"Israel" Opens Fire on Lebanese Brotherhood Ship, Takes it to Ashdod

Source: AFP, 05-02-2009

The "Israeli" military opened fire on a Lebanese ship trying to deliver aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip on Thursday, one of the organizers of the shipment said. Lebanon's New TV reported "Israeli" soldiers had destroyed the ship's communication devices and were taking it to an undisclosed direction.
"We were informed by the crew that ‘Israeli' forces boarded the ship after firing shots at it," organizer Maan Bashour told AFP. "We have lost contact with them."
The "Israeli" army had no immediate comment.

"Israeli" gunboats had already asked the boat to turn away from the Palestinian territory still reeling from ‘Israel's' three-week long offensive which ended last month.

"Two ‘Israeli' gunboats intercepted the ship on Wednesday night while it was in international waters trying to reach territorial waters in northern Palestine," Bashur said.
"The ship was asked to turn back as two ‘Israeli' military helicopters flew over the area and fired flares. The aid boat moved away, but it has been trying since early Thursday to reach Gaza through Egyptian territorial waters," he added.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora called on the international community to press "Israel" to allow the vessel which was carrying medical supplies, food, clothing and toys, to reach Gaza.

On board the "Brotherhood Ship" were eight people including the former Greek-Catholic archbishop of al-Quds, Monsignor Hilarion Capucci, who left 'Jerusalem' in the 1970s after serving time in an "Israeli" jail for membership of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The Togolese-registered Tali had passed through the nearby Mediterranean island of Cyprus where authorities inspected the cargo before it headed for Gaza.