Flotilla bound for Gaza delayed, loses key members

[ProgressiveProfessor]

Ships carrying 10,000 tons of supplies and hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists to blockaded Gaza were being held up near Cyprus on Saturday, as organizers tried to get nearly two dozen high-profile supporters on board.

The flotilla was to set sail toward Gaza on Saturday afternoon, in any event, and approach the territory on Sunday, about 24 hours behind schedule, said Greta Berlin, one of the activists.

A showdown with the Israeli navy appeared inevitable. Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, reiterated Saturday that the ships would be intercepted, denouncing the sea convoy as a provocation and violation of maritime laws. Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade on Gaza after the Islamic militant Hamas seized the territory by force three years ago.
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In Cyprus, organizers were trying to find a way to have two dozen would-be passengers, including 19 European legislators and an elderly Holocaust survivor, join the ships anchored in international waters off the island. The Cypriot government did not allow smaller boats to carry the group to the flotilla, Berlin said.

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More at: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ioi_0jtO9RjMwPNRoXNCndRPRq3gD9G0GF580

[Tripmann]

1. Update

http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/press-releases/1188-were-on-our-way

After tremendous pressure from the Greek Cypriots, reneging on their agreement with us http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/cyprus-stops-mps-joining-gaza-flotilla/20100529, we were forced to take our MPs and activists to Famagusta yesterday, on the Turkish/Cypriot side of Cyprus. We spent all day going from one port to the next, surrounded by helicopters and police. Clearly our deal with Cyprus officials had fallen through, and we ended up being pawns in a political soap opera. The Cypriot members of Parliament, the ones who had worked so hard to get us permission to leave, were outraged. The Greek Parliament members finally told us to go to the North. If they could, they would. The Cypriot government said they made their decision because, "The Republic of Cyprus is fighting for its survival" but it didn't bow to pressure from Israel. As they said this, they bowed their heads.

[aquart]

3. Cyprus has a cordial relationship with Israel.

Cypriots regularly use Israeli hospitals and doctors for their medical care. Calling it "pressure" is just being pissy. Israel is useful to Cyprus. Palestinians, not so much.

[grassfed]

4. Different perspectives on Cyprus/Israel

HERE (see comments)

[sabbat hunter]

7. which cyprus government

Greek/southern or Turkish/northern?

[aquart]

9. No idea, but my friends are Greek.

Israel is where they get their care. It's where everyone they know goes for medical needs.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Bad Link for the Cyprus Mail

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/cyprus-stops-mps-joining-gaza-flotilla/20100529 may work better

[oberliner]

6. Turkish Cypriot side?

Is Turkey still illegally occupying part of Cyprus?

[Donald Ian Rankin]

8. Illegally yes, occupying no, I think.

The Turkish military presence in North-east cyprus has the support of enough of the natives that I think it's probably misleading to call it an occupation. My understanding is that it's fairly explicitly in violation of international law, however.

[kayecy]

10. Donald - The Cyprus problem is a bit more complicated than you think......

To start with, the mainland Greek Government (in 1974 it was the Greek 'Colonels' government) arranged a coup in which Greek- Cypriots fought and killed each other and lead to Archbishop Makarios (The Cypriot President)to flee. For a whole week, right-wing Greek-Cypriots ran the place ignoring Turkish threats that they would intervene to protect Turkish-Cypriots....Turkey then exercised its legal right as one of the 'guarantor powers' and invaded northern Cyprus...The Greek Cypriots stopped fighting each other and fought the Turks instead....Result?....For the last 35 years, Cyprus has been split down the middle by a 'Green line'.

There are many similarities between the Southern (Greek) Cypriot situation and the Palestinian situation. Interestingly, Greek Cypriots have fought in the European court of justice for the right to retain their properties on the Turkish-Cypriot side of the island and in one case have got UK courts to enforce their claim.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

11. The rights and wrongs are complicated, the law is simple, as I understand it.

I don't know enough about the Cyprus conflict to know whether Turkey's actions were/are morally justifiable. It seems fairly incontrovertible that they were illegal, however - or, at least, pretty much every other country in the world claims they were (I think - I'm writing this from memory, I haven't checked it).

[grassfed]

2. Live Stream from Gaza Flotilla (link) - Fascinating

Live Stream from Gaza Flotilla

[grassfed]

12. English Live Stream from Gaza ship as it is attacked by Israel

http://www.livestation.com/channels/3-al_jazeera_english_english