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2018-07-29 Israel-Palestine-Jordan
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Activists on flotilla heading to Gaza realize nobody cares
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 [Ynet] Flotilla boat Al Awda is 150 miles from Gazoo shore, but the activists on board know the Israeli Navy will soon stop them; they say they won't invite the Navy on board, 'but we also won't try to hurt them or create a situation in which we are a threat to them.'
The flotilla boat Al Awda (the return) was less than 150 miles from the Gazoo Strip shores on Saturday night and theoretically could reach its destination by Sunday afternoon.
But even the activists abroad understand that they might be stopped in the coming hours by the Israeli Navy, which will prevent them from "breaking" the naval blockade on Gazoo.
In an interview with Ynet from far out at sea, the activists stressed that they will resist to the IDF's expected takeover of the boat in non-violent ways.
There are 22 activists from different countries on board Al Awda, which is only a few days ahead of another boat also making its way to the strip in an effort to break the blockade.
| This is the fourth flotilla that left-wing activist Yonatan Shapira participates in. But in a conversation with Ynet, he allowed that there is truth to the claim the flotillas are a form of protest that has run its course. |
"We want and plan to reach the Gazoo Strip," said Zohar Regev, an Israeli living in Spain who is on board the boat. "But if we are stopped by the army, we will resist their takeover of the boat in non-violent ways. It means we won't invite them to come on board, but we also won't try to hurt them or create a situation in which we are a threat to them."
The flotilla nears Gazoo amid Hamas, one of the armed feet of the Moslem Brüderbung millipede,'s "March of Return" campaign, but Regev insists there is no connection between the flotilla and the campaign.
"This flotilla was planned even before the 'March of Return' campaign, but as soon as we saw there was a civilian campaign that is gaining momentum, it gave us a push and motivation," she said. "There are people in the flotilla's coalition with ties to the campaign in Gazoo, but this flotilla was planned before that and with no connections to the campaign."
This is the fourth flotilla that left-wing activist Yonatan Shapira participates in. But in a conversation with Ynet, he allowed that there is truth to the claim the flotillas are a form of protest that has run its course.
"Our goal is to lift the blockade over Gazoo. When a civilian group is fighting against a bigger body like a state, it has to develop creative ideas to succeed, and I'd be happy to hear such ideas from people," he said.
International activist Charlie Anderson, who was in the Gazoo Strip before and is now on board the ship, agreed. "I'm aware of the fact the mainstream media hasn't covered this flotilla, but we receive a lot of comments on social media, and it helps keep the issue of the siege over Gazoo on the agenda," he said.
Shapira said the boat carries medical equipment for Gazoo, but stressed this was a symbolic amount and that the main goal of the flotilla is to raise awareness about the blockade.
According to Shapira, there are no activists from the Ottoman Turkish organization IHH on board the boat, as there were on the Mavi Marmara.
Past experience indicates that the Navy takes over all flotillas when they are several dozens of miles from the Gazoo Strip's coast. After the takeover, the boats are towed to the Ashdod port, where the activists on board are detained for questioning and then deported from Israel shortly thereafter through Ben-Gurion Airport.
Detained:
“The international community must assume its responsibilities and demand that Israeli authorities ensure the safety of those on board, the speedy delivery of our gifts to the Palestinian people in Gaza, an end to the illegal blockade of Gaza, and to stop impeding our legal right of innocent passage to Gaza to deliver our gift of much-needed medical supplies.” 
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Posted by trailing wife 2018-07-29 00:00||
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00:20 Besoeker
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