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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israeli navy keeping tabs on Iranian aid ship |
| 2009-01-14 |
| The Navy is closely tracking an Iranian ship that has attempted several times to breach the naval blockade imposed on Gaza and transport humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. On Tuesday, the boat docked in Port Said, Egypt, but the Egyptians refused to allow it to unload its cargo and at midnight Wednesday the boat tried sailing into Gaza. A Navy Sa'ar 4.5-class missile ship intercepted the Iranian boat and transmitted a clear message on Channel 16 - the international communication line for ships - that it would not allow the boat to dock in Gaza. On Wednesday morning, when it was 30 miles off the Gaza coast, the Iranian boat again tried to move toward the Strip, and the Navy again intercepted it. It then returned to el-Arish, Egypt, and two Egyptian boats prevented it from docking there. Since that time, the boat has been sitting 30 miles off the coast of Gaza and is being closely tracked by the Israeli navy. Israel and the Egyptians have been coordinating all activity regarding the Iranian boat. The head of the humanitarian aid group sponsoring the ship, Ahmad Navabi, said in comments aired on Iranian television Wednesday that the Israeli navy approached the cargo ship, Shahed, about 20 miles off the coast of Gaza at dawn Wednesday, and ordered it to turn back."An Israeli warship approached our cargo ship and warned us not to approach Gaza. We could see the lights at Gaza coast. We were forced to change route toward an Egyptian port," Navabi said. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #4 Think the ship's name might be a hint? |
| Posted by: mojo 2009-01-14 17:45 |
| #3 Better to avoid a direct, overt confrontation with Iran right now. Last thing the Israelis need is something that much of the world would recognize as a casus belli. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-01-14 17:31 |
| #2 You have submarines, Israel. Subs have torpedoes. Just sayin' is all. |
| Posted by: Mike 2009-01-14 16:48 |
| #1 It would be easier to keep tabs on it if it were to develop a severe leak. |
| Posted by: gorb 2009-01-14 16:25 |