On Sunday, I reported that the French yacht Dignite al-Karama had left Greece, ostensibly for Alexandria, Egypt. I'm sure you'll all be just shocked to hear that the yacht is actually heading for Gaza.
The 17-passenger Dignite-Al Karama left Greek waters on Sunday and was on course to reach the Palestinian enclave by Tuesday, according to a statement by French campaigners working with the umbrella Free Gaza Movement.
"It is now the voice of the whole Freedom Flotilla, as all its (other) ships were forbidden to sail by the Greek government thereby fulfilling a clear demand by the Israeli government," the statement said.
Activist vessels that docked in Greece last month were refused permission by local authorities to sail for Gaza. Two were turned back by the coast guard after leaving port without authorization. Activists said two other boats were sabotaged.
Greta Berlin of the Free Gaza Movement said the Dignite-Al Karame had declared Alexandria, Egypt, as its destination "in order to get out of Greece."
"But you can change destinations in the middle of the Mediterranean, any time you want to," she told Reuters. "It's legal to do that."
And it's also legal for the Greeks to confiscate the rest of the yachts and for Israel to sink this one.
Greece has been the hero over the last two weeks, essentially killing the flotilla of fools. Those of you who have been reading this blog are probably not surprised - you already know that in the aftermath of the Mavi Marmara, Israel made a conscious effort to improve relations with Greece, which has included joint military exercises and expanded trade and tourism. But for those of you who are new to this blog, here's a quick summary.
Greece and Israel have become very much closer recently and some of that surely is the result of Turkey making what appears to be a strategic decision to enhance its ties with Iran and Syria over Israel and the West. Considering an international fact that disturbs them both, Greece and Israel appear to have decided to consider their options. In addition, Israel has escaped the ruinous economic problems of other countries - there is no lack in Greece of appreciation for Prime Minister Netanyahu's economic prowess as Finance Minister and the resulting strong Israeli economy. Israel needs friends in the Mediterranean and a partner for military, search and rescue and other operations that coordinate with NATO - if Turkey can't be the partner, Greece can.
The Greek-Israeli rapprochement is actually the result of only a strategic few people in each country over the past year looking around at the threats and problems, and deciding that Western countries have the most in common and the most to gain from cooperation.
Maybe coincidentally, maybe not, the UN has given copies of its report on the Mavi Marmara flotilla incident of 2010 and it is Turkey - not Israel - that is unhappy with the findings. Israeli government sources say the report criticizes the Turkish government and highlights the relationship between it and the IHH, and while the UN does find that Israeli commandos used "excessive force," it also accepts Israel's contention that they acted in self-defense.
The demise of the 2011 flotilla isn't the end of the diplomatic crises Israel faces - but it is a welcome success engendered by willingness of the Greek government to do the right thing. A few more such successes (including the increasing international understanding that accepting "Palestine" as a UN member outside the normal channels is a bad idea) and Israel may find itself - a Western, liberal, democratic country - in the company of like-minded others, worrying about the future we all face.
During the 2011 JINSA Flag & General Officers Trip, Lieut. Gen. Benny Ganz, IDF Chief of Staff, told the participants, "Don't forget - this is the edge of the Western world; then it becomes the East." We are happy - and not surprised - that Greece has assimilated the message.
The top flag in the picture is Greece's, the bottom one is Cyprus' flag - another country with which Israel has improved relations over the past year.
The flotilla of fools came to an ignominious end on Thursday, when the French yacht Dignite came ashore to refuel in Crete, and was promptly detained by the Greek Coast Guard.
The Dignity was stopped while attempting to refuel in Crete, CNN quoted Maxime Gimberteau of "A Boat for Gaza" as saying.
Greek coast guard spokesman Elias Sambatakakis said that authorities were "checking the identities of the passengers" and "the ship's documents."
"It is not yet clear what will happen once procedures are completed," CNN quoted him as saying. "Obviously if the ship asks for permission to go to Gaza, this will be declined," he added.
I don't understand something: If this boat only had enough fuel to make it to Crete, how did they think they were going to get to Gaza? Did they expect to find a filling station in the middle of the Mediterranean? Idiots.
