Greece arrests Gaza-bound boat captain

[toomuchtime_]

Greek authorities have arrested the captain of a boat that was to be part of a Gaza-bound flotilla trying to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, officials said Saturday.

The 60-year-old captain, whose name was not released by authorities, was being held at Piraeus police headquarters and will remain there until a court hearing Tuesday.

Greece's coast guard said the captain of the "Audacity of Hope" faces charges of trying to leave port without permission and of endangering the lives of the boat's passengers. The latter charge is a felony.

Greece arrests Gaza-bound boat captain - Israel News, Ynetnews

The Gazans must be saying, "With friends like these, who needs enemies?" The people running this flotilla seem incompetent enough to go into Palestinian Arab politics.

 

[alexa]

Greek authorities have arrested the captain of a boat that was to be part of a Gaza-bound flotilla trying to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, officials said Saturday.

The 60-year-old captain, whose name was not released by authorities, was being held at Piraeus police headquarters and will remain there until a court hearing Tuesday.

Greece's coast guard said the captain of the "Audacity of Hope" faces charges of trying to leave port without permission and of endangering the lives of the boat's passengers. The latter charge is a felony.

Greece arrests Gaza-bound boat captain - Israel News, Ynetnews

The Gazans must be saying, "With friends like these, who needs enemies?" The people running this flotilla seem incompetent enough to go into Palestinian Arab politics.

Obviously it is difficult for unarmed civilians to go about their lives if they are opposed by underhand means.

Ann Wright, retired U.S. Army Colonel, responded strongly to the arrest of the American captain of the U.S. Boat to Gaza. “I think it’s outrageous what the Greek government is doing to our captain who was taking a group of Americans to challenge the illegal Israeli blockade. We call on the Greek government to release our Captain and dismiss all charges.”

Yonatan Shapira, a crew member on The Audacity of Hope and former Israeli Air Force captain, said the captain of the U.S. Boat should be praised, not condemned for his actions. “The captain acted out of concern for the safety of the passengers and boat by taking us away from the Greek port where other flotilla boats are being sabotaged,” Shapira said.

After five days of stalling, the Greek authorities produced the results of the inspection of the boat, which took place on Monday, June 27. The Greek government inspected the boat on the basis of an anonymous complaint alleging that the boat is not seaworthy. The anonymous complaint later turned out to have been filed by the Israel Law Center. The list of infractions cited on the inspection report included such things as technical details regarding the construction material of the hull and the fact that the private inspection report emailed to the authorities was unsigned. “None of these alleged infractions are actually regulations that boats are required to meet,” said group’s Greek lawyer Emmanuel Stephanakis. “It’s obvious that these are politically motivated, baseless charges calculated to stop the U.S. Boat to Gaza from sailing.”

“This shameful chapter in Greek history is symbolized by Prime Minister Netanyahu thanking his Greek counterpart Prime MInister Papandreou for his cooperation in helping thwart the flotilla, and by the fully-armed and masked Greek commandos at sea, pointing their guns at unarmed American civilians singing “We are a gentle, loving people,” says passenger Medea Benjamin.

U.S. Boat to Gaza Seized by Greek Authorities and Captain Jailed « USTOGAZA

Link again to bios of these upright people who are being treated so undemocratically, deviously and certainly of questionable legality.

PASSENGERS ON THE AUDACITY OF HOPE « USTOGAZA

 

[P F Tinmore]

Bogus charges. It is just another delay tactic.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSoJuwhshSI]YouTube - ‪Audacity Stopped at Sea 01:07:2011.m4v‬‏[/ame]

 

[P F Tinmore]

The boat’s captain has been put in jail, charged with disturbing sea traffic--which includes endangering the lives of those on the ships-- and disobeying a police order to remain at dock.

USTOGAZA

They jumped through the hoops placed by liars in Israel. Everything had been inspected and everything was in order. They were clear to sail. The only time they disturbed sea traffic was when they were stopped by the coast guard.

 

[tonystewart1]

The flotilla needs to put someone else if front of the camera besides Ann Wright. She is awful. I have seen her a few time and she is not very articluate and is very confrontational.

 

[toomuchtime_]

The flotilla needs to put someone else if front of the camera besides Ann Wright. She is awful. I have seen her a few time and she is not very articluate and is very confrontational.

The organizers and passengers thought flotilla II would create a groundswell of opposition to Israel's blockade of Gaza; instead it has caused a groundswell of support for the blockade. No matter who they put in front of the camera, there's no way they can talk their way out of this.

 

[alexa]

The flotilla needs to put someone else if front of the camera besides Ann Wright. She is awful. I have seen her a few time and she is not very articluate and is very confrontational.

