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http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com Jewish boat seized en route to Gaza as Turkish flotilla victims mourned As Israeli warships intercepted a Jewish activist boat trying to run the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip, a similar convoy arrived by land in Istanbul on Tuesday, vowing to deliver its cargo of food and medicine. “We will go in peace and will not stop until we reach our final destination, Gaza,” George Galloway, former member of the U.K. Parliament and founder of the Viva Palestina initiative, said in a speech after the convoy’s arrival in Turkey. Activists from 25 different countries will meet up with the convoy in Syria, Galloway said, calling on their respective governments to protect them during their journey. He also asked the Egyptian government to help the activists pass peacefully into the blockaded strip. Earlier in the day, Israeli ships surrounded the “Irene,” a tiny British-flagged ship carrying seven Jewish activists and two journalists, and forced it to dock at the Israeli port of Ashdod. The vessel was not raided. “The [activists] surrendered because they were surrounded. They had no choice,” said Amjad al-Shawa, a Gaza-based organizer. The navy also warned that the passengers and crew would be held legally liable if they insisted on heading to Gaza, especially those with Israeli nationality. Five of those on board were Israelis. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the situation and refused to confirm that contact had been made with the boat. The activists have insisted they were not looking for a confrontation with Israeli forces. In May, Israeli forces intercepted a six-ship flotilla heading for Gaza but the raid went badly wrong and eight Turks and one American of Turkish descent were killed, prompting a wave of international condemnation. Members of the Viva Palestina group visited the Istanbul graves of two of the nine activists killed in the May 31 flotilla raid. “We are honoring them not only for their heroism and sacrifice onboard, but also because we believe that the attack on the Mavi Marmara changed everything forever,” Galloway said. |