Israel Matzav

'Blockade-running' boats on their way

The 'Free Gaza Movement's 'blockade running' boats left Cyprus at 10:00 AM on Friday and will be arriving here (unless they sink first - heh) around 4:00 PM Saturday. Yes, of course, in the middle of the Sabbath. Did you really think it would be any other time.

They say that they are bringing with them 200 hearing aids and 5000 balloons - items that Israel surely would have delivered on its own since this is the only siege in world history in which the party conducting the siege is delivering supplies to the besieged. No, this little trip is clearly political. And what the article from which I am about to quote doesn't mention is that the guy who is in charge of this motley crew - one 'piano tuner' named Paul Larudee - is in fact the head of the International Solidarity Movement's Northern California chapter and has been denied entry into Israel in the past.

Members of the Free Gaza protest group said some 40 activists from 16 countries - including an 81-year-old Catholic nun - will attempt to break the blockade and that they hoped other rights groups will follow their example.

"It's about human rights...to let Palestinians and visitors travel freely to and from Palestinian lands, what could be more basic than that?" said Free Gaza organizer Paul Larudee.

...

Israeli officials said the delivery was illegal but they have refused to publicly say what the response would be if the activists tried to break the blockade. However, The Jerusalem Post has learned that the navy has been ordered to turn back the boats.

Larudee said it was "highly unlikely" the navy would fire on the boats to stop them. But he said the group expected Israeli authorities to intercept the boats and arrest those onboard.

Larudee said the group would contest any arrests in court on the premise that Israel committed kidnapping.

Larudee was denied entry into Israel in 2006. Here's why:

According to security officials, Larudee's name appears on a Shin Bet (General Security Service) list of foreign far-left 'activists' who are suspected of involvement in dangerous anti-Israel activity. The Ministry of Interior is responsible for ensuring that persons whose names appear on the list are not allowed entry into Israel.

Security officials said that Larudee was one of the ISM's top leaders, and was behind anti-Israel activity during IDF operations in Judea, Samaria and Gaza during the height of the Intifada between 2002 and 2004. Officials said that he was once found in the home of a suicide bomber and that he participated in a violent anti-Israel demonstration.

ISM spokeswoman Nurit Golan added that in a recent court case involving another ISM activist the Ministry of Interior admitted that, "being a member of ISM was not a reason to be on such a list." I don't understand why this is not sufficient to deny entry. It certainly ought to be.

According to Golan, Larudee has been here four times before and has never been arrested. He has never done anything illegal," continued Golan, adding that the activist, who is a piano tuner by trade, was here to tune more than 40 pianos in the Palestinian Authority areas, said Golan.

But Larudee is anything but innocent. He openly wrote a letter detailing how he spent the night with the family of a suicide bomber. Since such bombers usually work with organized terrorist groups, it is of interest what direct contact LaRudee makes with overseas terrorists. As an attorney, I have to wonder whether that alone would be sufficient to charge him as an accessory to murder.

Nice guy, huh? Maybe this time, we should show him Ketziot for a while. Let him bake in the son (Ketziot is a 'security prisoners' prison in the southern Negev desert). Then send him to Pakistan or Iran for a while.

Amazing how much publicity forty moonbats have managed to get, isn't it? Well, here's hoping the IDF pokes a few holes in those boats.

Why hasn't anyone bothered to find out who is financing this?

"The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew, the Minnow would be lost, the Minnow would be lost." Heh.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:46 PM