Protesters sail to Gaza Strip .. and my 2-cents!

Activists sail out of the southern Cypriot port of Larnaca on their way to the Gaza Strip [AFP]

Two boats carrying members of a US-based activist group have left Cyprus for Gaza to try and break Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory.

The 70-foot Free Gaza and 60-foot Liberty boats left the southern port of Larnaca on Friday at 0700 GMT for the estimated 30-hour trip.

Members of the Free Gaza protest group said about 40 activists from 14 countries, including an 81-year-old Catholic nun, will attempt to break the blockade Israel imposed on Gaza last year.

They hope other rights groups will follow their example.

"I've been nervous, but today I'm excited,'' said Lauren Booth, 41, an activist and sister-in-law of Tony Blair, the former British prime minister.

"It's not about our fear, it's about the people waiting in Gaza, you can't think about
anything else.''

Palestinian confinement

Israel imposed the blockade after Hamas seized control of Gaza in June 2007, routing forces loyal to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president.

Gaza's 1.4 million Palestinians are already largely confined to their narrow strip of land by Israeli and Egyptian border closures.

A trickle of people are still allowed to leave for medical care, jobs abroad and for the
annual Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

Israel and Hamas have observed a fragile truce since June.

Israeli response

The boats departed after last-minute engine repairs to the Liberty, passenger safety drills and a final inspection of the vessels' hulls by Cyprus marine police divers.

"It's such a victory to leave the harbour without being sabotaged,'' said Adam Qvist, a 22-year-old Danish activist.

Group members sang a peace song in Arabic and formed the peace sign with their fingers before boarding the boats.

They plan to deliver 200 hearing aids to a Palestinian charity for children and hand out 5,000 balloons.

Lauren Booth, Tony Blair's sister-in-law, will join activists [AFP]

"Trying to breach the wall of silence surrounding Gaza is the best way to show that when a problem is hidden [it doesn't mean] it doesn't exist,'' said Tasos Kourakis, a Greek MP who joined the activists.

Israeli officials said the delivery is illegal because Gaza is controlled by Hamas, which it considers a terrorist group.

But they have refused to say how Israel would respond if the activists tried to break the blockade.

Paul Larudee, a Free Gaza organizer, said it's "highly unlikely" the Israeli navy would fire on the boats to stop them.

But he said the group expects Israeli authorities to intercept the boats and arrest those onboard.

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

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MY TWO CENTS:

"THIS IS THE DAY", Charlton Heston aka "Moses" exclaimed with a thunderous voice when he asked GOD to part the Red Sea in oder to allow the Israelites to pass through safely while protecting them from Pharao Ramses II's fierce fighters and chariots!

This morning, about 2am US-central time and 10am in Cyprus, the two boats "LIBERTY" and "FREE GAZA" set sail and started their journey to Gaza or better, to break the siege of Gaza. I was against this trip from start, was critizised by a number of people including Dr. David Halpin who has my deepest respect and does a formidable job helping the Palestinian people as professional which makes him eligible to be compared with his famous college Dr. Albert Schweitzer from Germany. I deeply regret to have triggered his dismay yet am standing firm with my critisism.

I will make a dogged attempt to explain why.

Before elaborating I want to set one thing straight ... I have been an activist myself (actually I should say "once and activist - always an activist), been to Gaza five times, love the Gazans who are absolutely wonderful folks to pieces - and believe you me, would do EVERYTHING in my power to help in order to give them the life they deserve which naturally puts as condition to lift this INHUMAN SIEGE as well as, if we talk about this issue already, the ENTIRE OCCUPATION!

Some facts: the boats, as reported by the media, carry 40 activists from 14 countries, 200 hearing aids (which will never arrive) destined for a palestinian charity for children and 5000 balloons for to bring a smile to the kids eyes .... which in itself is all a wonderful idea. Yet the way it is done is wrong.

Hamas is the legally elected ruling party in the Gaza strip but, if one likes it or not, agrees to it or rejects it, is considered a terrorist group by Israel as well as European countries and the United States. Sad truth is, these countries make the laws. Everyone who goes against them, is considered "assisting terrorists" and thus judged by these same laws. The group sailing to Gaza has received an official invitation of Hamas ... so what do you think will happen?

Israel's naval command or "SHAYETET" has orders from all the way up to forcefully stop the boats. Are you sure they won't use fire-arms? They do not need to consider lives and can interpret every situation the way they wish ... do I need to say more? Alone the thought of lives possibly getting lost among the participants is turning my stomach around but yet, the danger is as realistic as can be!

Alone the fact there are hearing aids on board ... do you know they are considered contraband by Israel? The question is NOT if this makes sense or not (Israel states they can be used to trigger bombs) ... but what counts here is what THEIR law says! And according to THEIR law they will act ... in other words nothing else has to happen, THIS FACT ALONE is in Israel's eyes enough to terminate this whole venture!

Did anyone ever consider the domino-effect in terms of taking-down the NGO's these arrests will trigger? You can forget about these groups which did fantastic work for so many years - they will be put on a so called terrorist list, out of business ... and terribly missed for years to come!! To help a "terrorist organization" is, in front of the law, equivalent to high treason ... I guess everyone has a clue about the kind of sentence which inevitably will follow.

Another point I want to stress is money! It was reported they they collected $300.000 (or was it more?) for to buy the boats and everything involved. Picture how much GOOD this money could have done had it been given to for instance to UNRWA which is allowed to bring in goods! How about antibiotics? Urgently needed anesthetics? Cancer medication? Equipment urgently needed for dialysis - like filters?

Lately I read about roughly 50%of ALL BABIES AND CHILDREN to suffer from a very specific anemia called METHAEMOGLOBINAEMIA which is caused by too high nitrate levels in drinking water and can lead to severe mental retadation and even death - but can be treated rather easily with oxygen and Methylene blue. I am aware Israel doesn't allow oxygen tanks to get into the Gaza Strip ... so how about CONCENTRATORS? No Israeli can possibly consider them dangerous as all the do is concentrate the oxygen which is in the air we all breath ... so NO explosion risk! One would cost roughly $650 dollars ... make a calculation and think how many lives of babies and children could be EFFECTIVELY improved and even saved! Methylene blue is an actual die and should not pose any problem to get into Gaza.

Given the fact the whole endeavor is inevtably going to fail, more than $300.000 are going down the drain or better the Mediterranian, NGO's become ineffective and will actually be put on Israel's terror list thus forbidden ... lives are endangered - so what will be the outcome? That the world is made aware again Israel has Gaza under siege? We already KNOW THAT ! Public relation? A poor reason! Will Israel's discriminatory politics be influenced in ANY way? NOPE! Will the siege be lifted? NOPE! Will ANYTHING effectively improve for the people in Gaza? NOPE!

So what was won? _Nothing.
!