Daily Archives: June 5, 2010

Video and Photos of Passengers Disembarking from Ship at Ashdod Port, 5 June 2010

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In the following video and photos, passengers from the 7th flotilla ship arrive at the Ashdod Port accompanied by the IDF Naval Special Forces. The ship had been boarded by the IDF forces and with full compliance of the crew, instructed the ship’s captain to sail to the Ashdod Port after it had attempted to break the maritime closure of the Gaza Strip.

Nineteen people were on board the boat, including eight crew members, all of whom will be transferred to the custody of the appropriate authorities in the Interior Ministry. The cargo found on board will be transferred to the Gaza Strip following security inspection.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtjWyweOFyM]

Radio Exchange Between Israeli Navy and 7th Flotilla Ship Regarding Transfer of Aid to Gaza, 5 June 2010

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In this audio recording of the radio transmission between the Israeli Navy and the 7th flotilla ship, the Israeli Navy offers to transfer all humanitarian supplies on board to Gaza through land crossings in coordination with a third party (including a number of independent aid organizations), so that the Navy would not have to board the ship. Additionally, the Israeli Navy offers that if the ship redirects to dock at Ashdod Port, the cement on board will be transferred into Gaza in coordination with an aid organization to ensure that it is used for civilian purposes.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pU5HPudACE]

The following is a transcript of the radio transmission recording:

Israeli Navy: I’d like to propose something else. First I’d like to make clear it is not our desire, I repeat, it is not our desire, to board your boat. My proposal is as follows: We escort you to Ashdod Port. At the Port of Ashdod you’ll undergo standard inspections, standard of all incoming vessels, and we’ll take it from there in terms of expediting your loading of cargo trucks at the port.

7th Flotilla Ship: How about this for a suggestion…you stop, have a cup of tea, and we’ll continue on to Gaza. We cannot go into Ashdod and off load. I have explained already for circumstances we’ve already gone through that we cannot off load in Ashdod, over.

Israeli Navy: I’ve just been informed I may have not been clear in detailing our previous offer, so I’d like to go over another detail in case you feel I was not clear. Should you agree to come with us to Ashdod and off load your cargo, your cargo would not be delivered to the people of Gaza by the State of Israel. We could do it through an intermediary under the U.N. or an NGO, we have several available willing to help. If you weren’t aware of this issue, it is possible, and we would like to bring this to your attention.

7th Flotilla Ship: The Irish government, I think, had been in talks with the Israeli government seeking safe passage for this ship into Gaza and I think that the best compromise that they could come to was to send this aid to Ashdod. We are further asking to let this ship go to Gaza, over.

Israeli Navy: I’m still hoping we can take this a step ahead and reach a solution.

7th Flotilla Ship: I do too, over.

Israeli Navy: It has been brought to my attention that should it result in the way I proposed, of you coming into Ashdod under escort and offloading the cargo in Ashdod Port, the cement that you said is the bulk of your cargo will be transferred to Gaza. That’s the assurance I have just been given by my superiors. To the best of my knowledge that would be precedent setting. It would something you could take back to your supporters, to your fellow passengers, to the people you say you want to support, and to the government you say you are rebuking for not doing more for Gaza.

Clarification/Correction Regarding Audio Transmission Between Israeli Navy and Flotilla on 31 May 2010, Posted on 5 June 2010

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Clarification/Correction Regarding Audio Transmission Between Flotilla and Israeli Navy

5 June 2010

Yesterday evening on 4 June 2010, the IDF released an audio recording of a radio transmission between the Israeli Navy vessel and the Flotilla ships wherein unidentified flotilla passengers tell the Israeli Navy vessel to “shut up,  go back to Auschwitz” and “we’re helping Arabs go against the US, don’t forget 9/11.” There have been questions regarding the authenticity of the recording as well as its attribution to a communication with the Mavi Marmara.

So to clarify: the audio was edited down to cut out periods of silence over the radio as well as incomprehensible comments so as to make it easier for people to listen to the exchange. We have now uploaded the entire segment of 5 minutes and 58 seconds in which the exchange took place and the comments were made.

This transmission had originally cited the Mavi Marmara ship as being the source of these remarks, however, due to an open channel, the specific ship or ships in the “Freedom Flotilla” responding to the Israeli Navy could not be identified. During radio transmissions between Israeli Navy and the ships of the “Free Gaza” Flotilla on 31 May 2010, the Israeli Navy ship attempts to make contact with the ‘Defne Y’ on channel 1-6. Other ships from the flotilla respond on the channel, without identifying themselves. At some point during the radio exchange the Israeli Navy is told by one of the ships to “shut up, go back to Auschwitz” (2:05) and “don’t forget 9-11″ (5:42).

Below are both the edited and unedited version of the exchange:

Edited:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxY7Q7CvQPQ]

Unedited:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dE2StbDL_Q]

We hope that this clarifies any questions that may have been raised regarding the radio exchange.

Ship Attempting to Break Maritime Closure Docks at Ashdod Port, 5 June 2010

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Ship Attempting to Break Maritime Closure Docks at Ashdod Port

5 June 2010

Moments ago the ship which was boarded earlier today by IDF naval forces docked at the Israeli port of Ashdod, after attempting to break the maritime closure of the Gaza Strip.

Nineteen people were onboard the boat, including eight crew members, all of whom will be transferred to the custody of the appropriate authorities in the Interior Ministry. The cargo found onboard will be transferred to the Gaza Strip following security inspection.

