Defiant pro-Palestinian activists vowed Thursday to overcome alleged sabotage and a bureaucratic nightmare to bring aid to Gaza, in breach of Israel's sea blockade. "Let me assure you all: we will sail, whether we have official clearance to do so or not," co-ordinator Claude Leostic said in Athens, where a multi-national flotilla has been stuck for days.
Demonstrations on behalf of the flotilla are planned for Friday in the capital, the scene of fierce riots this week by Greeks protesting against a fresh austerity package. Irish boat "Saoirse" suffered damage in a "sabotage" attack and pulled out of the mission, while a Spanish vessel joined the long list of boats told by Greek port authorities they had problems with their paperwork. Anger mounted among the hundreds of volunteers gathered from 22 countries after the Irish Ship to Gaza (ISG) campaign said Israel was "the chief suspect" in the incident, which followed an similar incident involving a Greek boat.
"Mossad's behind this for sure," said one passenger who asked not to be named. "You don't think these attacks were done by amateurs do you? We have to be very careful about what we say and do, we're under surveillance." Activists on the US boat "Audacity of Hope" refused to comment when asked if they would defy Greece and set sail without authorisation as early as Friday.
Accused by Israel of harbouring violent activists and dangerous chemicals, the journalists were given a tour of the ship Thursday in order to show "we are sulphur-free and ready to sail." Organisers said an Israeli law firm had filed a claim accusing the US boat of being unseaworthy, a claim they vehemently deny.
"We strongly suspect that Israel is placing great economic pressures on Greece behind the scenes," said Ann Wright, a retired US colonel and former diplomat, who cited the countries' strong trading links. The flotilla's calls for Greece to let them travel against Israel's wishes were overshadowed Thursday by news that President Karolos Papoulias will travel to the Jewish state in July to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties. Representatives from other boats have indicated they will wait for repairs to be carried out on the "Juliano" boat, which was damaged at the weekend in another alleged sabotage attack.
Technicians in the port of Piraeus near Athens were racing to fix its propeller after delays worsened by Greece's general strike. "It's time to set ourselves a deadline. We will wait until the Greek boat is fixed and then we will leave, all together, no matter what," Leostic said, adding: "It should be fixed by Saturday evening at the latest."