Israeli Navy Concerned About New Convoy

The Israeli Navy is back on alert after receiving reports that a new convoy ship, Asia 1, is docked in a Syrian port, Latakia, while waiting for the Egyptian government’s approval to sail into the port city of El-Arish. The intelligence received by officials in Tel Aviv includes information that several activists are among the 160 people on board (some reports say 180) and they have declared their plans to break the Israel-Egypt imposed sea blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The Asia 1 set sail from India just as the Turkish flotilla, Mavi Marmara, returned back to Turkey. This new aid vessel traveled through Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey before arriving in Damascus on December 20. The convoy is said to have picked up over $1 million worth of materials, including medical donations from the Iranian Red Crescent, along with activists from India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon. Intelligence reports also claim that some Turkish activists who were aboard the Mavi Marmara, may be also be aboard the Asia 1.

On Sunday, Hamas Foreign Minister Ahmad Yousif told Gaza’s local Popular Committee Against the Siege to get ready for the arrival of this convoy to El-Arish on Tuesday. However, the date is still not confirmed as “it depends on Egypt’s directives.”

jnoubiyeh.com/2010/12/israel-on-alert-for-asia-one-aid-ship.html

www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=201066