Last night our group’s activities in Athens ended and here’s a description from one of our people there: “We all went to Syntagma Square which looks much like Tahrir where there is an encampment and thousands of people gather each night. On Sundays there may be upwards of 50,000 and on big nights hundreds of thousands. We unfurled to drum beats 22 flags sewn together representing the countries participating in the Flotilla. Our black and white signs were in Greek, Arabic and English. It was a beautiful sight. Then we marched to the Spanish Embassy where our Spanish partners were occupying its embassy demanding the release of their boat. We arrived at about 9 pm with drummers leading the way. They came out on balconies and we sang to each other. It was quite the sight.”
Let's go to the videotape.
Almost forgot the best part: They're leaving the boat behind. BWAHAHAHAHA!
Watch livestream of the flotilla of fools' Juliano
The Juliano (which was one of the ships that was allegedly 'sabotage') has left port. It is unclear whether it is heading to join the French MV Dignite/Al Karama or if it is heading to another Greek port, where they have been invited by a mayor.
They are being shadowed by the Greek Coast Guard.
You can watch what happens live. Sorry but there does not appear to be any sound and it seems to go off the air from time to time.
On Tuesday, the Greek Coast Guard stopped a Swedish boat - the Juliano - from departing for Gaza. It wasn't much of a contest.
Israeli expat Dror Feiler told Ynet that the ship "was cleared to set sail this afternoon, but shortly afterwards the Greeks changed their mind.
"We tried sailing anyway, but there are navy ships waiting for us and a ship with media representatives covering the story. I guess who ever is in charge was given orders from high up. We're waiting to see what happens next," he said.
Heh.
Here's a video update on the flotilla of fools.
Let's go tot he videotape.
In the meantime, Israel got surprising support from a member of the German Bundestag.
Philip Missfelder, the foreign policy spokesman of the German political parties the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU), said in a statement on Tuesday that the so-called Gaza flotilla activists “endanger peace efforts” and their action is “part of the asymmetrical warfare against Israel.”
In what appears to be the strongest statement yet from an MP in the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, on the aim of pro- Palestinian activists to break Israel’s naval blockade of Hamas controlled Gaza, Missfelder said this action is “not about humanitarian help, rather a confrontation with Israel.”
Missfelder is the foreign policy spokesman of the largest combined group of MPs (238) in the parliament. He said that the flotilla does not help the peace process but is an obstacle to peace, and that the activists are working against the goals of both the Quartet and Germany herself, in her role as a member of the UN Security Council to advance peace.
“I welcome that the Greek authorities have decisively intervened as some activists set sail without permission,” said Missfelder.
Greek teargas purchases probably not connected to flotilla of fools
Some pro-'Palestinian' twitterers made a big deal on Monday out of a story that had Greece buying a lot of teargas from Israeli last Thursday.
Greek Police, or ELAS, purchased more than 900 thousand euros worth of tear gas canisters and chemical grenades last Thursday, one day after violent rioting in the center of Athens, it was reported on Monday.
The chemicals, some 10,000 items according to a report posted on the tvxs website, were bought from Israel, France and the United States.
Athens first instance prosecutor Eleni Raikou has launched a probe following complaints by the head of the pharmacies’ union regarding the extensive use of tear gas in last week’s anti-austerity rally.
Even if the story is true, it seems that the targets for the teargas are the anti-austerity protesters and not the flotilla of fools.
Greek Coast Guard turns back Canadian flotilla boat
The Greek Coast Guard has stopped a Canadian boat that attempted to depart for Gaza from the island of Crete without permission. According to the Twitter feed of the useful idiots who are part of the flotilla, the boat was towed back to a different port than the one from which it departed. There is now one tweet claiming that the boat sustained damage when it was slammed against a wall. There is more detail about that claim here.
Turkish authorities deny Israel damaged Iriish flotilla entry
Turkish authorities in the port of Göcek are denying a claim that Israelis sabotaged the Irish boat MV Saoirse (Freedom0, which was scheduled to participate in the flotilla of fools. According to the Turks, the boat was damaged before it ever entered Turkish waters.
