Michel Chossudovsky Global Research
English Sinfo Rebellion by Fernández
(Updated information appeared yesterday: The ship Spirit of Rachel Corrie, officially known as Finch, carrying a cargo of humanitarian aid to Gaza when May 15 was attacked by an Israeli naval patrol within the safe area called Palestine. In the course of the last hours, Global Research has been reported several times in the vessel. The information presented below is a detailed update of the facts.)
The ship left the port of Piraeus, Greece, on Wednesday, May 11, leading 7.5 miles of PVC pipes for sanitation to help restore the devastated Gaza's sewage system. The ship was named in memory of the courageous activist who died in 2003 crushed beneath an Israeli bulldozer while trying to prevent the demolition of another Palestinian home. He was 23 when she was killed. Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF, for its acronym in English) is the one who has sponsored this humanitarian initiative and mission involving peace activists and journalists and is composed of seven Malaysians, two Irish, two Indians and a Canadian. The Foundation is chaired by former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir Mohamed. The Center for Research on Globalization (Global Research) also participates mission. Julie Levesque, Global Research, is aboard the Rachel Corrie.
The Spirit of Rachel Corrie went to Gaza without water be detected. The Israeli Navy with radar equipment and communications technology in not warning the ship's mission. Did not expect and were not prepared. Had not received information about the mission, planned several months ago and intended to reach the shores of Gaza on the day of the commemoration of the Nakba.
At the height of ironies, the Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, did not know of this mission. The Israeli navy vessels acted on the fly, having no previous knowledge or intelligence information. There seemed to have received precise instructions from the Israeli government.
At the time of the attack, passengers on board were under the impression that the ship was still in international waters, when in fact it had penetrated a mile into the "Palestinian security zone", ie the territorial waters of Gaza , a short distance from the coast. This represented a major achievement.
The data presented below correspond to the initial report received by Global Research.
Chronology of events:
At 10, 54 pm (EDT), the "Spirit of Rachel Corrie" was a ship intercepted by Israeli and Egyptian ships in international waters.
At 10.54 pm (in Gaza: 05.54 am): An Israeli ship and another Egyptian ship us have been intercepted. We are disobeying orders and headed for Gaza.
At 10.57 pm (in Gaza: 05.57 am): An Israeli ship heading towards us at full speed. We are in international waters and therefore are not entitled to attack. We continue to move into Gaza.
At 10.59 pm (in Gaza: 05.59 am): They are opening fire on our ship! We continue sailing to Gaza.
At 11.09 pm (in Gaza: 06.09 am): We shoot everywhere. We can not continue ...!
At 11.35 pm (in Gaza: 06.35 am): They have been twice around shooting at our boat. With machine guns. No one injured. One of the nets has been engaged in the propeller, we can not move.
At 11.37 pm (in Gaza 06.37 am): The Israeli ship is approaching the one hand and Egypt on the other boat. Are skyrocketing. We stand now. Everyone is fine. No one is hurt.
Initially, two Israeli boats fired a "warning strike" on Rachel Corrie, indicating that if the ship did not change her course to fire on the crew and passengers. One passenger was injured in the attack.
Between Israeli naval vessel and the vessel occurred the following exchange, as reported by Free Malaysia Today reporter who was aboard the Spirit of Rachel Corrie.
Israeli army: This is a warning shot. Turn around. Captain
Khalil Mansur: We are unarmed civilians on a humanitarian mission to Gaza.
EI: This is a closed military zone. It is a violation. Turn around.
Mansur: We will continue our mission.
Israelis then sailed toward the stern of the vessel and made a second warning shot into the air.
Graham: This is a violation of international law. We unarmed and on a peace mission.
EI: Turn around and shoot you again.
Graham: You're firing on unarmed civilians.
EI: Do not shoot unarmed civilians.
Graham: Well, looks like it is firing.
EI: Do not shoot to Vds. are warning shots.
After this conversation, the Israeli army fired two more shots and threatened: "Next time we board the ship."