Earlier today, naval soldiers boarded the ship with the full compliance of the crew and without incident, and instructed the ship’s captain to sail to and dock at the Ashdod port.

Any organization or country wishing to transfer humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip can do so legally via the established crossings by coordinating with the relevant authorities, as is done on a near daily basis.

Video: Aerial Footage of IDF Soldiers Boarding the 7th Flotilla Boat Without Incident, 5 June 2010

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ba0iXUzxu0]

Aerial footage from 5 June 2010: When IDF naval commandos boarded the ship attempting to break the maritime closure of the Gaza Strip, they did so with the full compliance of the ship’s crew members. According to initial reports, there was no violence or injuries amongst the soldiers or the crew, as the use of force was unnecessary and no shots were fired.

The boat and its crew are being led to the Ashdod port and will be transferred to the custody of the appropriate authorities.

Videos: Radio Transmissions Between Israeli Navy and Seventh Flotilla Ship

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Israeli Navy Contacts 7th Flotilla Ship Attempting to Break Gaza Maritime Closure

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDkqYrwuDP0]

Israeli Navy ship operators question the Gaza flotilla ship about their next port of destination to which they reply “our next port is Gaza port, we will be there for 2 and half to 3 days over.” The motor vessel Linda is then requested to remain on the channel 1-6 for the navy can continue to communicate with the ship.
As of 12:00, 5 June 2010, the Linda (original name of the ship which was renamed the Rachel Corrie) had refused 4 requests by the Israeli Navy to dock at the Ashdod Port where they could unload their aid materials and after a security inspection all goods would be transferred to Gaza via the land crossings.

Audio of Radio Transmission Between Israeli Navy and Seventh Flotilla Ship

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_2Zd9e9dNE&feature=channel]

In an audio communication between the Israeli Navy and the seventh flotilla ship, the navy operator informs the flotilla that the ship is heading towards an area that is under a naval blockade. The Israeli navy requests that the ship dock at the Port of Ashdod, where they can unload their cargo and the IDF will deliver the goods through the land crossings after a security check. The seventh flotilla ship responds that they have received the message but do not respond to the request.

The ship was contacted 4 times and refused to respond to request. As of 12:45 5 June 2010 the crew of the ship permitted the IDF soldiers to board the ship. They boarded by land, no helicopters were used. There were no reports of violence.

Ship Attempting to Break Maritime Closure of Gaza Strip Boarded by Israel Naval Forces with Compliance of Crew, 5 June 2010

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For Immediate Release

June 5th, 2010

12:45

Ship Attempting to Break Maritime Closure of Gaza Strip Boarded by Israel Naval Forces with Compliance of Crew

IDF naval commandos boarded the ship attempting to break the maritime closure of the Gaza Strip a short while ago with the full compliance of the ship’s crew members.  According to initial reports, there was no violence or injuries amongst the soldiers or the crew, as the use of force was unnecessary and no shots were fired.

The boat and its crew are being led to the Ashdod port and will be transferred to the custody of the appropriate authorities.

During the morning hours a naval force identified the ship and, as it did in the past, issued numerous calls for it to dock in Ashdod and transfer the goods via the crossings upon inspection. The calls were ignored and it became clear that the boat intended to reach Gaza’s shores. The Israel Navy contacted the boat and clarified again that the Gaza Strip was under maritime closure and due to security risks in the area, it would not be permitted to enter.

A short while ago, with the compliance of the crew members, the naval force boarded the ship without incident under the command of the Commander of the Israel Navy, Vice Admiral Eliezer Marom, and is now directing it to the Ashdod port.

Any organization or country wishing to transfer humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip can do so legally via the established ground crossings by coordinating with the relevant authorities, as is done on a near daily basis.

The closure of the Gaza Strip prevents the smuggling of arms to the Hamas terror organization and ensures the security of vessels traveling in the area.

It should be noted that Hamas has refused to allow any of the aid carried by the other six flotilla ships into the Gaza Strip thus far. Five days have passed since trucks were loaded with cargo and were ready to enter Gaza.

The rules of warfare allow the capturing of naval vessels prior to their actual violation of a naval blockade. This is dependent on the vessels being on their way to a blockaded area, being outside the territorial waters of neutral states and when there is a substantial likelihood (based on credible evidence) that the vessels intend to violate the blockade.

Declarations by the flotilla’s organizers and their reactions to the messages that were transmitted to them during their approach clearly show that they had intended to break the naval blockade, thus allowing for the steps taken by IDF forces.

7th Flotilla Ship ignores calls from Israel Navy to Dock at Ashdod Port, 5 June 2010

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June 5th, 2010

08:50

Israel Navy Communicates Radio Message to 7th Flotilla Ship

The Israel Navy conveyed the following message to the 7th flotilla ship a few moments ago via radio transmission:

“This is the Israeli Navy. You are approaching an area of hostilities which is under a naval blockade.  The Gaza area, coastal region and Gaza Harbor are closed to all maritime traffic. The Israeli government supports delivery of humanitarian supplies to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip and invites you to enter the Ashdod port. Delivery of the supplies in accordance with the authorities’ regulations will be done via the formal land crossings and under your observation, after which you can return to your home ports aboard the vessels on which you arrived.”

The ship organizers chose to ignore the invitation to dock at the Ashdod port where the cargo could be unloaded and transferred to the Gaza Strip upon inspection.