Ship to Gaza to set sail again
The organisers of an aid flottilla Ship to Gaza said in Stockholm on Wednesday they would make a new attempt to reach the Palestinian territory before the end of 2010.
"We are going to send a flotilla if the siege is not lifted," Ship to Gaza Sweden spokesman Dror Feiler told AFP after the group's meeting in Stockholm.
A six-ship fleet first attempted to reach the Palestinian territory on May 31 but it was halted by an Israeli raid that left nine Turkish activists dead.
"We will go (again) before the end of this year and we are quite sure that this flotilla will be more boats, bigger boats, it will be several passenger boats," said Feiler, who took part in the flotilla's first trip.
"And as determined before, we will not accept Israeli control, we will not accept Israeli inspections and we will go to Gaza," the Israeli-born Swedish artist and longtime activist said.
"We hope that Israel and the international community will realise it is not possible to stop this and that it is not acceptable to continue with the siege," he added.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said in a statement it planned to enlarge the coalition "to include the various groups around the world that want to join us, as well as intensify our efforts to mobilise a new flotilla."
"We are buying boats, we are getting a lot of funds to get more boats," Feiler said, adding the "Ship to Gaza" movement had spread to France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, United States and Canada.
Wednesday's meeting was "coordination of our efforts, discussion with the new groups," Feiler said.
He said an exact date had not been set for the future attempt because of boat purchasing and licensing issues, and the weather.
Israel sparked international outrage when its commandos attacked the fleet early on May 31. Israeli troops then forced the six ships in the convoy to dock at an Israeli port, before detaining those on board.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday announced the formation of a four-member panel to probe the deadly raid. Israel has backed the investigation.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said Wednesday it had "fundamental concerns" with the panel, and that the easing of the Gaza blockade announced by Israel on June 21, was "purely cosmetic."
Israel imposed the siege on the Gaza strip in June 2006 after its soldier, Gilad Shalit, was captured by Gaza militants, tightening it a year later when Hamas seized power in the coastal strip.
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"We are going to send a flotilla if the siege is not lifted," Ship to Gaza Sweden spokesman Dror Feiler told AFP after the group's meeting in Stockholm.
A six-ship fleet first attempted to reach the Palestinian territory on May 31 but it was halted by an Israeli raid that left nine Turkish activists dead.
"We will go (again) before the end of this year and we are quite sure that this flotilla will be more boats, bigger boats, it will be several passenger boats," said Feiler, who took part in the flotilla's first trip.
"And as determined before, we will not accept Israeli control, we will not accept Israeli inspections and we will go to Gaza," the Israeli-born Swedish artist and longtime activist said.
"We hope that Israel and the international community will realise it is not possible to stop this and that it is not acceptable to continue with the siege," he added.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said in a statement it planned to enlarge the coalition "to include the various groups around the world that want to join us, as well as intensify our efforts to mobilise a new flotilla."
"We are buying boats, we are getting a lot of funds to get more boats," Feiler said, adding the "Ship to Gaza" movement had spread to France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, United States and Canada.
Wednesday's meeting was "coordination of our efforts, discussion with the new groups," Feiler said.
He said an exact date had not been set for the future attempt because of boat purchasing and licensing issues, and the weather.
Israel sparked international outrage when its commandos attacked the fleet early on May 31. Israeli troops then forced the six ships in the convoy to dock at an Israeli port, before detaining those on board.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday announced the formation of a four-member panel to probe the deadly raid. Israel has backed the investigation.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said Wednesday it had "fundamental concerns" with the panel, and that the easing of the Gaza blockade announced by Israel on June 21, was "purely cosmetic."
Israel imposed the siege on the Gaza strip in June 2006 after its soldier, Gilad Shalit, was captured by Gaza militants, tightening it a year later when Hamas seized power in the coastal strip.
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