Then an Egyptian ship was listening on the radio to the Israelis shouted: "Stop shooting.'re In Egyptian waters."
Realizing the presence of Egyptian naval forces, the Israelis left.
(Free Malaysia Today, May 16, 2011)
The Egyptian vessel did not notice at first what was happening. The Israeli vessel contacted the Egyptian and at first got no response.
Our previous report indicated that following communications, shortly after midnight, with the Spirit of Rachel Corrie, there was cooperation between Israeli and Egyptian ship. Although there was such cooperation, the Egyptian ship played a supportive role that served to appease the Israeli attack. They also made sure to escort the vessel in Egyptian territorial waters.
The Israeli vessel contacted the Malaysian ship and was briefed about the nature of cargo carried and the crew and passengers were unarmed civilians.
The warning strike was aggressive when used automatic weapons. It deployed two patrol boats armed with machine guns. The Israelis also fired into a Palestinian fishing vessel was Gaza territorial waters.
After the "warning strike" initial, ordered the Spirit of Rachel Corrie to turn around. "Turn around and shoot you." However, once the ship changed course as required by the Israeli commandos, continued firing at him: "We will start to shoot to kill."
The Egyptian naval vessel, while communicating with the Israeli navy was instrumental to escort the vessel to safe harbor. The Egyptian ship's crew was united in caring for the safety of the crew and passengers of the ship humanitarian. There
communication between Israeli and Egyptian ships and the Israelis "gave thanks" to Egyptian ship have intervened.
The Spirit of Rachel Corrie, the crew and passengers are now in Egyptian territorial waters, anchored in the port of Al Arish, a short distance from the territorial waters of Gaza.
* * * At this stage it is essential to mobilize the world in support of the Spirit of Rachel Corrie, break the lock, open Gaza's territorial waters to aid and trade and also use this opportunity to open the border between Egypt and Gaza.
The humanitarian convoy is very important for the rehabilitation of health infrastructure in Gaza, including the sanitation system, which was partially destruido por los bombardeos israelíes de la Operación Plomo Fundido.
El 27 de diciembre de 2008, el ejército israelí lanzó la Operación Plomo Fundido, que no sólo mató a unos 1.400 palestinos sino que destruyó también infraestructuras vitales, dejando a los gazatíes con graves problemas hídricos y de saneamiento. Ha sido imposible hasta ahora reparar la infraestructura dañada porque Israel ha impedido la entrada de materiales de construcción y combustible para poder resolver la grave situación.
Según un informe del grupo Emergency, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (EWASH, por sus siglas en inglés), "el vertido diario de 80 millones de litros de aguas residuales sin tratar or partially treated in the environment and the Mediterranean Sea is the result of the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza Strip ".
Gaza, one of the most densely populated in the world, now has to face serious health problems, as the syndrome baby blue (cyanosis), diarrhea and other diseases transmitted by water such as typhoid and hepatitis A. The World Health Organization is warning of a possible outbreak of cholera in Gaza unless something is done quickly to resolve the sanitation problem.
According to Physicians for Human Rights-Israel: "Between 90 and 95% of aquifers in the Gaza Strip are not drinking." The fundamental cause of the current problems originated in the destruction, during Operation Lead Cast of 20 km of water pipelines, 7.5 miles of sewage pipes and 5,700 mobile water tanks.
While Gazans are suffering serious environmental effects of water and sanitation crisis, the effects are already reaching the Israeli coast, and could spread further and affect neighboring countries. It is necessary to urgently address this serious health and environmental situation. The community community must demand the lifting of the illegal Israeli blockade.
The mission of the Spirit of Rachel Corrie stems pGFP participation in the Freedom Flotilla in 2010, in which Israeli commandos killed nine activists. After a mission in Gaza in October 2010, the Perdana Global Peace Foundation decided to continue its efforts to help the Palestinians and considered this project as the most urgent among other priorities. See: Nakba and the Spirit of Rachel Corrie: Humanitarian Ship Attacked by Israel now Within 1.5 nautical miles of Gazan Waters0777 646 2379, Global Research, May 16, 2011).
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