GAZA
Palestinian and foreign activists are making preparations for a ship named "Gaza Arak" with which they plan to break the embargo on Gaza from within by raising anchor in May 2013.
Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), a Palestinian activist Muna al-Ferra said that they began collecting donations for "Gaza Arak" and that they would break the embargo on Gaza from within.
"We thought about a ship that would raise anchor from Gaza after Israeli security forces blocked the entrance of ships to Gaza. With 'Gaza Arak', we plan to break the embargo from within and try to attract attention to the pain of the Palestinian people," al-Ferra underlined.
"Gaza Arak" is expected to begin its journey in May 2013. The ship will have 15 activists, including Palestinians and foreigners, as well as agricultural and commercial goods. The ship will try to break the embargo on Gaza and sail to international waters.
Despite the Oslo Treaty between Israel and the Palestinian administration that gave the Palestinian fishermen the right to sail up to 20 miles in the Mediterranean, Israel does not permit Palestinian fishermen to sail over 3 miles.
The Israeli navy in October interfered in a Finnish flagged ship "Estelle" that set sail from Sweden to break the embargo on Gaza. Moreover, the Israeli navy attacked the "Mavi Marmara" ship on May 31, 2010 as the ship was on its way to break the embargo on Gaza. Israeli troops killed 9 Turks on board the "Mavi Marmara" ship.
