Haaretz's Lois Lane reports from the Dignite al-Karama
Haaretz's own Lois LaneAmira Hass reports from the deck of the French yacht Dignite al-Karama.
When the Karame was some 50 miles away from Gaza, the Israel Navy began trailing the yacht and contacted the passengers on board, demanding they state their final destination and disclose if they are carrying any weapons.
A member of the Greek delegation to Gaza answered the questions and promised that they are not carrying any kind of weapons. He said their destination is the Gaza port.
An Israel Defense Forces official confirmed that the Israel Navy contacted the yacht, and warned it that it is nearing a blockaded area. Defense establishment sources stressed that they would not allow any kind of vessels to dock in the Gaza Strip, so any ship trying to break the blockade would be intercepted.
Greta Berlin of the Free Gaza Movement said the Dignite-Al Karame had previously declared Alexandria, Egypt, as its destination so it could slip out of Greece, and then changed its route to Gaza, saying it was a legal move.
And what do you know - Ms. Hass is lying again. I played the video of the IDF making contact with the French yacht. Here it is again. You will note that the IDF does NOT ask about weapons. They ask about cargo.
Let's go to the videotape.
And no, that's not Amira Hass at the top of this post. It's Lois Lane. She actually looks a lot like my friend Racheli G (actually now Rachel B). Here's what Amira Hass looks like.
Aren't you glad you asked?
Too bad it's the three weeks - I had a great song that goes with this one....
LIVEBLOG: French yacht contactedsurrounded off Gaza coast
The French yacht Dignite al-Karama spent the night in Port Said, Egypt, and departed for Gaza at 6:00 am. It was due in the area at Noon. Israel Radio reported at 11:30 that the Navy had contacted the yacht several kilometers off Gaza and warned that it was about to enter a blockaded zone. The yacht claimed to have lost contact with the Navy....
Swedish Israeli Dror Feiler is on the yacht, but has not updated his Twitter feed since June 30. Haaretz reporter Amira Hass is apparently not on Twitter. In the meantime, here is an earlier JPost story. If something happens, this post will go to liveblog.
A defense official on Monday said that the navy is preparing to stop the ship before it reaches the Strip.
The Dignity is carrying 17 pro-Palestinian activists. It was part of the Free Gaza Movement’s flotilla that was canceled earlier this month after Greece refused to allow the ships to leave its ports for the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday, the ship left Greek waters after declaring Alexandria as its destination. According to Free Gaza, its passengers include Jacqueline Le Corre, a member of the French Communist Party, Jean-Claude Lefort, a former French Member of the European Parliament, and Haaretz correspondent Amira Hass.
While the organizers did not explicitly declare that the ship would sail to Gaza, they said that it was part of the “first wave that will be followed by others.”
“It is a message to the Israeli government, to the international community and to the besieged people of Gaza: The Free Gaza Movement and the coalition of Freedom Flotilla II are not giving up until the inhumane and illegitimate blockade of Gaza is lifted,” the movement said in a press release.
What could go wrong?
UPDATE 12:02 PM
The yacht is surrounded several tens of kilometers off the coast of Gaza.
Israel Radio reports Navy will let yacht return to Egypt but will not let it reach Gaza. Navy has told yacht in English and French they will board the ship and hope that it will happen calmly. They will give them instructions before they board. Tape of Navy speaking to yacht played on radio. Yacht not responding. Twitterers say yacht has no communications.
The Israel Navy is currently in a dialogue with the activists on-board the Al-Karame, in an attempt to dissuade them from continuing on their route into an area under a maritime security blockade off the coast of Gaza.
In accordance with Israel government directives, and as previously stressed, the Israel Navy will allow the organizers and passengers to re-track at any point, prior to the boarding of Israel Navy soldiers.
UPDATE 12:56 PM
Here's a video from the IDF. Let's go to the videotape.
UPDATE 1:00 PM
IDF successfully took over the yacht. The yacht is being towed to Ashdod (Israel Radio's 1:00 pm newscast).
UPDATE 1:05 PM
Here's a list of the passengers aboard the Dignite al-Karama according to the Free Gaza organization:
Passengers List for "Dignité / Al Karama"
1. Stéphane Corriveau (Canadian Boat to Gaza)
2. Dror Feiler (Ship to Gaza-Sweden and European Jews for a Just Peace, composer - musician)
3. Hilary Folacci (Sailor)
4. Jérôme Gleizes (European Greens)
5. Jacqueline Le Corre (MD, Collectif 14 Support to the Palestinian people, PCF/french communist party)
6. Jean Claude Lefort (Honorary Member of french Parliament)
7. Jo Leguen (Navigator)
8. Claude Léostic (Spokesperson of Campaign "A French ship to Gaza" - Association France/Palestine /Solidarity -AFPS)
9. Yamin Makri (Collectif 69 Support the Palestinian people)
10. Omeyya Naoufel Seddik (Tunisian Federation for citizenship on both sides- FTCR, political scientist)
11. Dr. Vangelis Pissias (Campaign "Ship to Gaza - Greece", professor at Higher Institute of Technology, Athens)
12. Thomas Sommer - Houdeville (Spokesperson of Campaign "A French ship to Gaza" and "Campagne Civile Internationale Pour la Protection du Peuple Palestinien - CCIPPP", associate researcher at the IFPO - Institut Français du Proche Orient)
13. Yannick Voisin (captain).
Also on board
14. Derradji Ayyash Al Jazeera journalist
15. Stéphane Guida, cameraman for Al Jazeera,
16. Amira Hass (Israeli journalist - Haaretz).
UPDATE 1:07 PM
Israel Radio played warnings given to ship before boarding the yacht. The Navy commandos boarded from the rear and urged the captain of the yacht to take all safety precautions.
I have to add that for the last couple of hours, I have been following a twitter search relating to this vessel. I have to wonder whether and why people believe the things that are being written about us there. There are many sickening lies.
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.
One of the boats that was scheduled to take part in the Gaza-bound flotilla last week has set sail to Egypt from Greece, the Greek coastguard announced on Saturday. According to the coastguard, the Dignite/Al Karama left the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo for the Egyptian port of Alexandria.
Authorities said that the yacht was previously prevented from leaving the Greek island after it caused damage to a vessel belonging to the Greek coastguard following a minor collision. Even though Greece banned any ships planning to taking part in the flotilla from setting sail via its ports, the Dignite/Al Karama had previously attempted to sneak away last week in defiance of the ban. It was later stopped and taken to the port of Sitia on Crete.
As long as it ends up in Egypt, we don't care. The Egyptians aren't going to let them go to Gaza either.
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.
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.
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
Haaretz's own 
Aren't you glad you asked?
