Freedom Flotilla 2 To Sail To Gaza By The End Of May

Wednesday January 12, 2011 19:18 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Turkish Humanitarian Foundation (IHH) that led the Freedom Flotilla that was attacked by the Israeli army in international waters last year, announced that Freedom Flotilla 2 will be sailing to the Gaza Strip by the end of May this year.

Marmara Ship , File image www.ihh.org.tr

In late May of 2010, the Israeli army attacked Marmara Turkish ship, part of the Freedom Flotilla that was heading to Gaza to deliver humanitarian supplies, and killed nine Turkish activists; dozens of activists were wounded.

The new flotilla is expected to include 12 ships and will be sailing to Gaza starting from southern Turkey.

It will be led by Marmara ship, the same ship that was attacked by the Israeli navy leading to the death of the nine activists before the army towed it to Ashdod Port.
Israeli Paper, Maariv, reported that Israel has already started a campaign to stop the flotilla but, so far, the efforts did not lead to any success.

Recently, Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, demand EU Foreign Policy Chief, Catherine Ashton, to announce that the IHH is an illegal organization.

Meanwhile, the IHH reported that European parliamentarians, Arab and Turkish parliamentarians will join the flotilla regardless of the Israeli threats to use force, once again, against the solidarity ships.

Marmara ship was returned to Turkey just two weeks ago after several months of being impounded by Israel. The humanitarian supplies that were onboard the ship are still held at the Ben Gurion Airport after the Israeli Foreign Ministry obstructed the transfer of the supplies back to Turkey.

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