Gaza journey of MV Rachel Corrie - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Cambodia

Cambodia

Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

n-flagged Irish MV Rachel Corrie

MV Rachel Corrie

MV Rachel Corrie is a 499 GT coaster owned and operated by the Free Gaza Movement. The ship is named in honour of Rachel Corrie, a former member of the International Solidarity Movement...

was part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla that sailed to Gaza

Gaza

Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...

to deliver humanitarian aid

Humanitarian aid

Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...

in 2010. The ship was unable to join the other six ships in the flotilla because of mechanical problems that forced it to undergo repairs in Malta

Malta

Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...

. The other six ships were confronted by a raid

Gaza flotilla raid

The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...

on 31 May 2010 during which nine activists were killed by Israeli naval forces.

The aid-carrying vessel got under way on 31 May 2010, with its crew insisting that they would go to Gaza. The governments of Israel and Ireland reached an agreement to unload the ships cargo in the southern Israeli port city of Ashdod, but the group sponsoring the ship rejected the proposal. Israeli commandos boarded the ship from speedboats at around noon on 5 June 2010, in international waters about 30 kilometers from Gaza. The Israeli commandos seized control, and the ship and its passengers were diverted towards Israel, away from its original course. After an inspection, Israel delivered the entire cargo to Gaza, including cement, which is usually banned.

Background

On 3 June, in the aftermath of the Gaza flotilla raid

Gaza flotilla raid

The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...

, activists revealed there was another Gaza-bound aid ship, the MV Rachel Corrie

MV Rachel Corrie

MV Rachel Corrie is a 499 GT coaster owned and operated by the Free Gaza Movement. The ship is named in honour of Rachel Corrie, a former member of the International Solidarity Movement...

: this was expected to arrive in the region early the following week.

The vessel is a former merchant ship owned and operated by the Free Gaza Movement. It was partially funded by the Perdana Global Peace Organisation, a Malaysian NGO headed by former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir bin Mohamad

Mahathir bin Mohamad

Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad . is a Malaysian politician who was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest serving Prime Minister. His political career spanned almost 40 years.Born and raised in Alor Setar, Kedah, Mahathir...

.
The ship is Irish-owned, and had the former Assistant UN Secretary-General Denis Halliday

Denis Halliday

Denis J. Halliday was the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq from September 1, 1997, until 1998. He is Irish and holds an M.A. in Economics, Geography and Public Administration from Trinity College, Dublin....

and Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...

winner Mairead Maguire

Mairead Corrigan

Mairead Maguire , also known as Mairead Corrigan Maguire and formerly as Mairéad Corrigan, is a Northern Irish peace activist. She co-founded, with Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown, the Community of Peace People, an organisation dedicated to encouraging a peaceful resolution of the Troubles in...

on board. Halliday said that the ship would stop only when Israelis forced the ship to do so.

Passengers aboard the Rachel Corrie said that the purpose of their journey was to bring both humanitarian aid to the Gazan population and public attention to the Egypt-Israel blockade of the Gaza region; a blockade criticised by United Nations Relief and Works Agency for imposing "abject poverty" on 350,000 Gazans. Israel says the blockade of Gaza is needed to prevent the infiltration of weapons and militants into the coastal territory run by Hamas

Hamas

Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...

, which they and much of the international community have designated a terrorist organization. Israel has also called the campaign a "provocation intended to delegitimise Israel".

Cargo

The ship was carrying humanitarian supplies, including 550 tons of cement intended to rebuild schools, homes and other building destroyed in Gaza, as well as 20 tons of paper, 100 tons of high-end medical equipment (including a CT scanner), fabric and thread, and educational supplies. Cement is one of the items which Israel has banned from entering Gaza as it worries that cement can be used to build bunkers, tunnels and rockets, but it has recently allowed some shipments for specific civilian building projects.

The aid-laden ship was checked for weapons in Ireland by customs officials and a senator from the Irish Green Party

Green Party (Ireland)

The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...

. No weapons were found. Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach

Taoiseach

The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...

) Brian Cowen

Brian Cowen

Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...

called on Israel to allow the passage of the Rachel Corrie. Ireland later reached an agreement with Israel and made a proposal to the ship that it divert to Ashdod, where Israel offered to transfer its cargo to the Gaza Strip, under the supervision of passengers and Irish diplomats. The passengers of the ship rejected the proposal. Israel reported its troops had taken control of the ship on 5 June, about 16 nautical miles (30 km) off the coast. An IDF spokeswoman said there "was full compliance from the crew and passengers on board".

