Israeli navy halts French yacht trying to breach Gaza blockade

JERUSALEM - Israeli naval forces boarded a French yacht off the Gaza coast yesterday as the yacht tried to breach the Israeli maritime blockade of the Palestinian enclave. The forces met no resistance, Israeli military officials said, and steered the yacht toward the Israeli port of Ashdod.

The yacht is a remnant of an international flotilla that had planned to challenge the blockade last month but was mostly thwarted.

The flotilla organizers had wanted to mark a year since the last flotilla, an attempt to reach Gaza that ended in bloodshed, and to highlight the restrictions on the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza. Israel says its blockade is essential to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza, which is run by Hamas, the Islamic militant group. The naval blockade was formally imposed in early 2009 during Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

In May 2010, Israeli naval commandos met with resistance when they boarded a large Turkish passenger vessel trying to breach the blockade, and they fatally shot nine activists on the ship. The episode led to intense international pressure on Israel to ease its restrictions on Gaza.

The amount and variety of goods allowed into the enclave over land crossings have increased significantly, and Egypt reopened the Rafah passenger crossing on its border with Gaza. But the capacity of the crossing is limited; there are currently 23,000 Palestinians on a waiting list to leave Gaza by way of Rafah, said Gisha, an Israeli advocacy group that focuses on freedom of movement for Palestinians. The export of goods has also been severely limited to a small amount of agricultural produce.

The latest flotilla, which organizers had hoped would include up to 10 vessels and some 300 passengers, was beset by problems from the outset. Israel worked intensely at the diplomatic level to stymie the operation, and most of the vessels in the flotilla were prevented from leaving Greek ports by Greek authorities. Members of the flotilla also said two of the vessels were sabotaged.

The lone yacht that managed to set out for Gaza this week, the Dignite-Al Karama, left the French island of Corsica with 16 passengers and crew on board. Among them were an honorary member of the French Parliament, a crew from Al Jazeera, and an Israeli journalist.

The French-flagged yacht anchored in international waters before the last leg of its voyage Monday, according to organizers from the Free Gaza Movement.

The boat represented “the steadfastness and determination of the flotilla movement to sail until the blockade is broken,’’ the group said in a statement issued hours before the yacht was taken over.

Yesterday morning, the Israeli navy made contact with the yacht and requested that it change course, a call that the vessel ignored. The Israeli military released a recording of a radio exchange with someone on board, who said the vessel was a private cruiser boat, that it carried no cargo, and that its final destination was Gaza.

Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai, the Israeli military’s chief spokesman, said that the captain had lied to Greek authorities during its voyage, telling them that the yacht’s destination was Egypt.

“After dialogue reached a dead end, naval commandos boarded the yacht and took control of it without facing resistance,’’ Mordechai said.

IDF: Some flotilla activists planning to kill soldiers

Army sources tell 'Post' they have intelligence showing some participants in upcoming flotilla plan to use chemical weapons against troops; flotilla member Dror Feiler: Claims "are attempt to justify IDF violence."
IDF sources said Monday night that new intelligence information obtained in recent days shows that participants of the flotilla planning to break Israel’s sea blockade over the Gaza Strip later this week plan to kill IDF soldiers who board their ships.

According to the information obtained by the IDF, some of the participants have prepared sacks with sulfur, which they plan to pour on the soldiers as they board the vessels.
“This is a chemical weapon, and if poured on a soldier it can paralyze him,” an IDF source told The Jerusalem Post Monday night. “If the sulfur is then lit on fire, the soldier will light up like a torch.”
The information was obtained from closed meetings held by participants on the ships during which some voiced their intention to “murder Israeli soldiers,” according to the IDF.
In response to the IDF's statements, Dror Feiler, an Israeli participant on the upcoming flotilla, told Army Radio that the claims "are an attempt to justify in advance IDF violence."
Feiler said that as long as it is up to flotilla organizers, activists planning to harm IDF soldiers will not participate in the mission.
"If Israel suspects any one, it should provide us with information so we can stop him. Violent people are not permitted to take part in the flotilla," he said.
"All of the passengers signed a pledge of non-violence, because we don't want a repeat of what happened in the last flotilla," Feiler stressed. "We have no intention of confronting anyone. We just want to arrive in Gaza in peace. Israel has no reason to stop the flotilla."
"The situation in Israel, with its army and security forces fighting a group of 20 organizations, is funny. The world does not believe it, and neither does the State of Israel itself," he said.
In related news, despite earlier predictions that members of the Turkish organization IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation would not participate in the flotilla, it now appears that some members will sail with the ships alongside other radical Islamic activists.
The Navy has begun its final preparations to stop the vessels, and the IDF sources said that commandos who board the ships will be prepared for a wide-range of scenarios from no violence at all to extreme and violent resistance from the passengers.

