The captain of the Libyan ship Almathea said the vessel is not going anywhere for the time being because it is undergoing repairs for a supposed broken engine but that its destination still is Hamas-controlled Gaza.
Libyan President Muaamar Qaddafi
He and a statement by the owner of the ship, said to be loaded with humanitarian aid, that it would sail for El Arish, Egypt instead of trying to challenge the Israeli Navy’s embargo over the coastal waters where it has sovereignty.
Israel originally had given the boat a to shift course before the report that the boat was in need of repairs. The Cuban-born captain told Navy radio operators he would change course.
Navy ships are continuing to track the ship, wanting to prevent another clash similar to the May 31 battle with Turkish terror activists, nine of whom were killed after brutally attacking virtually defenseless Navy commandos who had expected to be confronted by pacifists.
The Libyan ship is carrying 21 passengers from Libya, Syria, Nigeria, Cuba, Algeria and Cuba. The ship is sponsored by a charity organization, named after Libyan President Muaamar Qaddafi. The organizers of the project said there are no weapons on board, and it may be trying to stage a public relations coup by forcing the Navy to stop it and then prove it had peaceful intentions.
The Mavi Marmara ship’s crew that clashed with the Navy on May 31 later was found to be without any humanitarian aid.
Israel may be waiting for the Libya ship to enter its territorial waters rather than risk legal questions by confronting the Libyan ship in the high seas, despite the clear legality of inspecting ocean-going vessels that are suspected of carrying illegal goods.
On Tuesday, a Greek businessman who owns the Almathea stated that if the Navy challenges the ship, “We will choose to sail to the port of El-Arish and transfer the assistance by ground to Gaza.”
U.S. State Department spokesman Phillip Crowley told reporters Tuesday that the United States urges “all those wishing to deliver goods [to Gaza] to do so through established channels so their cargo can be inspected by the government of Israel and transferred by land crossings into Gaza.” He called on parties involved to “act responsibly.”
"We have urged the Libyan government to avoid any unnecessary confrontation," he added.
(IsraelNationalNews.com)
