A groups of pro-Palestinian activists planning to break Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip will set sail next week, one of their spokeswoman said on Friday, after repeated delays that activists blame on Israeli sabotage. "Israel is doing its very, very best to make sure we don't get out of port," Greta Berlin told the ‘Reuters’ news agency from Greece. "We want to move the boats by 5 July to get to our rendezvous point no later than 6 or 7 July ... We will go with what we have," she added.
The small flotilla, including boats from the United States, France and Canada, was due to leave a week ago, but the departure has been constantly put back amidst allegations of Israeli sabotage. Irish activists accused the government in Jerusalem of damaging their boat’s propeller shaft, stopping it from sailing to Gaza.
Berlin said the Greek authorities had not yet allowed the American boat ‘Audacity of Hope’ to leave the port of Piraeus, near Athens. "The Greeks are cooperating with Israel as much as they can," she said, adding that nine boats were now hoping to take part in the mission, compared with original plans for up to 15 ships.
Israel has denounced the flotilla as a provocation, but denied allegations it sabotaged both the Irish boat and a Swedish vessel, which also reported propeller damage after berthing in a Greek port earlier in the week. It urged foreign governments not to let the second convoy get under way. In a speech on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked allies, including Greece, for taking steps to block the activists. "I want to thank many leaders in the world for speaking and acting recently against the provocative flotilla. Israel has the full right to act against the efforts to facilitate rockets-smuggling to Hamas's terror enclave."
