"The Spirit of Rachel Corrie" Attacked by Israeli/Egyptian forces

[Appollynon]

I thought this following report from Global Research was worth sharing. It's seems yet again, Israel - this time with the help of the Egyptian military! - have attacked another humanitarian aid ship in international waters. With more aid ships due to set sail and arrive in that region in the near future, this doesn't bode well for those aid workers aboard who are risking life and limb to get aid too Gaza and break the seige. My prayers are with them and I hope they are not boarded, kidnapped and imprisoned as previous aid workers have been.

Global Research has been in contact with the Spirit of Rachel Corrie, a Malaysian ship carrying a humanitarian aid cargo to Gaza, which has been attacked in international waters by Israel.

The vessel left the Port of Piraeus, Greece on Wednesday, May 11 carrying 7.5 kilometers of UPVC (plastic) sewage pipes to help restore the devastated sewerage system in Gaza. The humanitarian initiative is sponsored by Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF) and participating in this mission includes anti-war activists and journalists, consisting of 7 Malaysians, 2 Irish, 2 Indians and 1 Canadian.

The Spirit of Rachel Corrie is an initiative of The Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF) chaired by Malaysia's former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamed. The Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG) (Global Research) is also participating in this mission.

At 10.54 pm Eastern Time (EDT), the Spirit of Rachel Corrie was intercepted by an Israeli ship and a Egyptian ship in international waters.

10:54pm EDT, Gaza 5:54am: We have been intercepted by Israeli ship and Egyptian ship. We are disobeying the orders and sailing ahead to Gaza.

10:57pm EDT, Gaza 5:57am: One Israeli warship coming to us very fast! We are in international waters, therefore they have no right to attack us. We are still sailing
ahead.

10:59pm EDT, Gaza 5:59am: They are opening fire across our ship! We are still sailing ahead.

11:09pm EDT, Gaza 6:09am: They are shooting all over the place. We can't continue ...

11:35pm EDT, Gaza 6:35am: They circled our ship twice and fired across our ship. Machine guns. No one was injured. One of the fishing nets caught the propeller, so we
can't move now.

11:37pm EDT, Gaza 6:37am: The Israeli ship was coming from one end and the Egyptian ship was coming from another end. Firing. We are just stalled now.
Everybody is okay. No one is injured.

In a subsequent communication from the boat, it would appear that Israel sought the active collaboration of Egypt in the interception of the humanitarian mission to Gaza, involving prior coordination between the Israelis and the Egyptian navy.

We will be informing our readers as events unfold.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24783

 

[Windmill knight]

From the same link, there's an update:

UPDATE

AFP REPORT

The first press reports state that

"Israeli naval forces fired warning shots at a Malaysian ship carrying aid to Gaza as it approached the shore, forcing it to withdraw to Egyptian waters, the vessel's Malaysian organiser told AFP."

"The MV Finch, carrying sewage pipes to Gaza, had warning shots fired at it by Israeli forces in the Palestinian security zone this morning at 0654 Jordan time (0354 GMT)," said Shamsul Azhar from the Perdana Global Peace Foundation.

Israeli naval forces fired warning shots at a Malaysian ship carrying aid to Gaza as it approached the shore, forcing it to withdraw to Egyptian waters, the vessel's Malaysian organiser told AFP.

"The MV Finch, carrying sewage pipes to Gaza, had warning shots fired at it by Israeli forces in the Palestinian security zone this morning at 0654 Jordan time (0354 GMT)," said Shamsul Azhar from the Perdana Global Peace Foundation.

"Currently the ship has been forced to anchor in Egyptian waters, 30 nautical miles from Gaza," he told AFP." [emphasis added]

The information we have received from the ship is that (1) these were not "warning shots" as conveyed in the press reports.

The ship was (2) in international waters when it was attacked by Israel in violation of international law.

 

[Manu]

At 10.54 pm Eastern Time (EDT), the Spirit of Rachel Corrie was intercepted by an Israeli ship and a Egyptian ship in international waters.

