Rights and Accountability 28 December 2011
Israeli navy attacks international observers, injures Palestinian, on monitoring boat in Gaza waters.
Civil Peace Service GazaAn Israeli gunboat attacked the Oliva today off the shores of Gaza, according to two crew members, injuring the Palestinian captain. The Oliva, a boat operated by the Civil Peace Service Gaza (CPSGAZA) accompanies Gaza fishermen to sea to monitor frequent Israeli attacks and harassment of Palestinian fishing boats. Rana Baker rode aboard the Oliva on its first mission last summer and reported about the purpose of CPSGAZA.
According to a CPSGAZA press release received by email this morning:
At 10:55 am, an Israeli naval warship attacked the international observers and Palestinian captain of the Civil Peace Service Gaza (CPSGAZA) boat Oliva, injuring its captain in an apparent attempt to capsize it.
The two international observers, both Italian citizens, are available for media questions or interviews.
“The Israeli navy passed near us and the fishermen, and started to go around us, creating waves,” said Rosa Schiano, one of the international observers. “The fishermen escaped, but we couldn’t because of a problem with our engine. We couldn’t move, and they went around us very quickly. The Israelis saw that we couldn’t move, and that the captain was trying to fix the engine, but they didn’t stop. We told them, ‘Please stop! Please stop!’ But they didn’t.”
When the warship was two meters away from the Oliva, one of the waves it had created nearly capsized the small boat, filling it with water and causing the Palestinian captain to fall out, injuring his left leg.
“Their intentions were to do something very bad,” said international observer Daniela Riva. “Coming so close to us was very dangerous, and they obviously knew that.”
After more than twenty minutes, the warship retreated, and the Oliva was rescued by a small Palestinian fishing boat, or hasaka, which threw it a line and towed it toward the shore.
Comments
IDF
Permalink Simon J A Wolfers replied on
RE;
Israel navy attempts to capsize international monitoring boat off Gaza, injures captain
Those brave Israeli warriors!
Do not like being observed.
Criminals always prefer to operate in the dark.
Cowardice.
Permalink Brian Curdy replied on
Yes, Simon, you are right. I am a former U. S. Marine and a former military parachutist. I was part of the 2nd Freedom Flotilla (FF2) last summer. These people are visibly cowards. That is beyond any reasonable doubt.
They are dangerous, violent, and lawless cowards who vent their frustrations on the weak and the unarmed. Personally I feel that piracy would better describe their illegal and inhumane "blockade" of Gaza..The actions of the so-called "IDF" or "Tsalhal" inspire contempt. Israel really appears to be at war with itself. Perhaps the real "self haters" are the Israeli institutional leaders themselves.