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| Israeli Navy Intercepts Ship in Flotilla Sailing Toward Gaza Strip | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| TEL AVIV — Israeli Navy forces intercepted a ship that was sailing toward the Gaza Strip early Monday to protest a maritime blockade of the coastal enclave, military officials and activists said. | TEL AVIV — Israeli Navy forces intercepted a ship that was sailing toward the Gaza Strip early Monday to protest a maritime blockade of the coastal enclave, military officials and activists said. |
| The ship was intercepted in international waters and was being led to the southern Israeli port of Ashdod, a military statement said. | The ship was intercepted in international waters and was being led to the southern Israeli port of Ashdod, a military statement said. |
| Pro-Palestinian activists have repeatedly sought to reach Gaza by sea, an action that Israel regards as highly provocative, to protest restrictions on the movement of both people and material in and out of the enclave. | Pro-Palestinian activists have repeatedly sought to reach Gaza by sea, an action that Israel regards as highly provocative, to protest restrictions on the movement of both people and material in and out of the enclave. |
| The most drastic effort came in 2010, when nine passengers were killed by Israeli commandos who stormed the Mavi Marmara, which had set sail from Turkey. The flotilla was raided in international waters off the coast of Gaza, and Turkish-Israeli relations have never fully recovered. | The most drastic effort came in 2010, when nine passengers were killed by Israeli commandos who stormed the Mavi Marmara, which had set sail from Turkey. The flotilla was raided in international waters off the coast of Gaza, and Turkish-Israeli relations have never fully recovered. |
| The ship, the Marianne, was carrying 18 people, including former President Moncef Marzouki of Tunisia; Ana Miranda Paz, a Spanish member of the European Parliament; and activists and several journalists, said Torstein Dahle of the collective that organized the flotilla. | The ship, the Marianne, was carrying 18 people, including former President Moncef Marzouki of Tunisia; Ana Miranda Paz, a Spanish member of the European Parliament; and activists and several journalists, said Torstein Dahle of the collective that organized the flotilla. |
| Another three boats following the Marianne, collectively known as the Freedom Flotilla Three, turned back to their original ports after the lead boat was taken. They lost contact with the Marianne early on Monday, Mr. Dahle said. | Another three boats following the Marianne, collectively known as the Freedom Flotilla Three, turned back to their original ports after the lead boat was taken. They lost contact with the Marianne early on Monday, Mr. Dahle said. |
| The activists posted a photograph on Twitter, showing its smiling crew aboard a ship and announcing that it had been taken into custody, although it was unclear when the photograph was taken. | The activists posted a photograph on Twitter, showing its smiling crew aboard a ship and announcing that it had been taken into custody, although it was unclear when the photograph was taken. |
| “Israeli occupied forces intercepted Marianne,” said the Twitter message, posted early Monday. “The boat is currently en route to Ashdod port.” | “Israeli occupied forces intercepted Marianne,” said the Twitter message, posted early Monday. “The boat is currently en route to Ashdod port.” |
| A military statement sent to reporters said that naval officials had advised the ship’s crew to change course several times. After they refused, the statement said, naval forces climbed on board and “searched the vessel in international waters in order to prevent their intended breach of the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip.” | A military statement sent to reporters said that naval officials had advised the ship’s crew to change course several times. After they refused, the statement said, naval forces climbed on board and “searched the vessel in international waters in order to prevent their intended breach of the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip.” |
| A letter that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel issued early Monday, presumably to the crew of the Marianne, but which was also sent to the news media, read, “If you were truly concerned about human rights, you would not be sailing in support of a terrorist regime which summarily executes citizens in the Gaza Strip, and uses children as human shields.” | A letter that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel issued early Monday, presumably to the crew of the Marianne, but which was also sent to the news media, read, “If you were truly concerned about human rights, you would not be sailing in support of a terrorist regime which summarily executes citizens in the Gaza Strip, and uses children as human shields.” |
