Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Israel Seizes Ship Loaded With Iranian Arms for Gaza

From The New York Times, March 15, 2011, by ISABEL KERSHNER:

JERUSALEM — Israeli naval commandos intercepted and commandeered on Tuesday a cargo vessel en route from Turkey to Egypt that was loaded with weaponry, Israeli officials said.

Military officials said that the ship, which was flying a Liberian flag, had sailed to Turkey from Syria. ... the assessment was that they were bound for Gaza, the Palestinian coastal enclave controlled by Hamas.

...The interception took place outside Israeli territorial waters 200 nautical miles west of the coast and was in accordance with international maritime law ...the weapons shipment originated in Iran ...

...The ship was being escorted to the Israeli port of Ashdod where the crew would be questioned and the cargo would undergo further inspection, officials said.

...Israel was careful to emphasize that it had ascertained that there was no Turkish or Egyptian involvement in the incident., to avoid any misunderstanding...

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