Israel has said that effort of flotilla to enter Gaza is a violent attempt to provoke Israel and it will not permit any infringement of its sovereignty, on land, in the air and at sea. In a statement, received by AIR in Dubai, the office of Israeli Foreign minister has said that despite the launching of rockets at Israeli towns and settlements from Gaza, Israel is permitting the transfer to Gaza of thousands of tons of supplies and equipment daily. Meanwhile, the Pro-Palestinian activists have vowed to press ahead and break an Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip by sending in a convoy of relief aid ships, 'Freedom Flotilla' which is heading toward Gaza with humanitarian supplies. Our West Asia correspondent reports that Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza after the takeover of territory by Hamas in June 2007, citing security reasons. UN agencies and humanitarian organisations have been demanding the lifting of blockade but Israel has refused to lift complete ban saying insurgent groups try to smuggle weapons in to territory, which is used against Israel. In recent weeks, Israel has allowed some goods to enter the strip through land border crossings into the coastal territory. <br/>
News On AIR | May 30, 2010 1:10 PM
Israel terms effort of flotilla to enter Gaza as violent attempt