Israeli military preparing to prevent 2nd aid flotilla from reaching Gaza that is already sailing

IDF soldiers

By YAAKOV KATZ AND HERB KEINON

"We are preparing for various scenarios from no violence to extreme violence," says IDF official; Netanyahu convenes security cabinet.

The Israel Navy is gearing up to stop a flotilla that plans to run the blockade of the Gaza Strip this week, amid predictions that violence will be minimal after Turkey’s IHH organization – behind the Mavi Marmara last year – withdrew from the initiative.

According to organizers, a number of the vessels – including the US ship The Audacity of Hope – are to set sail from Greece on Monday or Tuesday and then meet other ships that have already begun their journeys from France and Ireland at a rendezvous spot in the Mediterranean Sea.

Vessels from Italy, Spain and Canada are also participating in the flotilla.

On Sunday, Greek officials blocked some of the ships from setting sail to Gaza and organizers said that they had hired lawyers who will fight the stop-order with the aim of allowing the vessels to leave harbor on Monday or Tuesday.

“We expect the flotilla to set sail later in the week,” a military source said. “We are preparing for various scenarios, from no violence to extreme violence.”

The navy and Military Intelligence are closely tracking the flotilla, as well as reports that a Jordanian ship with close to 200 Palestinian and other Arab activists might join the voyage toward Gaza.

“We are pleased that the Turks are not participating but do not yet know what to expect until we meet the ships at sea,” the military source said.

The navy plans to stop the flotilla far from Gaza, after issuing a warning that the territory is under a sea blockade.

“If the ships continue sailing after being warned, then we will have the right to stop them even if they did not yet enter Gaza’s territorial waters,” a defense official explained.

Also on Sunday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet for final briefings from top naval officials and security officials on the Gaza-bound flotilla.

The ministers heard intelligence reports regarding the number of vessels, the passengers on board, and what the ships are carrying. The government has declared that the flotilla will not be allowed to enter Gaza, but will rather – if necessary – be towed into Ashdod Port and the equipment on the ships impounded.

Israeli officials expressed satisfaction that Cyprus has banned the use of it ports for the enterprise, and that Greece and numerous other countries – such as the US, Canada, France and Australia – have issued strong warnings to their citizens not to participate.

Although these advisories have not prevented people from these countries from gathering to take part in the flotilla, the significance of the travel warnings, one diplomatic official said, was that they will give Israel international legitimacy to act to keep the vessels from breaking the blockade.

Before last year’s flotilla, diplomatic officials said, fewer statements against taking part were made by governments around the world, partly because the initiative was not seen as particularly significant.

The fallout from the Mavi Marmara raid, however, where IDF commandos boarded the ship and nine Turks were killed, changed the way numerous governments view the attempts to break the blockade.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor, when asked how Israel will deal with foreigners who do take part in the current flotilla, said, “The same rules that applied last year still apply now: There is a naval blockade on Gaza. It is obviously forbidden to breach it. Those who do, or who manifest their intention to deliberately do so, will not be allowed to proceed and will be treated according to the San Remo Manual and relevant Security Council resolutions.”

The San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea is a codification of customary international law.

Should the vessels be towed to Ashdod Port, Palmor said, “their occupants, regardless of their profession or trade, will be treated as individuals having attempted to enter Israel illegally: They will therefore be given an opportunity to appeal, within three days, to a court of law, in order to uphold their right to stay in Israel. Should they forgo their right to appeal, they will be sent back to their country of origin without further delay, and a 10-year travel ban to Israel will be applied to them.”

Arrest and prosecution will considered by the attorneygeneral, depending on the circumstances, Palmor said.

Sources in the Shurat Hadin (Israel Law Center) on Sunday took responsibility for lodging an anonymous civil complaint against the American-flagged ship, The Audacity of Hope, Army Radio reported.

The complaint, filed to Greek harbormasters, alleged that the vessel was not seaworthy and accused the organizers sailing the ship of aiding terrorism.

Additionally, Shurat Hadin reportedly sent letters to 36 Americans planning to sail in the flotilla, warning them that their participation might violate US criminal law.

World News :: 520 Views

NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP

Our newsletter is released only to notify you about the exclusive stories on the site, exclusive leads on investigations and alerts on projects like video documentaries released by New World Order Report

Email Address:

RADIO ARCHIVE

Click here to read Jonathan Elinoff's bio

Latest radio interviews:

4/29/2012 11AM - Jonathan Elinoff joins Craig Silvermann on the Ross Kaminsky Show on Denver's 850KOA to discuss the Pat Sullivan story, confession and newly released information

4/27/2012 6AM - Jonathan Elinoff a freelance videographer and investigator who broke the Pat Sullivan meth for sex story is in studio with Peter and Julie Hayden investigative journalist for Fox 31 joins Peter and Jonathan to discuss the ugly Pat Sullivan story. Is Pat Sullivan a smaller piece in a larger puzzle of deviant sexual corruption?