IDF rebuffs ‘Naksa’ rioters trying to cross Syrian border(Video)

Hundreds of Palestinian rioters repeatedly tried to infiltrate Israel throughout Sunday in two locations on the Syrian border, but were rebuffed by an IDF determined to prevent a repeat of the “Nakba Day” scenes in which activists spilled into Israeli territory. Israel Radio reported that the Syrian health minister claimed 23 activists were killed, and 350 were wounded, in the clashes to commemorate the Palestinian “Naksa,” or “setback” in Six Day War, although the numbers could not be verified.

Hundreds of Palestinian rioters repeatedly tried to infiltrate Israel throughout Sunday in two locations on the Syrian border, but were rebuffed by an IDF determined to prevent a repeat of the “Nakba Day” scenes in which activists spilled into Israeli territory. Israel Radio reported that the Syrian health minister claimed 23 activists were killed, and 350 were wounded, in the clashes to commemorate the Palestinian “Naksa,” or “setback” in Six Day War, although the numbers could not be verified. Sunday was the anniversary of the first day of the 1967 war, in which Israel expanded its territory to include east Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip and Sinai. “The responsibility for the incidents and the casualties falls on those carrying out these provocations, and on all those who encouraged them to act in this way,” Defense Minister Ehud Barak said. Israeli officials would not confirm the casualties numbers being reported from Syria. “Damascus has a track record of not being precise with its data,” one government official said. The official added that it was clear the Syrian government gave the green light for the protesters to move toward the border, and contrasted this with the situation on Sunday in Lebanon, where the border was quiet. “One can only suppose that there was a decision taken in Syria to exploit the situation to change the subject from what is going on inside Syria,” the official said. The official also asked whether the Palestinians feel comfortable “being used as a propaganda tool by an authoritative government butchering its own people.” As night fell, an unknown number of rioters encamped near Kuneitra, raising the possibility of a drawn-out confrontation that could last days. Early on Sunday morning, Palestinians from the suburbs of Damascus had been bused to area across from Majdal Shams, and to the abandoned Syrian-border town of Kuneitra. They massed at the border without interference from Syrian troops, in what the IDF described as a provocation by President Basher Assad that was designed to distract world attention away from the ongoing slaughter of protesters in Syria by Assad’s troops. Soon after arriving in the Majdal Shams area, some 150 activists broke away from their fellows and descended a steep hill on the Syrian side, advancing toward the Israeli border. IDF soldiers shouted warnings in Arabic via loudspeakers asking the Palestinians to refrain from trying to cross the frontier, adding that those who did so would endanger their lives. Hundreds of Palestinian rioters repeatedly tried to infiltrate Israel throughout Sunday in two locations on the Syrian border, but were rebuffed by an IDF determined to prevent a repeat of the “Nakba Day” scenes in which activists spilled into Israeli territory. Israel Radio reported that the Syrian health minister claimed 23 activists were killed, and 350 were wounded, in the clashes to commemorate the Palestinian “Naksa,” or “setback” in Six Day War, although the numbers could not be verified. Sunday was the anniversary of the first day of the 1967 war, in which Israel expanded its territory to include east Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip and Sinai. “The responsibility for the incidents and the casualties falls on those carrying out these provocations, and on all those who encouraged them to act in this way,” Defense Minister Ehud Barak said. Israeli officials would not confirm the casualties numbers being reported from Syria. “Damascus has a track record of not being precise with its data,” one government official said. The official added that it was clear the Syrian government gave the green light for the protesters to move toward the border, and contrasted this with the situation on Sunday in Lebanon, where the border was quiet. “One can only suppose that there was a decision taken in Syria to exploit the situation to change the subject from what is going on inside Syria,” the official said. The official also asked whether the Palestinians feel comfortable “being used as a propaganda tool by an authoritative government butchering its own people.” As night fell, an unknown number of rioters encamped near Kuneitra, raising the possibility of a drawn-out confrontation that could last days. Early on Sunday morning, Palestinians from the suburbs of Damascus had been bused to area across from Majdal Shams, and to the abandoned Syrian-border town of Kuneitra. They massed at the border without interference from Syrian troops, in what the IDF described as a provocation by President Basher Assad that was designed to distract world attention away from the ongoing slaughter of protesters in Syria by Assad’s troops. Soon after arriving in the Majdal Shams area, some 150 activists broke away from their fellows and descended a steep hill on the Syrian side, advancing toward the Israeli border. IDF soldiers shouted warnings in Arabic via loudspeakers asking the Palestinians to refrain from trying to cross the frontier, adding that those who did so would endanger their lives. The ctivists ignored the calls, crossed the Syrian border fence and made their way toward an Israeli forward-border fence erected by IDF engineers in recent weeks, entering a mined zone. “When the demonstrators continued toward the Israeli fence, shots were fired at their lower bodies. We know of 12 injuries,” an IDF spokeswoman told The Jerusalem Post at noon. Meanwhile, at Kuneitra to the south, a second infiltration attempt was under way. Between 200 and 300 demonstrators gathered in Kuneitra, and climbed on the roof of an abandoned cinema, from where they began throwing rocks at Israeli security personnel. Four land mines exploded on the Syrian side of the border, after the rioters threw gasoline bombs, which exploded in a field, starting a fire that then set off the mines. The IDF did not know how many infiltrators were hurt by the explosions. Throughout the pitched battles, paramedics on the Syrian side of the border asked that the IDF grant them cease-fires to clear the wounded. The army agreed to the request, but then saw activists exploiting the quiet to try and cut the border fence, bringing the truce to an end. “The IDF has learned its lessons [from Nakba Day] quickly,” said IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai. “This is an army that investigates itself and learns. We can see this [today].” The Reform Syria opposition website said on Sunday that the “Naksa” protesters were poor farmers who were paid $1,000 by the Syrian regime to come to the border. The source also claimed that Syria has promised $10,000 to the families of anyone killed. Throughout the disturbances, two armed men were seen near the border fence in Kuneitra, though their identity was not established. Several times, waves of activists rolled over front-line ditches and approached the border, drawing fire from IDF soldiers looking down on the area. An unprecedented escalation in the disturbances took place toward the evening, when dozens of Druse youths from Majdal Shams on the Israeli side of the border began throwing large rocks and bricks at police on the border. Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that the situation was generally quiet throughout the day in Majdal Shams, until the evening, when around 100 local protesters made their way down to the area where police were stationed near the Syria-border fence, and began throwing rocks at officers. Police immediately responded with tear gas, and dispersed the crowds after around 20-25 minutes, arresting several arrests in the process, Rosenfeld said. After the protesters were dispersed, police met with local leaders in Majdal Shams to calm the situation, Rosenfeld said. He added that no police officers were injured in the clashes with the villagers. As the sun set, the IDF made an effort to disperse the Syrian rioters once and for all, firing a barrage of tear gas at them, which succeeded in pushing the activists away from the border. The US called for calm on both sides on Sunday. Hundreds of Palestinian rioters repeatedly tried to infiltrate Israel throughout Sunday in two locations on the Syrian border, but were rebuffed by an IDF determined to prevent a repeat of the “Nakba Day” scenes in which activists spilled into Israeli territory. Israel Radio reported that the Syrian health minister claimed 23 activists were killed, and 350 were wounded, in the clashes to commemorate the Palestinian “Naksa,” or “setback” in Six Day War, although the numbers could not be verified. Sunday was the anniversary of the first day of the 1967 war, in which Israel expanded its territory to include east Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip and Sinai. “The responsibility for the incidents and the casualties falls on those carrying out these provocations, and on all those who encouraged them to act in this way,” Defense Minister Ehud Barak said. Israeli officials would not confirm the casualties numbers being reported from Syria. “Damascus has a track record of not being precise with its data,” one government official said. The official added that it was clear the Syrian government gave the green light for the protesters to move toward the border, and contrasted this with the situation on Sunday in Lebanon, where the border was quiet. “One can only suppose that there was a decision taken in Syria to exploit the situation to change the subject from what is going on inside Syria,” the official said. The official also asked whether the Palestinians feel comfortable “being used as a propaganda tool by an authoritative government butchering its own people.” As night fell, an unknown number of rioters encamped near Kuneitra, raising the possibility of a drawn-out confrontation that could last days. Early on Sunday morning, Palestinians from the suburbs of Damascus had been bused to area across from Majdal Shams, and to the abandoned Syrian-border town of Kuneitra. They massed at the border without interference from Syrian troops, in what the IDF described as a provocation by President Basher Assad that was designed to distract world attention away from the ongoing slaughter of protesters in Syria by Assad’s troops. Soon after arriving in the Majdal Shams area, some 150 activists broke away from their fellows and descended a steep hill on the Syrian side, advancing toward the Israeli border. IDF soldiers shouted warnings in Arabic via loudspeakers asking the Palestinians to refrain from trying to cross the frontier, adding that those who did so would endanger their lives. The activists ignored the calls, crossed the Syrian border fence and made their way toward an Israeli forward-border fence erected by IDF engineers in recent weeks, entering a mined zone. “When the demonstrators continued toward the Israeli fence, shots were fired at their lower bodies. We know of 12 injuries,” an IDF spokeswoman told The Jerusalem Post at noon. Meanwhile, at Kuneitra to the south, a second infiltration attempt was under way. Between 200 and 300 demonstrators gathered in Kuneitra, and climbed on the roof of an abandoned cinema, from where they began throwing rocks at Israeli security personnel. Four land mines exploded on the Syrian side of the border, after the rioters threw gasoline bombs, which exploded in a field, starting a fire that then set off the mines. The IDF did not know how many infiltrators were hurt by the explosions. Throughout the pitched battles, paramedics on the Syrian side of the border asked that the IDF grant them cease-fires to clear the wounded. The army agreed to the request, but then saw activists exploiting the quiet to try and cut the border fence, bringing the truce to an end. “The IDF has learned its lessons [from Nakba Day] quickly,” said IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai. “This is an army that investigates itself and learns. We can see this [today].” The Reform Syria opposition website said on Sunday that the “Naksa” protesters were poor farmers who were paid $1,000 by the Syrian regime to come to the border. The source also claimed that Syria has promised $10,000 to the families of anyone killed. Throughout the disturbances, two armed men were seen near the border fence in Kuneitra, though their identity was not established. Several times, waves of activists rolled over front-line ditches and approached the border, drawing fire from IDF soldiers looking down on the area. An unprecedented escalation in the disturbances took place toward the evening, when dozens of Druse youths from Majdal Shams on the Israeli side of the border began throwing large rocks and bricks at police on the border. Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that the situation was generally quiet throughout the day in Majdal Shams, until the evening, when around 100 local protesters made their way down to the area where police were stationed near the Syria-border fence, and began throwing rocks at officers. Police immediately responded with tear gas, and dispersed the crowds after around 20-25 minutes, arresting several arrests in the process, Rosenfeld said. After the protesters were dispersed, police met with local leaders in Majdal Shams to calm the situation, Rosenfeld said. He added that no police officers were injured in the clashes with the villagers. As the sun set, the IDF made an effort to disperse the Syrian rioters once and for all, firing a barrage of tear gas at them, which succeeded in pushing the activists away from the border. The US called for calm on both sides on Sunday. “We are deeply troubled by events that took place earlier today in the Golan Heights resulting in injuries and the loss of life,” the State Department said in a statement. “We call for all sides to exercise restraint. Provocative actions like this should be avoided.” The US statement emphasized that “Israel, like any sovereign nation, has a right to defend itself.” Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu set the guidelines on how to deal with the protests, telling the cabinet that “there are extremist elements around us who are trying to break through our borders and threaten our community and our citizens. We will not allow them to do so. “I’ve instructed the security forces to act with determination, with maximum restraint – but with determination to maintain our sovereignty, our borders, our communities and our citizens,” he said. The IDF expressed satisfaction at Lebanon’s decision to ban activists from approaching the border, a decision that led organizers in Lebanon to cancel their plans. “In Lebanon, we have seen a show of sovereignty by the Lebanese Army,” Mordechai said. A high-level Iranian delegation toured the border area in southern Lebanon on Thursday, Channel 10 reported. Meanwhile, in Gaza, Hamas members dispersed a planned mass march toward the Erez border crossing, media reports said.

