colourful display of Lebanese flags as well as flags of the Shiite Hezbollah and Amal movements [it should be noted that I know of no connection between any terrorist group and Free Gaza].
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman had earlier said in a statement that the boat was welcome to dock in any Lebanese port.
Here is a picture of the boat after it docked, with the captain peering out:
It is interesting that Israel did not stop Free Gaza's other ships. At this point, it can only be speculation why Israel decided to stop this ship. It could be that McKinney and the journalist were on board - two controversial figures in Israel and the US, for sure. However, it could just as likely have been the fact that Israel did not want to be defied in the aftermath of the recent fighting. If you have any information about this, please let us know. And I'll try to keep everyone updated.
Anyone have any other thoughts?
Sources:
- AFP - Israeli patrol boat collides with aid ship off Gaza
- CNN - Gaza relief boat damaged in encounter with Israeli vessel
- On the Wilder Side via Youtube - Cynthia McKinney's boat rammed by Israeli warship
- International Herald Tribune - Gaza protest boat sails into Lebanon
Once again, thanks to paulie of IPR for tipping me off to the original story.