Israel Tells Tehran, Beirut Solidarity Ships Will Be Stopped

Tuesday June 15, 2010 16:42 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israel sent messages to Iran and Lebanon threatening that it will resort to violence if needed in order to prevent the Iranian and Lebanese solidarity ships from reaching the Gaza coast to deliver humanitarian supplies.

Tel Aviv threatened that the ships would be intercepted in international waters, and that the Navy and the Army will use violence if deemed necessary.

It added that the ships are sailing from what it described as “enemy ports” and heading to “Israel,” and will be stopped at any cost.

Israel is holding talks with Egypt in order to help and stop the ships once they reach the Suez canal.

The Israeli security services and intelligence departments started collecting information about the ships, their cargo and the people onboard.

Senior Israeli military leaders started consultations with Israeli Navy officials in order to determine the strategy of intercepting the ships in an attempt to avoid the same outcome of Israel’s deadly attack on the Turkish solidarity ships.

The Israeli security services claim that the Lebanon-based Hezbollah party is sending a ship filled with women, who are members of Hezbollah and Hamas, in an attempt to embarrass Israel should it attack the ships.

According to Israeli sources, information received by Tel Aviv revealed that, so far, Egypt has not received a request from Iran in order to allow its ships to sail to Gaza.

Israeli Army Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, stated that the Freedom Flotilla, the Iranian ships and other solidarity ships are, are “provoking Israel in the sea, through international media outlets, international courts and different institutions and organizations."

international | gaza siege | news report saed at imemc dot org