By IRNA,
London : Despite Israeli threats, the Irish-registered Rachel Corrie remains determined to break the three-year siege of Gaza and directly deliver its cargo of desperately-needed aid on Saturday morning.
The 1200-ton cargo ship, named after the 23-year-old American activist crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza in 2003, escaped being impounded during the massacre of nine passengers by Israeli commandoes when attacking the Gaza Freedom Flotilla on Monday.
At least six British and Irish nationals are among those on board the Rachel Corrie, including Nobel Peace Laureate and co-founder of Northern Ireland’s Peace people, Mairead Maguire, member of the Irish Free Gaza Movement Jenny Graham and Scottish Captain of the vessel Eric Harcis.
Graham said that despite communication being difficult and sometimes impossible and there are many rumors out there started by Israeli authorities, but there is “no way” the boat would dock in Israel.
“With regard to the suggestion that we have been negotiating with Israel about docking in Ashdod, again this is untrue. The Israelis have not been in contact with us. We remain as committed as ever to getting our 1,000 tonnes of aid and supplies to the people of Gaza,” she said.
Other Irish nationals on board include former UN assistant secretary general Denis Halliday as well as a group of Malaysian parliamentarians, journalists and lawyers.
The latest international effort came as Northern Ireland’s devolved Assembly was debate an emergency motion Friday calling on Israel to end the blockade and allow safe passage for the Irish ship, even though it has no remit for foreign policy.
The initiative was welcomed by Amnesty International human rights organisation, which said it was “right and proper” for the assembly to hold the debate.
“This week, legislatures around the world have been defending the rule of international law and so should ours. This is not a matter of what is or is not a devolved responsibility, it is a matter of standing up and being counted on the side of the rule of law,” said Amnesty’s Northern Ireland programme director Patrick Corrigan.
“The Northern Ireland Assembly can play its part in asking the UK and Irish governments to press the Israeli authorities to cooperate fully with such an inquiry and to urgently end the blockade,” Corrigan said in a statement obtained by IRNA.
“The blockade is a form of collective punishment and so a breach of international law. It does not target armed groups; it punishes Gaza’s entire population by restricting the entry of food, medical supplies, educational equipment and building materials,” he said.