The New York Times reports:
When an international flotilla sails for Gaza this month to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, among the boats will be an American ship with 34 passengers, including the writer Alice Walker and an 86-year-old whose parents died in the Holocaust.
A year ago, nine people in a flotilla of six boats were killed when Israeli commandos boarded a Turkish boat in international waters off the coast of Gaza. The Israelis said their commandos were attacked and struck back in self-defense, but the Turks blamed the Israelis for using live ammunition. The raid soured relations between Israel and Turkey and intensified pressure on Israel to end the naval blockade.
Organizers said the new flotilla, scheduled to leave in late June from a port they would not identify, had at least 1,000 passengers on about 10 boats. One boat will carry Spaniards, another Canadians, another Swiss and another Irish.
Upping the ante here I see! Well, It will be interesting now, wont it! Where will the U.S. Government land on this one? Come on Hillery, I’m sure you’ll weigh in on this! At least 10 boats, perhaps the next flotilla will contain 100 such boats. I wonder, will the Israelis then sink them all? One would think that they – the Israelis – would take the hint, realize that their position is deteriorating, but then I guess like all despotic regimes, they will go out with a bang.