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The Free Gaza Movement ship, ''Spirit of Humanity”, will leave Larnaca Port Monday and its representatives hope that logic will prevail on the part of Israel.
A press conference will be held at 1030 (0830 GMT) at Larnaca Port on Monday where the ship is expected to dock today and set sail at noon on Monday, on what the movement has described as “an emergency mission to besieged Gaza. The ship will carry desperately needed doctors, journalists, human rights workers, and members of several European parliaments as well as medical supplies”.
Free Gaza representative Vangelis Pissias told CNA on Sunday that all problems have been tackled and the boat was expected to arrive from Limassol this afternoon.
Asked if there has been any reaction from Israel, he said that all threats were direct. “They declared the area a war zone and have told us not to go ahead with the trip”, he said.
However, he added, “we have taken our decision and hope things will go well and logic will prevail”.
A statement by Free Gaza said that that Israel has been notified that the boat will set sail. A copy of the notification to the Israeli Authorities notes that “this letter serves as a formal notification to you as the Occupying Power and belligerent force in the Gaza Strip that on Monday, January 12 we are navigating the motor vessel, Spirit of Humanity, from the Port of Larnaca to the port of Gaza City. Our vessel will be flying the Greek flag, and, as such, falls under the jurisdiction Greece”.
The letter says “we will be sailing from Cypriot waters into international waters, then directly into the territorial waters of the Gaza Strip without entering or nearing Israeli territorial waters. We expect to arrive at the Gaza Port on Tuesday, January 13, 2009”.
It further notes that the boat will be carrying urgently needed medical supplies in sealed boxes, cleared by customs at the Larnaca International Airport and the Port of Larnaca. There will be a total of 30 passengers and crew on board, among them members of various European Parliaments and several physicians. “Our boat and cargo will also have received security clearance from the Port Authorities in Cyprus before we depart”, the notification underlines.
“As it will be confirmed that neither we, the cargo, any of the boat's contents, nor the boat itself constitute any threat to the security of Israel or its armed forces, we do not expect any interference with our voyage by Israel's authorities”, the Free Gaza Movement emphasizes in its letter.
It reminds that on Tuesday, December 30, an Israeli Navy vessel violently, and without warning, attacked the movement’s motor vessel Dignity, disabling the vessel and endangering the lives of the 16 civilians on board.
“This notice serves as clear notification to you of our approach. Any attack on the motor vessel, Spirit of Humanity, will be premeditated and any harm inflicted on the 30 civilians on board will be considered the result of a deliberate attack on unarmed civilians”, the letter concludes.
