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Luigi de Magistris ed Estelle nella stampa israeliana




http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4289251,00.html
1Ship sails for Gaza from Naples to challenge Israeli blockade

Spokeswoman says Swedish vessel 'Estelle,' carrying 17 pro-Palestinian activists and humanitarian goods, was chosen to show that campaign is 'not violent'

Boaz Fyler, AFP

Published: 10.06.12, 23:26 /
Israel News

A Swedish ship with activists from several countries aboard sailed from Naples on Saturday in the latest bid to break
Israel's blockade against Gaza.

A crowd of well-wishers saw off the sailing vessel Estelle as it left the Italian port as part of the "Freedom Flotilla" movement. "We think it will take around two weeks to get to Gaza, but it will obviously also depend on the weather conditions," spokeswoman Ann Ighe said earlier.

The Estelle, whose voyage was organized by an international pro-Palestinian coalition, is carrying humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip.
The 17 activists from around the world on board include passengers and crew from
Canada, Israel, Norway, Sweden and the United States. srael says the blockade is necessary to prevent weapons from entering the coastal territory, which is run by the Islamist movement Hamas.

The first Freedom Flotilla in May 2010 ended in tragedy when nine Turkish nationals were killed after Israeli commandos boarded the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara, the lead ship, as it tried to break through the blockade.


"When people think of flotillas, they think of the Mavi Marmara. But the Estelle is very different, she was chosen to change the perception of the campaign, to show that it's a non-violent campaign," Ighe said.
At just 53 meters long, the Estelle is much smaller than the Marmara ferry, and has sails as well as an engine. "It is a vessel that has travelled for Greenpeace protests and on fair-trade missions. The Estelle is a peaceful ship," Ighe said.

Naples mayor Luigi de Magistris said Friday on visiting the Estelle: "This is not an initiative in favor of Hamas but in favor of Palestine, of the Palestinians who live in Gaza, and in favor of two states living as neighbors in peace and security." Dror Feiler, who also took part in the 2010 sail to Gaza aboard the Maramara, told Ynet that the 'Estelle' is carrying 600 soccer balls, 41 tons of cement, theater equipment and musical instruments. "We hope the Israeli government will understand that there is no point in preventing us from reaching Gaza," he said. "Our flotilla does not pose a security threat to Israel. The sail is not against the State of Israel, but against the Israeli government's policy. We believe it is completely legitimate and consider the blockade to be detrimental to both Israel and the Palestinians. It only creates bitterness and hatred." According to Feiler, all of the activists aboard the vessel signed a "non violence declaration," adding that they are receiving "non-violent resistance" training by a special trainer who is sailing with them. "We do not hit, or yell. If IDF soldiers board the ship and try to prevent it from reaching Gaza, we will try to protect our vessel with our bodies," he said.The Estelle set off originally from Sweden and arrived in the Gulf of Naples on Thursday after a tour of Europe, including Finland, France and Spain. A second attempt to break the blockade last summer with a coalition of ships setting sail from Athens failed after Greek authorities intercepted the boats, banning their departure and towing back into port those who tried to leave. In November last year, the Israeli navy also intercepted two Irish and Canadian ships carrying 27 passengers and crew that were trying to breach the blockade in international waters off Gaza.



Pro-Palestinian activists set sail from Italy, in bid to break Gaza blockade

Naples' mayor says voyage not against Israel but in support of Palestine, Palestinians, and the two-state solution.

A Swedish boat set sail from a Naples port, on Saturday, with 17 activists and crew members aboard, en route to the Gaza Strip in an attempt to break the blockade on Gaza.
Luigi de Magistris, Mayor of Naples, saw off the crew and passengers of the Estelle and said the voyage was not "an initiative in favor of Hamas but in favor of Palestine, of the Palestinians who live in Gaza, and in favor of two states living as neighbors in peace and security."
The mayor added that support of the boat and its voyage was not a protest against Israel, and that the supporters were friends both of Israel and the Palestinians.
The 170-foot boat, chartered by a coalition of pro-Palestinian groups, set sail from Naples after a few days in which it sailed from Sweden to Finland, Spain, and France, and from there to Italy. The activists on board are mostly from Canada, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. One of them is the former Canadian MP Jim Manly.
In addition to its passengers, the boat is also carrying humanitarian aid. It is scheduled to reach Gaza within two weeks if weather conditions remain fair and no technical problems arise.
In opposition to past flotillas bound for Gaza, this time Gaza residents are expressing much less enthusiasm for the voyage than they did in the past. Today, after the partial opening to the world via the Rafah Crossing to Egypt, Gaza residents have come to believe that the main problem they are facing isn't with imports but rather with exports.
"The main problem today is leaving Gaza," a Palestinian official in Gaza told Haaretz. "Employment and standard of living will not be made to rise by import but rather it is the renewing of export from Gaza to the West Bank, Egypt, or Israel that is required."
Last week, Adalah, the legal center for Arab minority rights in Israel, appealed to the Israeli High Court in the name of Palestinian residents of Gaza that sued the State of Israel for damages allegedly sustained by Israeli military action. According to them, Israel's refusal to allow them to enter Israel has cost thwarted their appearance in court, causing the throwing out of their case.





























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