The organizers and passengers thought flotilla II would create a groundswell of opposition to Israel's blockade of Gaza; instead it has caused a groundswell of support for the blockade. No matter who they put in front of the camera, there's no way they can talk their way out of this.

You have such an imagination devoid of reality. Apart from bringing aid and hope to Gaza, the only other thing Free Gaza wanted to do was bring world attention to it...you think it has failed at that? Of course not and this has just begun.

The US passengers are currently holding a hunger strike outside the US Embassy in Athens

Harbor-bound US flotilla activists stage hunger strike - Israel News, Ynetnews

and tomorrow it is intended that all the boats which have not been sabotaged one way or another will set sail.

Activists say all operational ships will be ready to depart, but exact number is yet unknown.

By Amira Hass

The organizers of the Gaza-bound flotilla said Sunday that all operational ships will set sail on Monday, despite the numerous delays the flotilla activists had encountered in the past week.

The decision to depart on Monday was made following several days of deliberations on the subject, and the exact number of ships due to sail is still unknown.

In contrast to recent reports, most of the Gaza flotilla activists are still participating.

Moreover, activists in several countries of origin of the ships participating in the flotilla such as Canada and Belgium held protests in support of the Gaza flotilla and against the Greek government, which had issued an order to bar the ships from leaving Greek ports.

Eight of the ten ships due to participate in the Gaza flotilla were delayed over the weekend in various Greek ports, following an order by the Greek government to bar the departure of the vessels.

The activists as well as members of the leftist opposition in Greece accused the Socialist government of caving in to Israeli pressure. Greek Foreign Minister Stavros Lambrinidis said that the Greek government is preventing the departure of the vessels in order to avoid a ‘humanitarian disaster’ which will result from a violent confrontation with the Israeli navy.

The foreign minister also promised that he will continue to negotiate with the UN in order to find a solution to the flotilla crisis.

The Greek ban applies to all Greek and foreign vessels in Greek ports heading to Gaza.

The organizers of the flotilla were considering legal action to cancel the Greek ban on the departure of the ships. They were also trying to rally members of leftist parties in various countries and the European Parliament to convince the Greek government to change the orders.

Before the official publication of the instructions at 4:30 P.M. on Friday, the boat of the American delegation tried to set sail from the port of Perama without clearance from the Greek authorities. The ship was carrying 51 passengers, including five members of the crew and 11 journalists.

According to the flotilla organizers, the delays by the Greek authorities in granting permission to sail stemmed from political pressure.

http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/flotilla-ready-to-sail-tomorrow/

You will note above the Greek Government is making the excuse that it is acting in the way it is in order to prevent a 'humanitarian disaster'. One can only imagine that is what Lieberman told them would happen as he has admitted Israel is behind the Greek Government's decision.

Lieberman: Gaza flotilla activists blaming Israel for their own failure - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

It has been speculated that the reason for the action against the Audacity of Hope was to get it out of the way as a profound uproar was expected if the civilians on it were killed. No unarmed civilians from any country should be harmed for carrying out the privileges living in democracies allows us and the only people who can argue otherwise are people who do not believe in democratic values including the right of protest.

 

[ForeverYoung436]

Why is the blockade of Gaza called "illegal"? When Israel withdrew their troops, settlers, and greenhouses from Gaza, in order to see what kind of society the Gazans would build there, they got thousands of crude missiles. That is why the blockade was imposed.

 

[P F Tinmore]

Why is the blockade of Gaza called "illegal"? When Israel withdrew their troops, settlers, and greenhouses from Gaza, in order to see what kind of society the Gazans would build there, they got thousands of crude missiles. That is why the blockade was imposed.

A blockade is an act of war and it preceded the rockets.

 

[P F Tinmore]

Three years before Hamas became Israel's boogyman.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3JI-axaRF4]YouTube - ‪Rachel Corrie - Interview‬‏[/ame]

 

[toomuchtime_]

Why is the blockade of Gaza called "illegal"? When Israel withdrew their troops, settlers, and greenhouses from Gaza, in order to see what kind of society the Gazans would build there, they got thousands of crude missiles. That is why the blockade was imposed.

A blockade is an act of war and it preceded the rockets.

And yet the draft of the UN Commission on Flotilla I finds the blockade is legal under international law and Israel's actions to stop flotilla I were legal. The report goes on to sharply criticize Turkey for allowing flotilla I to sail from its ports.

A draft of the report, due to be released within two weeks, was given to Israel and Turkey about six weeks ago. The UN committee, according to the Haaretz report, determined that Israel's naval blockade of Gaza is in line with international law, and therefore Israeli actions to stop the flotilla were also legal.

According to a senior government official in Jerusalem, the report criticizes the Turkish government and highlights the relationship between the government and the Turkish charity group İHH, the group that owned the raided ship, Mavi Marmara.

