Iranian ship loaded with relief supplies to sail to Gaza port tonight

[DogPoundPup]

TEHRAN, Jan 10 (KUNA) -- An Iranian ship loaded with humanitarian supplies for the Palestinians in Gaza Strip was scheduled to reach Gaza port on Sunday, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said Saturday.
Abdul Raouf Adeeb, director of international affairs at the society, said in a statement the ship carried 2,000 tons of assistance to the Gazans and would be leaving the Suez Canal for Gaza port tonight.
The vessel, which belongs to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, should dock at Gaza port in coordination with international organizations like the UN, the ICRC, the International Federation of Rec Cross and Crescent (IFRC) and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, said Adeeb.
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1966933&Language=en

[Duckhunter935]

1. They should just search it and let it in

[uppityperson]

2. yup.

[Pab Sungenis]

3. Yes. If there are no weapons

(and it being sent by the Red Crescent suggests there won't be) then it should be allowed in.

[azurnoir]

4. Seeing as how this has been the works for month

search it and let it in.

[IndianaGreen]

5. What if IAF bombs and sinks the Iranian ship?

The US Congress already gave Israel the green light to do whatever it wants in the Middle East. There are consequences to what we do, and fail to do, in regards to the Palestinians as 9-11 demonstrated.

The IAF bombed UN relief convoy, as well as Palestinian news agencies, so I wouldn't put it past them to attack an Iranian ship. Particularly an Iranian ship!

[ohio2007]

7. What if they don't ?

Seems they would have chased them off by now with surface actions if they really are that close and are considered a threat.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a85_1226326537


Iranian top mullah already denied his citizens the right to become suicide bombers in defense of Hamas.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3Y3DBA09cm20SrlOg47GI4Ixp4gD95H5LI00

So they are not record , 'no escalation' ?

[Joe the Revelator]

24. What if Santa Claus got in a fight with the Easter Bunny?

Who would win?

[ohio2007]

6. They should not object to the harbor pilot comming aboard

maybe bring a few sniffing dogs ?

[Kurska]

8. Peacefully board the boat, search it and then send it back regardless

Israel should not be in the business of searching every single boat that wants to land in a gaza port, there is a war going on and the port should be closed.

[TomClash]

9. That is a violation of International Law

The Fourth Geneva Convention declares that humanitarian relief supplies must be allowed to reach civilians in an international armed conflict. As Israel appears to be providing very limited supplies, indispensable supplies appear to be lacking. If the vessel's cargo has such supplies it must be allowed to berth and the supplies must be allowed to discharge at the terminal.

[IndianaGreen]

10. Israel has as much disregard for the rule of law as Bush did

The 18-month starvation of Gazans is proof of that!

[backwoodsbob]

31. how many

have starved to death in the last 18 months?

and links to the data please

[ohio2007]

14. The UN has over 8,200 employes in Gaza. They can handle relief supplies

and get clearance if the ship needs to be diverted to the Egyptian side of the border for unloading.
I'm sure the Iranians have nothing to hide otherwise, they would have landed by now or better yet,
land in broad daylight,
so nothing can be claimed as hiden.

[TomClash]

15. There are no longer 8,200 UN employees in Gaza

If the UN has so many relief supples why are others being asked to contribute? If the Iranians have weapons they should be seized. If the cargo is relief cargo it should be discharged and warehoused. This is pretty simple.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

19. Have you ever been part of shipboard cargo ops?

Is so, have you even done it at 3rd world port? Its not easy to inspect everyone and everything in a hold aboard ship. Something about being some things stacked on top etc. If the Iranian Red Crescent was serious about this, they would have air freighted it in as Qatar has and others. This is not a simple matter, espcially given Iran's constant supply of arms to the region.

[TomClash]

46. Actually yes and yes

Do you want to play name the ports too?

Israel knows how to examine a container ship with the boxes in the hold - it's a matter of technology and expense.

One more thing I forgot to mention - READ THE ARTICLE - most of the cargo is wheat, rice, oils, medicine and cereals - most of which is carried breakbulk, not containerized.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

48. They you know how easy it is to conceal things in the bulk holds

underneath things. Seen it done myself.

As I write this, no indication if any action was taken or where the ship is...

[azurnoir]

18. AS you should well know

most of those employees are UNRWA and most Palestinian which to some makes them suspect

[ProgressiveProfessor]

20. Per Ging, non vetted Palestinians

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. No its not

Israel has provided a clear and much faster path. Airlift followed by trucking it in. As such they are in full compliance. There is not requirement to support multiple means and allow any path chosen by the supplier.

Be interesting to see what the Israeli navy does

[azurnoir]

21. perhaps you were not aware

the boat was been loaded and enroute prior to the conflicts beginning and was first announced December 9 or 10. I am surprised you did not know this

[ProgressiveProfessor]

23. So was Qatar's which turned their around and sent it in by air

It was denied docking in Israel and Gaza, BTW

[azurnoir]

25. And Iran would be allowed access

a Iranian air craft of any kind would be blown out of the sky the second it came into range

[ProgressiveProfessor]

27. Land in another country and use neutral air freighter

Its not clear what Qatar did. I do not believe that they went back to Qatar first. I believe that is what they did.

[azurnoir]

28. you can only convolve so far

the ship was planned and set sail prior to the current conflict and is manned by ICRC people if want to believe some conspiracy fine it seems like an aid ship to me.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

29. I would be more sanguine about it if it were not from Iran

It will be stopped, searched at minimum.

