Deja vu all over again: As Syrians die, 'flotilla' to arrive in 'besieged Gaza' on Wednesday

Bashar al-Assad must be pleased. As millions starve in Aleppo, Syria, the world is focused on a 'flotilla' headed for the 'besieged Gaza Strip,' which is due to arrive on Wednesday evening.

The all women solidarity ship called “Zaytouna” -- meaning "olives" in Arabic -- is expected to arrive in the besieged Gaza Strip in two days after setting off from the shores of Barcelona, Spain last month as part of the larger Freedom Flotilla aimed at disrupting Israel’s nearly decade-long siege on the small Palestinian territory, according to a statement released Tuesday by the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza.

The committee said that the 13 women activists on board are set to arrive in the besieged coastal enclave on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning after traveling for nearly 2,000 miles, if the ship is not obstructed by Israeli naval forces en route to the shores of Gaza. The committee called upon international activists to work on conducting media, political, and popular campaigns to exert pressure on Israel in order to guarantee a safe arrival for the Zaytouna solidarity ship and the women aboard. 

The Freedom Flotilla initially consisted of another solidarity ship called “Amal” -- meaning “hope” in Arabic, but according to the committee the Amal ship would not participate in the solidarity mission after facing "unforeseen circumstances" that were out of the control of the organizers.

'Palestinian' media is reporting that the Israeli Navy has been ordered to stop the ship.  And the women on board have been whining to the media that they fear an Israeli 'attack.'

The Zaytouna-Oliva, one of two vessels that set sail from Barcelona in September in a bid to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, expects to be 100 nautical miles off the shores of the Hamas-ruled area by Wednesday morning, according to a South African passenger who talked to Agence France Presse on Tuesday. Leigh-Ann Naidoo told AFP, "We are not worried about what Israel plans on doing."

Spokeswoman Claude Leotic told AFP, "We fear there will be an Israeli attack" to prevent the boat from reaching Gaza's shores. As in the past, the Israeli navy is expected to intercept the boat and escort it to the port of Ashdod, arresting and deporting those on board.

By the way, there are at least two self-proclaimed Israelis on board.  Because after all they're starving in Gaza.