Israeli navy intercepts Freedom Flotilla

 

Three Israeli gunboats this morning surrounded boarded and took control of one of the boats taking part in the Freedom Flotilla III to break the siege on Gaza.

Activists on board said “Israeli pirates” intercepted the boat and boarded it “non-violently”. Previously, activists said they would not clash with Israeli forces if they boarded their boats.

The Swedish-registered Marianne of Gothenburg, which is now under the control of the Israeli navy, is expectedly heading to the Israeli port of Ashdod, an activist on board said. He expected the activists be deported by Israel.

Organisers said that after 4am local time, they lost contact with the Marianne when it was about 100 nautical miles from the Gaza coast.

On board of Marianne, there are 18 activists and journalists, including former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki and Arab-Israeli Knesset Member Basel Ghattas.

Israeli media reported an Israeli military statement saying: “Israeli forces visited and searched the vessel in international waters in order to prevent the intended breach of the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip.” (MEM)