Anti-tank missile, 3 mortars fired from Gaza Strip

Mortar damages power lines in Eshkol region, cuts power to local communities; over 120 projectiles fired into Israel over weekend.

Palestinians fired an anti-tank missile at an IDF tank on the southern Gaza border Sunday morning, following over 120 rockets and mortar shells fired into Israel over the weekend. No injuries were reported in the latest attack.

Earlier in the morning, three mortar shells were fired from the Gaza Strip and exploded in fields belonging to a Eshkol Regional Council kibbutz. No injuries were reported but electrical cables were damaged, causing a power outage that affected communities in the area.

Over 120 rockets and mortar shells slammed into Israel over the weekend as the IDF hammered the Gaza Strip and threatened to open a large ground offensive to stop the rocket attacks.

Five Israelis were reportedly wounded when scrambling to enter bomb shelters as rockets were being fired.

Throughout Saturday, a number of messages were relayed to Israel by various mediators with an offer of a cease-fire from Hamas’s political echelon in the Gaza Strip.

Defense officials said Hamas appeared to be split and that while its Izzadin Kassam military wing, led by Ahmed Jabari, was continuing to attack Israel, this was being done against the position of the political echelon led by Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

The round of violence began on Thursday when Gazans fired an anti-tank missile at a school bus, critically wounding a 16- year-old boy and lightly injuring the driver. Hamas rocket and mortar attacks continued throughout Friday and Saturday in Beersheba, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ofakim, Sderot and other Gaza-belt communities.

Defense officials said more than 20 Hamas operatives were killed over the weekend and that dozens of others were wounded by a series of air strikes against Hamas positions, bases and launch sites.

The IAF carried out at least 46 strikes in Gaza.

“They have been hit hard and we will continue to strike at them as long as the rocket and terrorist attacks continue,” a senior defense official said on Saturday night.