Lets hope all it has it aid and that both sides play by the rules.

[sabbat hunter]

30. as long as it is verified

that it contains only humanitarian relief supplies.

[TomClash]

47. I would say as long as it is not carrying arms or munitions

But your statement is generally correct.

[peacetalksforall]

12. This is not a war, this is an invasion. The same as Iraq.

Missiles are to Israel as wmds were to the U.S. A GRAND EXCUSE.

THIS IS NOT A WAR - this is unprovoked attack. No warning. No declaration.

This is a scheme to take the land - a theft - that involves a massacre.

Water, oil, gas, coast line, corridor.

[stillcool]

11. will these ships pass in the night?...

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L9736369.htm
U.S. seeks ship to move arms to Israel Updated at 9:30 AM

Source: Reuters

The U.S. is seeking to hire a merchant ship to deliver hundreds of tonnes of arms to Israel from Greece later this month, tender documents seen by Reuters show.

The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) said the ship was to carry 325 standard 20-foot containers of what is listed as "ammunition" on two separate journeys from the Greek port of Astakos to the Israeli port of Ashdod in mid-to-late January.

A "hazardous material" designation on the manifest mentions explosive substances and detonators, but no other details were given.

"Shipping 3,000-odd tonnes of ammunition in one go is a lot," one broker said, on condition of anonymity.

[ohio2007]

13. Dawn is breaking on the Gaza coast right now.

http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ai=386&ar=NanaTV01&dr=02:30:00%20-%202k%20-

I don't think Iran ran anything past the blockade

[Arrowhead2k1]

16. Or it could be at the bottom of the sea right now...

[ProgressiveProfessor]

22. Doubtful. A radio transmission or even a emergency beacon would have been heard

[GoesTo11]

26. So does this mean Iran is the truest friend of Gaza?

Or do they have ulterior motives?

[DogPoundPup]

32. 'Iran aid ship nears Gaza'

An Iranian aid ship, destined for Palestinians, has reportedly entered Egyptian waters and scheduled to dock at the port of Gaza on Saturday.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=81228§ionid=351020202

[NightWatcher]

33. come on, we've only got 12 days to get rid of bush without starting another war. Really, Iran???

[Fozzledick]

34. First the rocket attacks from Lebanon and now this

The pawns are in motion... :yoiks:

[Donnachaidh]

35. uhh -- it's an AID ship?

You know, food - medical supplies. AID.

Or would you rather those folks starve for another 12 days?

[Fozzledick]

36. It's a deliberate provocation

The purpose is to force a confrontation at sea.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

43. Asserts facts not in evidence

Its been declared an aid ship by a nation that was supplying arms to a terroist group that organized a coup Gaza (Hamas).

The right answer if they were serious about getting aid was to fly it in and then truck it to Gaza, everyone else is doing that.

[Joanne98]

37. Thanks Dog. I've been looking for news about that ship!

[GoesTo11]

38. Where would Gaza be without Iran's aid?

Probably the thriving port city of the Palestinian state living in peace alongside Israel.

[Marrah_G]

39. This is going to be bad.

Israel fires on the Iranian ship and it will roll downhill quickly.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

44. Hopefully this Captain will follow the LOS better than the yacht captain did

It will at minimum have to heavy to for boarding and inspection. If it doesn't or shoot anything other than flares, the process is clear.

[ConsAreLiars]

45. You don't make your position more persuasive when you have to invent your own facts.

Here's a link describing what happened: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/30/gaza.aid.boat/index.html You might also review the Laws of the Sea conventions.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

49. I reviewed both...the yacht failed to heave to when requried

Vessels require specific markings while in international waters. Without them they can be stopped by any nations military for authentication on the high seas.

There are other clear violations of the LOS by the yacht captain. If the incident ever goes to the Admiralty Court in London, he will lose his license. The yacht was moved to Beirut at last report. Under the circumstances the insurer will not cover the damage. Somebody is going to be more than a little annoyed about the damage to their yacht.

Doesn't it bother you that:
- With a boat full of reporters no one took any pictures, sketches, hull numbers, or anything else during the 30 minute confrontation.
- No coordinates have ever been released
- That there were conflicting statements of one bump and three bumps?
- Claims of no comms with the Israelis, but then claims that the navy boats said they thought they were terrorists. (Clue: There were comms or there were not)
- Failure to heave to when required
- No indication of required markings.

The Iranian ship will have to enter the MEZ. Different rules apply there as well.

[ohio2007]

40. guess it made it through pirate infested waters

The Iranian ship carried medicine and foodstuffs including rice, flour, sugar as well as a group of medics and nurses.


but the top dog in Tehran went on record and denied certain citizens from going on the offensive;


Iran bans volunteers from fighting Israel
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090108/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_israel_gaza

Something tells me
those fools can be more useful at home if things get dicey

[ohio2007]

41. Iran asks Brazil to help obtain cease-fire in Gaza

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231424906219&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Well,
it's saturday night off the coast of Gaza. no updates of direct off loads in the news

[azurnoir]

42. That ship set sail prior to the current conflict

in Gaza so it was not a planned provocation however I believe that Israel may well fire on it as Israel has war ships in the waters off Gaza and is currently shelling Gaza from those locations

Iran to send relief ship to Gaza

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=227059

the article was posted December 10 2008