San Francisco Bay Area residents, including famed author Alice Walker, ready to sail with flotilla 2

Three Bay Area residents, including author Alice Walker, will be among about 50 Americans to participate in a "Freedom Flotilla" later this month, challenging the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. The flotilla follows a similar attempt last year that resulted in nine activists being killed in a clash with Israeli Defense Forces.

Walker, Henry Norr, of Berkeley, and Kathy Sheetz, of Richmond, say they will participate. Sheetz is already en route, and Norr is preparing to leave for a news conference Monday in New York and then travel to the area. No information was available on whether Walker has left.

The exact date of the departure of The Audacity of Hope -- the U.S. flagged ship being used -- is being kept secret for security reasons.

"Well, sure, it's scary," Norr said. "I've seen how the Israelis, when they have a problem, their first response is brute force. But all I can say is I don't think they're going to kill us. If they attack an American-crewed boat full of people like me, a diverse group of old and young people, it's not going to look good."

Daniel Morgan, director of public affairs for the Consulate General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest, said the flotilla is being organized by, "radical anti-Israel elements, some of which have terrorist ties."

"The main purpose of this flotilla is to provoke Israel into a confrontation by trying to break the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip -- which is considered legal under international law -- and is necessary to prevent weapons from being smuggled to the terrorist organization Hamas, and used against innocent Israeli civilians," he said. more

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