Israeli naval forces attack relief boat bound for Gaza from Cyprus

The Free Gaza group has made five deliveries of aid by boat to Gaza since August, defying a naval blockade imposed by Israel.

Former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Green Party candidate for the US presidency in 2004 is on a boat, the 66-foot yacht, “SS Dignity,” which is trying to defy an Israeli blockade of Gaza and ferry 16 activists and 3 tons of Cypriot-donated supplies.

They were ready to set sail yesterday on Monday 29th, spokeswoman Caoimhe Butterly said their 66-foot (20-meter) yacht Dignity will leave Larnaca port around 5 p.m. (1400GMT) Monday with 3 tons of cargo including medical supplies.

Al Haddad a blogger (A mother from Gaza) now reports ..
http://a-mother-from-gaza.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship! TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY!

The Dignity, a Free Gaza boat on a mission of mercy to besieged Gaza, is being attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters. The Dignity has been surrounded by at least half-a-dozen Israeli warships. They are firing live ammunition around the Dignity, and one of the warships has rammed the civilian craft causing an unknown amount of damage. Contrary to international maritime law, the Israelis are actively preventing the Dignity from approaching Gaza or finding safe haven in either Egypt or Lebanon. Instead, the Israeli navy is demanding that the Dignity return to Cyprus - despite the fact that the ship does not carry enough fuel to do so. Fortunately, no one aboard the ship has yet been seriously injured.

There are 15 civilian passengers representing 11 different countries (see below for a complete list). At approximately 5am (UST), well out in international waters, Israeli warships began surrounding the Dignity, threatening the ship. At 6:45am (UST) we were able to establish brief contact with the crew and were told that the ship had been rammed by the Israeli Navy in international waters, and that the Israelis were preventing the ship from finding safe harbor. We heard heavy gunfire in the background before all contact was lost with the Dignity.

She provides these numbers and e -mail addresses to direct protests about this action which constitites piracy ...

CALL Mark Regev in the Prime Minister's office at:
+972 2670 5354 or +972 5062 3264
mark.regev@it.pmo.gov.il

CALL Shlomo Dror in the Ministry of Defence at:
+972 33697 5339 or +972 50629 8148
mediasar@mod.gov.il

Please distribute this information urgently.