According to initial findings of the inspection, the breakdown of the ship might not be a result of sabotage, a Turkish diplomat told the Hürriyet Daily News on Friday.
Turkish authorities investigated allegations that the Irish-owned ship, the MV “Saoirse” (Freedom), which was planning to participate in Freedom Flotilla 2, was sabotaged in Turkish territorial waters by Israel. The accusations are the second since boats started arriving in the eastern Mediterranean ahead of the flotilla’s planned voyage.
Organizers for the Saoirse said the engine of the Irish vessel was damaged in such a way that the ship would have sunk in the middle of the ocean and that the ship was docked in Turkey’s territorial waters when the tampering occurred.
“Israel is the only party likely to have carried out this reckless action, and it is important that the Irish government and the executive in Northern Ireland insist that those who ordered this act of international terrorism be brought to justice. This was carried out in a Turkish town and shows no respect for Turkish sovereignty and international law,” Dr. Fintan Lane, national coordinator for the Irish Ship to Gaza, which owns the vessel, said in a written statement Thursday.
He said one of the most shocking aspects was “the delayed nature of the sabotage.”
“It wasn’t designed to stop the ship from leaving its berth. Instead, it was intended to cause fatal damage to the ship while she was at sea. This could have resulted in the deaths of several of those on board. This was a potentially murderous act,” he said.
Last week, the propeller of the Greek-Swedish ship Juliano was found broken and Gaza flotilla organizers also said they believed it was deliberate sabotage by Israel.
Israel Radio is reporting that they're down to nine ships and they played a recording of Adam Shapiro begging journalists to stay.
The Greek government is not allowing the ships in its ports to leave.
Many of the 'activists' have flights home on Tuesday, and if the ships don't leave by then, the entire flotilla of fools may be canceled.
The captain of the American ship Audacity of Hope has been arrested in the aftermath of Friday's attempt to sail to Gaza without permission of the Greek port authorities. The 60-year old skipper is being held in a police station in Piraeus and will be kept there until at least Tuesday when a hearing will be held. His name has not been released. He has been charged with leaving the port without permission to sail and endangering his passengers. The latter charge is a felony. The ship had 36 passengers, four crew members and ten 'members of the media'useful idiots on board when it left the port in Piraeus on Friday afternoon.
Let's go to the videotape of the arrest.
Notice that someone is speaking Hebrew in the background at the beginning of the video.
Note that the Greek coast guard carries real weapons (not paintball guns) and that no one tries to throw anything at them to keep them from boarding.
Breaking: Greek Coast Guard stops Audacity of Hope from making run for Gaza
The Greek Coast Guard has stopped the American ship Audacity of Hope from making a run to Gaza in defiance of the Greek port authorities. The ship was stopped about 25 minutes after its departure from Athens.
The vessel, dubbed "The Audacity of Hope", left Perama port for the open seas, a Reuters witness said. Greek authorities said earlier on Friday that ships destined to Gaza were prohibited from leaving Greek ports.
Despite the Greek ban, the vessel left port around 4:45 pm Friday, Ynet learned. It was banned from departing by Greek officials citing technical problems, but chose to ignore the orders.
In a conversation with Ynet, organizers of the US boat confirmed the details. One of them said that a Greek Coast Guard ship approached the boat and that the two sides were engaged in dialogue.
Earlier, flotilla spokeswoman Greta Berlin said that "The Greeks are cooperating with Israel as much as they can."
"Israel is doing its very, very best to make sure we don't get out of port," Berlin said earlier Friday, adding that the flotilla will be heading to the Gaza Strip next week.
Let's go to the videotape.
The Greek authorities have announced that they will not allow any ships to depart for Gaza from their ports.
Because it's less than half an hour to the Sabbath, I cannot liveblog this story, but you can find a liveblog of it (s/he told me s/he is live blogging) here.
UPDATE 7:05 PM
Israel Radio reports that the ship left Piraeus, not Athens, and that they are 'negotiating' with the Greek Coast Guard and refusing to return to the port.
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
On Sunday, I reported that the French yacht Dignite al-Karama had left Greece, ostensibly for Alexandria, Egypt. I'm sure you'll all be just shocked to hear that the yacht is actually heading for Gaza. 