Former United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

Assistant Secretary-General, Denis Halliday

Denis Halliday

, aboard the Rachel Corrie, expressed concern that some of these humanitarian goods would likely be seized if the MV Rachel Corrie accepted "an offer of an escort to another port". The cargo, although it all falls within the remit of humanitarian aid as defined by the United Nations, "would be confiscated by the Israelis, given that they do not define this as humanitarian goods – in breach of the UN definition of same".
Prior to the ship's last leg of its journey, Denis Halliday requested a final inspection of the cargo: "We are calling on the UN to inspect the cargo and escort us into Gaza, and to send a UN representative to sail on board before they enter the exclusion zone". Trade unions and government officials had previously inspected the cargo, "so we are 100 percent confident that there is nothing that is offensive or dangerous", he told Israel's Channel 2 Television

Channel 2 (Israel)

Channel 2 is an Israeli commercial television channel.- History :In 1990, after 13 years of deliberations, the Knesset passed a law that paved the way for the establishment of commercial television in Israel. The goal was to enhance pluralism and create competition. Channel 2 began broadcasting on...

Passengers and crew

There were eleven passengers on board the ship:

Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Peace Prize

laureate Maireád Corrigan-Maguire

Mairead Corrigan

, former UN Assistant Secretary-General Denis Halliday

Denis Halliday

, film maker Fiona Thompson, husband and wife Derek and Jenny Graham and six Malaysian citizens.

The Malaysian members were: Member of the Parliament of Malaysia

Parliament of Malaysia

The Parliament of Malaysia is the national legislature of Malaysia, based on the Westminster system. The bicameral parliament consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The King as the Head of State is the third component of Parliament....

, for the Parit

Parit

Parit is a main town of Perak Tengah district, Perak, Malaysia.List of Schools in Parit:SEKOLAH RENDAH: # Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Parit ....

constituency, Mohd Nizar Zakaria

Mohd Nizar Zakaria

Mohd Nizar Zakaria is a Malaysian politician and is currently the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Parit constituency in Perak. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition....

; Perdana Global Peace Organisation representatives, Shamsul Akmar, Matthias Chang and Ahmad Faizal Azumu; TV3

TV3 (Malaysia)

Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad or TV3 began broadcasting on 1 June 1984 as Malaysia’s first commercial television station. It is part of Media Prima Berhad group of companies. It now transmits opened broadcasting business private 24-hours a day, 7 days a week since 1 January 2010...

reporter Halim Mohamed and TV3

TV3 (Malaysia)

cameraman Jufri Junid.

The ship was captained by Eric Harcis, a British citizen from Orkney, Scotland.

Interception and boarding

The Israeli military sent three warnings to the Rachel Corrie asking it dock in Ashdod, change course, or face a naval takeover. The ship was shadowed by two Israeli Navy vessels, and its radar was jammed. After trailing the Rachel Corrie for several hours, Israeli commandos boarded the ship from speedboats at around noon on 5 June 2010, in international waters around 55 kilometres (29.7 nmi) off the Gaza Strip

Gaza Strip

thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...

, Preliminary reports indicated that there was no resistance. The boarding involved about 20 combat soldiers. All the crew were arrested by these forces
as reported by veteran war correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai

Ron Ben-Yishai

Ron Ben-Yishai is an Israeli journalist. A veteran war correspondent, Ben-Yishai has covered many military conflicts in several different regions.-Biography:...

. The commandos forced the ship to sail to the Israeli port of Ashdod, where the crew were taken into custody by immigration authorities.

Greta Berlin

Greta Berlin

Greta K. Berlin is a media communications expert and volunteer pro-Palestinian activist. She has gained international attention as a spokesperson for the Free Gaza Movement , which she co-founded.-Biography:...

, a spokeswoman for the Free Gaza group, said the takeover was "another outrage to add to the nine murdered" and denied an Israeli statement that troops had been invited aboard. The Gaza-bound vessel was addressed as Linda (an earlier official name) by naval officers during the air and sea operation.

The protest activists and crew, having waived their right to appeal an order of deportation, left Israel on 6 June 2010, an immigration official said.