| In a preamble to the letter, Mr. Netanyahu insisted that “there is no siege on Gaza,” and he listed the aid that enters the territory through Israel. | In a preamble to the letter, Mr. Netanyahu insisted that “there is no siege on Gaza,” and he listed the aid that enters the territory through Israel. |
| Pro-Palestinian activists have sought to draw attention to the tight restrictions on Gaza, imposed by Israel and Egypt, after the Islamist group Hamas won democratic elections in 2006 and then drove out its rivals, Fatah, in 2007. | Pro-Palestinian activists have sought to draw attention to the tight restrictions on Gaza, imposed by Israel and Egypt, after the Islamist group Hamas won democratic elections in 2006 and then drove out its rivals, Fatah, in 2007. |
| “We call once again on the government of Israel to finally lift the blockade on Gaza and let the peaceful ship, the Marianne, reach its destination in order to deliver its cargo of dignity and hope,” the organizers of the flotilla said in a statement as the ship was intercepted. “Our destination remains the conscience of humanity.” | “We call once again on the government of Israel to finally lift the blockade on Gaza and let the peaceful ship, the Marianne, reach its destination in order to deliver its cargo of dignity and hope,” the organizers of the flotilla said in a statement as the ship was intercepted. “Our destination remains the conscience of humanity.” |
| Israel does not allow any maritime traffic in or out of Gaza, save for fishermen who are permitted to skirt the enclave’s shores, because militants have tried to smuggle in weapons and attack Israel by sea. | Israel does not allow any maritime traffic in or out of Gaza, save for fishermen who are permitted to skirt the enclave’s shores, because militants have tried to smuggle in weapons and attack Israel by sea. |
| Stretches of the territory still lie in rubble after the war between Hamas militants and Israel last summer. Israel and Egypt allow in only small amounts of reconstruction materials because Hamas has used building materials to construct tunnels to attack Israel. | Stretches of the territory still lie in rubble after the war between Hamas militants and Israel last summer. Israel and Egypt allow in only small amounts of reconstruction materials because Hamas has used building materials to construct tunnels to attack Israel. |
| International aid officials have called the restrictions excessive, saying they are punishing Gaza residents who bear no connection to Hamas. Most recently, Roberto Valent, the incoming chief of a United Nations agency involved in Gaza’s reconstruction, called on Israel to allow more materials through. | International aid officials have called the restrictions excessive, saying they are punishing Gaza residents who bear no connection to Hamas. Most recently, Roberto Valent, the incoming chief of a United Nations agency involved in Gaza’s reconstruction, called on Israel to allow more materials through. |
| Mr. Valent, of the United Nations Development Program, told The Associated Press last week that at the current pace, it would take 30 years for Gazans to rebuild after the damage from the last summer’s war. | Mr. Valent, of the United Nations Development Program, told The Associated Press last week that at the current pace, it would take 30 years for Gazans to rebuild after the damage from the last summer’s war. |
| Gaza’s 1.8 million people are subject to tight restrictions on their movement, whether through Egypt or Israel. Bans on most exports and the import of raw material have caused the collapse of Gaza’s industries, leading to soaring poverty and unemployment. | Gaza’s 1.8 million people are subject to tight restrictions on their movement, whether through Egypt or Israel. Bans on most exports and the import of raw material have caused the collapse of Gaza’s industries, leading to soaring poverty and unemployment. |
| The flotilla’s crew said it would not resist Israeli attempts to turn them away. Crew members said that one of their boats were sabotaged before they set off several days ago. | The flotilla’s crew said it would not resist Israeli attempts to turn them away. Crew members said that one of their boats were sabotaged before they set off several days ago. |
| The boats departed from different harbors, hoping to mask their route to Gaza, one of the crew members, Dror Feiler, said. | |
| In Gaza, dozens of residents, mostly fishermen, staged a sit-in at the seaport to protest Israel’s intercepting of the vessel. | In Gaza, dozens of residents, mostly fishermen, staged a sit-in at the seaport to protest Israel’s intercepting of the vessel. |
| “We hope that other activists come to Gaza to help us break the naval siege,” said Zakariya Baker, an official with Gaza’s fishermen’s union, “so that we can sail again without fear.” | “We hope that other activists come to Gaza to help us break the naval siege,” said Zakariya Baker, an official with Gaza’s fishermen’s union, “so that we can sail again without fear.” |