Report: Turkey seeks Israeli approval to soften UN flotilla criticism

 

[P F Tinmore]

Why is the blockade of Gaza called "illegal"? When Israel withdrew their troops, settlers, and greenhouses from Gaza, in order to see what kind of society the Gazans would build there, they got thousands of crude missiles. That is why the blockade was imposed.

A blockade is an act of war and it preceded the rockets.

And yet the draft of the UN Commission on Flotilla I finds the blockade is legal under international law and Israel's actions to stop flotilla I were legal. The report goes on to sharply criticize Turkey for allowing flotilla I to sail from its ports.

A draft of the report, due to be released within two weeks, was given to Israel and Turkey about six weeks ago. The UN committee, according to the Haaretz report, determined that Israel's naval blockade of Gaza is in line with international law, and therefore Israeli actions to stop the flotilla were also legal.

According to a senior government official in Jerusalem, the report criticizes the Turkish government and highlights the relationship between the government and the Turkish charity group İHH, the group that owned the raided ship, Mavi Marmara.

Report: Turkey seeks Israeli approval to soften UN flotilla criticism

And the flotilla's actions are legal.

 

[P F Tinmore]

Can we expect equal praise for the UN's Goldstone report?

 

[toomuchtime_]

A blockade is an act of war and it preceded the rockets.

And yet the draft of the UN Commission on Flotilla I finds the blockade is legal under international law and Israel's actions to stop flotilla I were legal. The report goes on to sharply criticize Turkey for allowing flotilla I to sail from its ports.

A draft of the report, due to be released within two weeks, was given to Israel and Turkey about six weeks ago. The UN committee, according to the Haaretz report, determined that Israel's naval blockade of Gaza is in line with international law, and therefore Israeli actions to stop the flotilla were also legal.

According to a senior government official in Jerusalem, the report criticizes the Turkish government and highlights the relationship between the government and the Turkish charity group İHH, the group that owned the raided ship, Mavi Marmara.

Report: Turkey seeks Israeli approval to soften UN flotilla criticism

And the flotilla's actions are legal.

If they attempt to leave Greece, they are in violation of Greek law; if they attempt to run the blockade they are in violation of Israeli law and if they are Americans, they are in violation of US law.

 

[toomuchtime_]

Can we expect equal praise for the UN's Goldstone report?

Even Goldstone doesn't respect the Goldstone report, and your terrorist heroes have disputed its accuracy as it applies to them.

 

[P F Tinmore]

And yet the draft of the UN Commission on Flotilla I finds the blockade is legal under international law and Israel's actions to stop flotilla I were legal. The report goes on to sharply criticize Turkey for allowing flotilla I to sail from its ports.

And the flotilla's actions are legal.

If they attempt to leave Greece, they are in violation of Greek law; if they attempt to run the blockade they are in violation of Israeli law and if they are Americans, they are in violation of US law.

Load of crap. The boats have been going there for years and nobody has been arrested for that crime.

 

[toomuchtime_]

And the flotilla's actions are legal.

If they attempt to leave Greece, they are in violation of Greek law; if they attempt to run the blockade they are in violation of Israeli law and if they are Americans, they are in violation of US law.

Load of crap. The boats have been going there for years and nobody has been arrested for that crime.

That's the point I have been making. Times have changed. Israel's critics do not have this year the mainstream support they had last year. Even Turkey, the principal sponsor of last year's flotilla, has withdrawn its support this year.

 

[daveman]

 

[P F Tinmore]

If they attempt to leave Greece, they are in violation of Greek law; if they attempt to run the blockade they are in violation of Israeli law and if they are Americans, they are in violation of US law.

Load of crap. The boats have been going there for years and nobody has been arrested for that crime.

That's the point I have been making. Times have changed. Israel's critics do not have this year the mainstream support they had last year. Even Turkey, the principal sponsor of last year's flotilla, has withdrawn its support this year.

Really, Israel has been traveling the globe for months bribing/threating/begging people to stop the flotilla.

Obviously Israel still considers it a great threat.

 

[toomuchtime_]

Load of crap. The boats have been going there for years and nobody has been arrested for that crime.

That's the point I have been making. Times have changed. Israel's critics do not have this year the mainstream support they had last year. Even Turkey, the principal sponsor of last year's flotilla, has withdrawn its support this year.

Really, Israel has been traveling the globe for months bribing/threating/begging people to stop the flotilla.

Obviously Israel still considers it a great threat.

No bribing, no threatening, no begging. Netanyahu and Lieberman have taken a tough line with regard to the Palestinian Arabs and to everyone's surprise, they are having great success in persuading others to support them.