Governmental positions

- The government of Israel has been very opposed to the various blockade-running initiatives. One Israeli spokesman said: "These people are not supporting the Palestinians and they are not even supporting humanitarian causes. They are engaged in only one thing, and that is to create provocations and to collaborate with Hamas propaganda."
- On 1 June 2010, the Irish Government issued a demand to the Israeli government

Politics of Israel

The Israeli system of government is based on parliamentary democracy. The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of government and leader of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the Knesset. The Judiciary is independent of the executive...

to allow the vessel safe passage to Gaza. The Irish Taoiseach

Taoiseach

Brian Cowen

Teachta Dála

A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...

said "If any harm comes to any of our citizens, it will have the most serious consequences", and called for the release of all Irish citizens detained in the previous raid. The demand for safe passage was reiterated by Minister for Foreign Affairs

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ireland)

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the Government of Ireland. Its headquarters are at Iveagh House, on St Stephen's Green in Dublin; "Iveagh House" is often used as a metonym for the department as a whole.The current...

Micheál Martin

Micheál Martin is an Irish politician who has been leader of Fianna Fáil since January 2011. He is a Teachta Dála for the Cork South Central constituency...

TD on 2 June 2010. Mr Martin warned the Israelis he would take "appropriate diplomatic action" if the ship was not allowed through. On 5 June 2010, the Irish Government

Politics of Ireland

In Ireland there are two countries, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The politics of these are managed separately but share a common history of Ireland. Respective articles are as follows:*Politics of the Republic of Ireland...

made clear that it believed that the MV Rachel Corrie should be allowed to proceed to Gaza

Gaza

and to unload its humanitarian cargo. Those on board the vessel had previously indicated that they were ready to accept inspection of their cargo at sea, prior to docking in Gaza and had requested for a UN representative to accompany the ship. A proposal, put to them by the Irish Government, was declined "after careful consideration" whereby the ship would dock at the port of Ashdod and the vessel's cargo would be inspected under the supervision of both UN officials and the Irish Aid Division for the Department of Foreign Affairs

Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland)

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for promoting the interests of Ireland in the European Union and the wider world...

. The proposal followed from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs reaching an understanding with the Israeli Government on Friday, through various contacts. As the MV Rachel Corrie continued on its original course, Minister Martin stated that he "fully respects their right ... to continue their protest action by seeking sail to Gaza" and reiterated again, if the Israeli government were to intercept the ship, "that it demonstrates every restraint" given that those on board the MV Rachel Corrie had "made clear their peaceful intentions". Again the Irish Government restated its "call on Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza. Pending that, Israel should immediately facilitate the import into Gaza of all goods, other than weapons".
- The US State Department

United States Department of State

The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...

and Irish Government were in contact on Thursday 3 June 2010; United States Deputy Secretary of State

United States Deputy Secretary of State

The Deputy Secretary of State of the United States is the chief assistant to the Secretary of State. If the Secretary of State resigns or dies, the Deputy Secretary of State becomes Acting Secretary of State until the President nominates and the Senate confirms a replacement. The position was...

, Jack Lew

Jacob Lew

Jacob "Jack" J. Lew is the Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget a position he previously held from 1998 to 2001.-Early life and education:...

, had an extensive conversation with the Irish foreign minister who in turn, were in contact with the individuals on board the Rachel Corrie.

Spokeperson for the US State Department, P. J. Crowley

Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs

The Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs is the head of the Bureau of Public Affairs within the United States Department of State. Typically, the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs is also the official spokesperson of the State Department...

, hoped that the Rachel Corrie would "work with Israeli authorities to deliver these materials to Gaza."

Crowley went on to say

that's part of the conversation that we’re having and how can we do this in a way where groups that have a vital interest in seeing the expansion of goods to the people of Gaza, have confidence that those materials will actually reach the people of Gaza and various groups that are working to help the people of Gaza ... And we hope in the meantime that everybody here will make responsible decisions and avoid unnecessary confrontations.

Similar sentiments were expressed by the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister in a press release late on Friday.

Aftermath

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

's deputy First Minister

First Minister and deputy First Minister

The First Minister and the Deputy First Minister , sometimes abbreviated to FM/DFM, are positions in the Northern Ireland...

Martin McGuinness

James Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....

criticised what he called "Israeli aggression" in the take over.

Dockworker unions in Sweden persuaded members not to service Israeli ships from 15 June – 22 June, South Africa has refused to handle Israeli ships, and the UK's Unite union

Unite the Union

Unite – the Union, known as Unite, is a British and Irish trade union, formed on 1 May 2007, by the merger of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers' Union...

has passed a motion to boycott Israeli companies.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.