Israel Intercepts Freedom Flotilla Aid Ship
By Yadnom Awu/ Asaba
Israel, on Sunday night, intercepted an aid ship belonging to the Freedom Flotilla.
The small vessel, named Madeline, was bearing humanitarian supplies, including rice, medicine, diapers, flour and baby formula.
Israeli forces intercepted it in international waters as it sailed towards the Palestinian enclave of Gaza to break its blockade by the Jewish state.
The vessel is being towed to the Israeli seaport of Ashdod, where the 12 activists onboard are expected to be separated, isolated, denied access to communication kits and eventually deported to their home countries.
The activists are from different countries, including Britain and Norway.
The Freedom Flotilla has been at the heart of global civil efforts to help end Israel’ s policies in Palestine, including the sea blockade of Gaza, its humanitarian blockade of the strip and its hard nose military campaign against Gaza and the occupied West Bank
.
Its last effort to breach the blockade was two months ago when its vessel was attacked in the Maltese waters, allegedly by Israeli drones which hurled two bombs onto it.
Before then, in 2010, the group’ s humanitarian boat, The Conscience, was fatally attacked by troops suspected of being Israelis, and 10 of its members aboard were killed.