10:54pm EDT, Gaza 5:54am: We have been intercepted by Israeli ship and Egyptian ship. We are disobeying the orders and sailing ahead to Gaza.

10:57pm EDT, Gaza 5:57am: One Israeli warship coming to us very fast! We are in international waters, therefore they have no right to attack us. We are still sailing
ahead.

10:59pm EDT, Gaza 5:59am: They are opening fire across our ship! We are still sailing ahead.

11:09pm EDT, Gaza 6:09am: They are shooting all over the place. We can't continue ...

11:35pm EDT, Gaza 6:35am: They circled our ship twice and fired across our ship. Machine guns. No one was injured. One of the fishing nets caught the propeller, so we
can't move now.

11:37pm EDT, Gaza 6:37am: The Israeli ship was coming from one end and the Egyptian ship was coming from another end. Firing. We are just stalled now.
Everybody is okay. No one is injured.

In a subsequent communication from the boat, it would appear that Israel sought the active collaboration of Egypt in the interception of the humanitarian mission to Gaza, involving prior coordination between the Israelis and the Egyptian navy.

We will be informing our readers as events unfold.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24783
[/quote]

So even the Egyptian army is involved in this. I was expecting that after the Egyptian uprising they will be more willing to help the Palestinians but sadly I was mistaken.

 

[Appollynon]

Thank you for the update Windmill knight. As you mentioned Manu, it's interesting that in the first bulletin there's the suggestion of co-ordination between the Israeli navy and the Egyptian navy. On the surface of things, this would seem to contradict all the recent noises being made by the new Egyptian government about lifting the Israeli siege on the Gaza strip if they are helping to facilitate the blockade. There is a possibility they could have been safeguarding the vessel, although from the reports of the manoeuvring in concert with the Israeli ships to stall movement, this would seem unlikely. I suppose this could be a new political tactic of the Israeli navy, as by using and involving the Egyptian military, they deflect a proportionate amount of criticism and accountability in Egypt's direction, however, I guess without knowing more about the role of the Egyptian naval vessel, we can't yet fully perceive the intentions of the Egyptian navy in this instance. What may be more telling, is the Egyptian media's eventual spin and portrayal of their navy's role in this act of piracy. The question now is whether the Egyptians attempt to re-route the ship to another neutral port to deflect any further criticism or transfer the aid workers and aid packages through the land crossing at Rafah. Either way this would seem to serve the interest of Israel in that they could then inspect and control the land based means of access, if such a route was taken, or simply reject any possibility of aid reaching Gaza by once again pressuring and co-ordinating with the Egyptians to divert the ship to a neutral port.

 

[Appollynon]

Another update on the situation and a little more news. It would seem from this recent update that the Egyptian navy was not acting on behalf of the Iraeli navy, but moved to intervene and stop another potential boarding/act of pirating and murder on the ship by the Israeli forces.

Two Israeli naval vessels initially launched a "warning attack" on the Rachel Corrie, indicating that if the ship did not change course, they would shoot at the crew and the passengers. One of the passengers was almost killed as a result of the attacks. (See Bernama, May 16, 2011)

The following exchange took place between the Israeli navy and the ship took place as reported by the Free Malaysia Today journalist on board the Rachel Corrie:

Israeli army: This is a warning shot. Turn around.

Captain Jalil Mansor: We are unarmed civilians on a humanitarian mission to Gaza.

Israeli army: This is a closed military zone. It’s a violation. Turn around.

Mansor: We will continue (the mission).

The Israelis then headed to the back of the aid vessel and released a second warning shot into the air.

Graham: This is a violation (of international law). We are on a peaceful mission and unarmed.

Israeli army: Turn around. We will fire again.

Graham: You are firing towards unarmed civilians.

Israeli army: We didn’t fire towards unarmed civilians.

Graham: Looks like firing towards us.

Israeli army: We didn’t fire towards you. That is only a warning shot.

