[THS] Turkey urges Israel to let in humanitarian convoy

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http://af.reuters.com/article/algeriaNews/idAFLDE64O1D820100525?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=algeriaNews&rpc=401&sp=true

"'Ships that make their own way to Gaza don't do anything to help the people there,'
said Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry." 


Turkey urges Israel to let in humanitarian convoy
Tue May 25, 2010 3:35pm GMT


* Turkey wants Israel to allow in aid convoy

* Nine ships carrying supplies set off for Gaza

By Ayla Jean Yackley

ISTANBUL, May 25 (Reuters) - Turkey urged Israel on Tuesday to lift its blockade of
Gaza and allow a Turkish-led convoy of ships carrying humanitarian aid to enter the
Hamas-controlled enclave.

Israel and Egypt closed Gaza's borders after Hamas took control of the territory in
2007 and refused to forswear violence against the Jewish state. Gaza's 1.5 million
people face shortages of water and medicine.

An international flotilla carrying some 10,000 tonnes of medical equipment, housing
material and other supplies is expected to reach Israeli waters by Friday, according to
a Turkey-based humanitarian aid group leading the effort.

Speaking to reporters at a news conference during a U.N. meeting on the Israeli-
Palestinian peace process, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said his
government had been in touch with Israel about the aid convoy.

"Acting calmly is necessary rather than raising already heightened tensions," he said.
"The blockade on Gaza should be lifted."

He added: "We don't want new tensions ... We believe Israel will use common sense
towards this civilian initiative."

The Israeli government is under international pressure to relax its blockade, which
the United Nations says punishes people in Gaza over the policy of Islamist Hamas,
which is pledged to Israel's destruction.

Since the closure, a number of ships carrying humanitarian aid have been turned
back by the Israeli navy but some have reached the territory.

Turkey, the only Muslim member of NATO, is one of Israel's closest allies in the
Middle East but relations have soured, in part due to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's
frequent criticism of the Jewish state's Palestinian policies.

Robert Serry, the U.N.'s special co-ordinator for the Middle East peace process, said
the blockade could only embolden militants.

"I am particularly concerned that the current closure creates unacceptable suffering,
hurts forces of moderation and empowers extremists. I call for the closure policy to
end," said Serry, who also serves as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon's
representative to the Palestinian Territories.

The convoy, organised by the Istanbul-based Foundation for Human Rights and
Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH), includes vessels from Britain, Greece,
Algeria, Kuwait, Malaysia and Ireland.

It is carrying some $20 million worth of supplies, making it the largest ever to the
Palestinian Territories, Salih Bilici, spokesman for the pro-Palestinian IHH, told
Reuters.

"Part of this mission is to draw attention to the suffering of the people of Gaza," Bilici
said. "We are not concerned that our safety is at risk, because we are a humanitarian
group without political aims."

The group is determined to deliver the aid directly to Gaza, rather than leaving it with
Israeli authorities, Bilici said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1558324.php/Israel-threatens-to-block-Gaza-solidarity-fleet

Israel threatens to block Gaza solidarity fleet

May 25, 2010, 13:23 GMT
test

Gaza/Tel Aviv - Israel warned Tuesday that it would block a fleet of nine ships
carrying some 700 international pro-Palestinian activists and supplies from reaching
the Gaza Strip later this week.

The Freedom Flotilla, organised by the group Free Gaza, is the largest of its kind
since Israel and Egypt began their blockade of the Gaza Strip in reaction to the 2007
takeover of the salient's operation by the Islamist Hamas party.

The blockade has been the source of much international condemnation. Israel argues
it is necessary to keep violent elements in the Gaza Strip from rearming themselves
with the tools to shoot rockets into Israel.

But the organisers of this year's protest say they are trying to bring humanitarian
goods to the Gaza Strip. Israeli authorities have urged them to bring their goods to
the salient via a pre-approved border crossing. Organisers have said no such offer
has been made.

Israeli media reported authorities saying the ships - which are sailing from diverse
ports in Ireland, Greece and Turkey and are expected on Thursday - would be
boarded before they could reach Gaza. Any activists on board would be arrested.

'Ships that make their own way to Gaza don't do anything to help the people there,'
said Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

A similar, but smaller, action was prevented by Israeli authorities a year ago. Five
others have made it to Gaza in recent years.

Palmor said Free Gaza is 'less interested in bringing help, than with advancing their
radical agenda, which plays into the hands of Hamas.'

This year's flotilla is populated by a wide range of people, including politicians and
artists, many of Palestinian descent. Online: http://witnessgaza.com/