GAZA:JUST BEFORE 10am yesterday two frail wooden boats backed away from the quay at Larnaca port, rounded the breakwater and put to sea with the aim of breaking the mighty Israeli navy's siege and blockade of Gaza.
Before boarding, Greek MP Tassos Kourakis observed, "This is an effort to break the wall of silence surrounding Gaza; the EU and the international community pretend they don't know what's happening in Gaza - children are starving there."
From the rigging of the Free Gaza, a Greek island ferry, and The Liberty, a fishing boat, fluttered the flags of the 14 home countries of the 46 activists on board, including the banner of Ireland. The boats were cleared to sail by the port authorities after being examined by a police diver to make certain no limpet mines had been planted on their hulls following bomb threats.
As they began their 30-hour voyage, Derek Graham from Ballina in Co Mayo instructed volunteers on shipboard deportment and scolded those not buckled into their life vests. In his view, once the boats left Cyprus, the activists were in a win-win situation. Israel risks condemnation if it attacks them. For them to halt the voyage could generate bad publicity, holding the boats could bring accusations of illegal seizure, and detaining the activists could prompt charges of kidnap.
US-born Irish national Ken O'Keefe, whose grandmother was raised in Kerry, insists the mission is "non- violent" and should not be met with force.
Israel has emitted contradictory messages. In an open letter to the Free Gaza movement, the government conceded the movement's good intentions but said Israel is ready to deliver the humanitarian aid they are carrying to Gaza.
Just ahead of departure, the Israeli navy expanded its exclusion zone off the coast of Gaza from 12 to 36 miles, warned that Israel is conducting naval exercises in this area, and banned all traffic. Para- doxically, Israel will allow into the zone boats carrying Israeli journalists seeking to cover the story.
Israeli Jeff Halper joked, "The Israeli foreign ministry called us pirates. Now we call ourselves peace pirates."
Writer Adam Qvist of Denmark said there is only a five per cent chance the boats will reach Gaza. "Five per cent is enough for me." And for the rest of the volunteers, if allowed to complete the voyage, the boats should reach Gaza this afternoon. There they will be greeted by the fishing fleet and tens of thousands of Gazans.