4/27/2012 7AM - The show continues to heat up this hour; Bryan Maass of CBS 4 News joins the show to provide his take on the Pat Sullivan interrogation tape. What did Pat Sullivan admit to and what accusations could be corroborated. Why did the District Attorneys decide to proceed with a plea deal instead of a trial? Julie Hayden, Jonathan Elinoff, Bryan Maass and Peter Boyles discuss what is true, what is just and did Pat receive a sweetheart deal, there is contention and disagreement about the Sullivan interrogation tape and the four engage in great discourse and discussion.

4/27/2012 8AM - Peter opens up the show to calls this hour and the lines light up with many listeners weighing in on the Pat Sullivan story. This hour has many voices, views and opinions and discussion between Peter, Jonathan and callers. What do you think about the sentencing that former Arapahoe County Sherriff Pat Sullivan received for his sex for meth scandal?

4/6/2012 6AM - Peter Boyles Show - Jonathan Elinoff the investigative reporter who was instrumental in breaking the Pat Sullivan meth for sex scandal joins Peter for the full hour to discuss his investigation into the dark world of drugs and male prostitution. Jonathan and Peter delve into the egregious story of sex, drugs, coercion, abuse of power and possible murder.

4/6/2012 8AM - Investigative reporter for Fox 31 Julie Hayden joins the show and John Elinoff returns to discuss the Pat Sullivan story and the possibility of a connection between Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold of the Columbine massacre. The Sullivan Story is sure to continue and seems to get stranger and more deviant.

4/6/2012 9AM - Tom Martino addresses a caller about the alleged sex trafficking that was observed in the Sullivan investigation at the start of the show...

4/4/2012 8AM - Peter Boyles Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff and Tom Martino about Pat Sullivan Meth for Sex Scandal

4/4/2012 9AM - Tom Martino continues the Peter Boyles Interview with Jonathan Elinoff and Tom Martino about Pat Sullivan Meth for Sex Scandal

4/4/2012 3PM - Caplis and Silverman Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff about the Pat Sullivan Meth for Sex Scandal

2/2/2012 3PM - Jonathan Elinoff interviewed on KGNU in Boulder and Denver Colorado about his investigation into former Sheriff Pat Sullivan in the "Meth for Sex" scandal, with host Shareef Aleem

12/16/2011 8AM - Peter Boyles Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff and Tom Martino with release of info

12/16/2011 7AM - Peter Boyles Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff and Tom Martino with release of info

12/2/2011 9AM - Tom Martino & The Troubleshooter Network Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff with release of info

12/1/2011 3PM - Caplis and Silverman Radio Show Interviews with release of info

12/1/2011 10AM - Tom Martino & The Troubleshooter Network Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff with release of info

12/1/2011 9AM - Tom Martino & The Troubleshooter Network Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff with release of info

12/1/2011 - 8AM - Peter Boyles Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff with release of info

11/30/2011 5PM - Caplis and Silverman Radio Show Interviews with release of info

11/30/2011 4PM - Caplis and Silverman Radio Show Interviews with release of info

11/30/2011 11AM - Tom Martino & The Troubleshooter Network Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff with release of info

11/30/2011 10AM - Tom Martino & The Troubleshooter Network Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff with release of info

11/30/2011 9AM - Tom Martino & The Troubleshooter Network Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff with release of info

11/30/2011 8AM - Peter Boyles Radio Show Interviews Jonathan Elinoff with release of info

11/30/2011 - Truth Jihad Radio with Kevin Barrett interviews Jonathan Elinoff on the following up with the now breaking story of Pat Sullivan and the scandal related to it

11/16/2011 - Truth Jihad Radio with Kevin Barrett interviews Jonathan Elinoff on the first breaking story of Pat Sullivan and the scandal related to it

9/22/2011 - Tom Martino Show with Special Guest Jonathan Elinoff: Discussion about underground facility at D.I.A.

9/8/2011 - Tom Martino Show with Special Guest Jonathan Elinoff: Tom Martino wakes up to 9/11

9/8/2011 - Peter Boyles Show with Special Guest Jonathan Elinoff: Discussion about the Core of Corruption sequels as well as 9/11 in general and Elinoff's research on it

1/27/2011 - WKRP with Host Rob McNealy with Guest Jonathan Elinoff, Editor of New World Order Report. Click here for the show information and bio Click here for the 1/27/2011 Show

To listen to any other radio interviews or archived radio shows, check our Archives section or click here.

SUPPORT US

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

New World Order Report is proud to offer our award winning documentary, Core of Corruption: In the Shadows. Click the ad below to order the DVD

Watch Core Of Corruption: In the Shadows for FREE Below: