BRUSSELS, - The European campaign to end the siege on Gaza, a chief organizer of the second Freedom Flotilla, has called for world intervention after Israeli officials threatened publically that the military would attack the convoy if it proceeded to break the Israeli blockade enforced against the Gaza Strip.
This comes as new secret documents reveal that the attack on the first flotilla was mapped out.
The Israeli navy attacked the first Gaza-bound flotilla operating under the same name late last May, killing nine activists and causing injury to scores more.
”What was published in Israeli newspapers on Monday that the military is prepared to attack Freedom Flotilla 2 and seize control of all of its ships using missile-carrying war ships is a prior and public confession that Israel plans to use aggression that could bear serious consequences,” said European campaign member Mazen Kaheel in a fresh press release.
”The threats require that the international community, the Security Council in particular, moves to prevent an attack on hundreds of global supporters,” he said, emphasizing that Israel has already demonstrated its capabilities through the casualties aboard the first Gaza convoy.
He said that the threats demonstrate Israel's arrogance, but they will not deter participants from taking part in the mission. The freedom flotilla coalition, which includes the European campaign, has since the threats were made received an increase of requests for participation.
Kaheel noted that the Israeli government is ”confused” concerning the convoy, claiming at times that it is led by ”anti-Israel leftists”, and others that it is led by ”extreme Islamists”. ”It knows well that the participants are human rights activists, politicians, media and European politicians,” he said.
”The task of the freedom flotilla is a peaceful, humanitarian task aimed at breaking world silence and ending the unjust siege imposed on a 1.8 million Palestinians,” he said. ”Any attempt to intercept the fleet, whether politically or militarily, is considered a violation of international law and should be treated by world governments on this basis.”
The fleet is expected to include more than 15 ships carrying humanitarian aid and hundreds of journalists, politicians and human rights activists.
In a separate development, Israeli journalists have leaked ”confidential” documents containing information that the attack on the first flotilla was planned and that the seizure of the ships was part of an official scenario used to carry out the operation.
According to the documents publicized Monday, Gen. Yoav Galant, commander of the Israeli southern command, warned a year back that the ships would be seized and that the operation could have some ”serious complications”.
Galant warned that soldiers lives would be endangered during a planned air drop operation, leaving them no option but to open fire and kill activists.
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