Following that conversation, the Israeli army fired two more shots and threatened: “Next time, we will land on your ship.”

Then the Egyptian navy was heard telling the Israelis on the radio: “Stop firing. They are in Egyptian waters.”

Upon realising the presence of Egyptian naval forces, the Israelis departed.

The Egyptian navy guard was initially unaware of what was occurring. The Israeli navy contacted the Egyptian navy and initially got no response.

Our earlier report (filed at 12.30am) following communication with the ship shortly after midnight (March 16) pointed to cooperation between the Israeli navy and their Egyptian counterparts. While there was cooperation, the Egyptians played a supportive role, which served to appeasing the Israeli attacks as well as escorting the Spirit of Rachel Corrie into Egyptian territorial waters.

The Israeli Navy had contacted the Rachel Corrie. they were fully aware of nature of the cargo and that the crew and passengers were unarmed civilians.

The warning attack was aggressive using automatic weapons. The Israelis also opened fire on a Palestinian fishing boat which was within Gazan territorial waters.

Following the initial "warning attack" they ordered the Spirit of Rachel Corrie to turn back. "Turn around or we'll shoot". However, once the ship changed course as demanded by the Israeli commando, they continued firing on the boat. "They started shooting to kill"

The Egyptian navy ship while communicating with the Israeli Navy was instrumental in escorting the ship to safe haven. The crew of the Egyptian ship was supportive in ensuring the safety of the crew and passengers of the humanitarian vessel.

There was communication between the Israeli and Egyptian ships and the Israeli's "thanked" the Egyptian ship for having intervened.

The Spirit of Rachel Corrie, its crew and passengers are now in Egyptian territorial water, anchored off the Egyptian port of Al Arish, within a short distance of Gaza territorial waters.

 

[Appollynon]

A final update from the The Perdana Global Peace Foundation, organisers of this trip, has been posted on their website. It seems that the aid workers and aid is to be transferred via the land crossing at Rafah.

1359 (Jordan Time) 16 May 2011
The Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF) condemned in the strongest possible terms the act of aggression by the Israeli Naval Forces when they fired on the humanitarian mission bound for the Gaza Strip. The Spirit of Rachel Corrie ship, a humanitarian cargo vessel, officially known as FINCH came under attack one nautical mile inside Gazan waters at 6.35, this morning. We urge the international community to join with us in condemning this illegal, barbaric and uncivilised act.

The cargo ship was inside the Palestinian territorial waters and had broken the siege when the Israeli Naval Forces intercepted the ship and ordered the Captain to retreat. The first shot was fired across the bow and followed by several more shots. One of the shots almost hit a crew member, Mohd Jaffrey Ariffin, causing others to panic and hide for safety.

During the ordeal all those on board feared for their lives. The inhumane behaviour by the Israeli Naval Forces continued, despite the ship already turning towards the Egyptian waters.

In the communication between the Captain and the Israeli Forces it was clearly stated that the ship was unarmed and only carrying humanitarian aid. Despite that, the Israeli Naval Forces were not dissuaded and continued to shoot directly at the ship when it was leaving.

As far as PGPF and the anti-war activists are concerned, we had ‘Broken the Illegal Israeli Siege’ by being one nautical mile inside Palestinian territorial waters. The Gazan fishermen and other locals witnessed the event from the shoreline as they had gathered to welcome the siege breaking vessel and receive the aid mission.

PGPF acknowledge the sensitive manner in which Egyptian authorities have dealt with the situation. The vessel, under the guidance of the Egyptian navy has made its way to the port of El Arish. PGPF are currently being assisted in making arrangements for the transfer of the aid to Gaza by land via the Rafah Crossing.

We left the scene and entered Egyptian waters when the lives of unarmed civilians on board were endangered by this act of violence. Mindful of Israeli’s numerous killings of civilians at yesterday’s Nakba commemorations, the vessel withdrew to protect those on board from becoming victims of another act of terrorism by Israel.

http://www.perdana4peace.net/?p=2702