Canadian boat to Gaza intercepted by Greek coastguard

(pic: The canadian boat The Tahrir being towed back to port by the Greek coastguard)
From the Jerusalem Post

ATHENS - The Greek coastguard on Monday intercepted a Canadian ship which had set sail for Gaza carrying medicine and pro-Palestinian activists who had defied a ban by the Athens government, an activist said.

The boat, named "Tahrir", had left a port in Crete, a Reuters witness said. Greek authorities have said that ships carrying activists destined for Gaza with aid for Palestinians were prohibited from leaving Greek ports.

The activist told Reuters that the crew of nearly 50 people was comprised mostly Canadians. There were no further details immediately available.

More detail on Al Jazeera

A Canadian boat taking part in a planned aid flotilla to Gaza has been boarded by Greek coast guards after attempting to break out of Crete harbour, according to activists aboard the vessel.

Most of the boats which hoped to sail to Gaza in an effort to break Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory have been stuck in Greek ports after being refused permission to embark on the journey by Greek authorities.

The Tahrir sailed 15 minutes out of harbour in an attempt to reach international waters before it was intercepted by coastguards, activists told Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera spoke with activists on the boat as it was being boarded by members of the Greek coast guard.

"Some of the Greek coast guard have boarded and are trying to take control of the vessel," Dylan Penner, a member of the steering committee of the boat, told Al Jazeera while the boat was still sailing away from the harbour.

"We’re about 15 minutes out of port, and still under power. We are still moving forward. We still have control of the Tahrir."

But members of the coast guard promptly took control of the vessel and are currently bringing it back to port, Penner said.

"We were going 15 knots for 15 minutes, attempting to reach international waters that are 95km from the coast," Penner said. "I estimate that we made it a quarter of the way."

The coast guard boat was parked near the marina guarding the Tahrir, Penner said: "We saw a window of opportunity and took it by using kayakers to block the coast guard. But eventually the coast guard ship caught up with us, and launched a Zodiak from which we were boarded.”

On Friday the US boat, The Audacity of Hope, left port, only to be blocked by the coast guard, who towed the ship back to port, where it is being detained. The captain of that boat was jailed and charged with a felony.

Earlier, David Heap, aboard the Tahrir, said that preventing the boats from sailing was a "clear violation" of human rights.

"The Tahrir is leaving port in Crete, and we are breaking through Israel's Gaza blockade which now extends to Greek ports," Heap said. more

And more at Electronic Intifada including the statement issued before the Canadian boat set sail

Agios Nikolaos, Greece - With the support of Greek civil society and people from all around the world the Tahrir is casting off from Greece today. “The Tahrir is leaving port in Crete, and we are breaking through Israel’s Gaza blockade which now extends to Greek ports,” said David Heap from aboard the Tahrir. ”Israel’s expansion of the Gaza blockade to Greece is just the latest example of how the blockade of Gaza is about attacking freedom, not increasing security.”

Article 13.2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “Everyone has the right to leave any country”. Preventing flotilla ships from leaving Greek ports is a clear violation of this human right.

“Greece has no right to detain foreign-flagged ships in its ports other than for purposes of assuring seaworthiness via timely inspection. And they cannot interfere with ‘innocent passage’ through their territorial waters, and this passage is definitely innocent,” said Richard Falk, American professor of international law and an appointee to two United Nations positions on the Palestinian territories.

“Greece’s position is disturbing but this should not divert our attention from Israel and its illegal and inhumane blockade of Gaza. Israel is the source of the problem and it will be held accountable by the international community – sooner or later,” said Sandra Ruch, from the Tahrir steering committee.

Support actions have been and continue to be held at Greek consulates all over Canada (as well as in cities all over the world) calling on the Greek government to end its support of the Israeli blockade of Gaza and immediately lift the blockade it is imposing on the Flotilla boats from Greece’s ports.

The Canadian Boat to Gaza has sent letter to all Greek MPs asking them to let the flotilla boats go: http://www.tahrir.ca/content/letter-members-greek-parliament

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