Gaza blockade-buster Yonatan Shapira: "The soldiers' actions were violent and disgusting." (Sept. 28, 2010)

http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=189502
Israeli 'Irene' passenger: The IDF were violent on board
By JPOST.COM STAFF
09/28/2010 11:54

Commando 13 warship peacefully diverts yacht from Gaza after illegally
enters waters; IDF spokesperson calls boat "provocation."

 An Israeli passenger who was on board the Irene, a boat carrying
Jewish peace activists and humanitarian aid to the illegally blockaded
Palestinian territory of Gaza that was intercepted by the IDF on
Tuesday, says there was violence on board despite the IDF Spokesperson
asserting otherwise.

"There are no words to describe what we went through on that boat, "
said Yonatan Shapira, a passenger and former Israeli Air Force pilot.
"The IDF are trying to put a media spin on events, saying it was a non-
violent takeover, but the soldiers' actions were violent and
disgusting. I was tasered. Our message is that the occupation of Gaza
cannot continue. "

The yacht carrying the Jewish peace activists that intended to break
the Gaza blockade docked at Ashdod Port on Tuesday afternoon. The
Israeli Navy took over the Irene, on Tuesday morning. The IDF
spokesperson reported that no violence was used in taking over the
boat, and that the peace activists were peaceful.

The IDF says that it intends to deliver the humanitarian aid on the
yacht to the Gaza Strip.

Before taking over the ship, the navy issued two warnings to the
yacht, saying that they were breaking Israeli and international laws.
When the captain ignored the warnings, the ship entered blockaded
waters.

"It is an unfortunate fact that the Israeli Navy has to be distracted
from preventing terror and weapons-smuggling to Israel's enemies to
deal with this kind of provocation," the IDF spokesperson said in a
statement.

Earlier Tuesday, an Israeli peace activist told Israel Radio that the
two Israeli Navy ships had escorted the boat carrying Jewish peace
activists to Gaza on Tuesday morning, and that more ships were on the
horizon.

"The army established contact with the captain, and asked him where we
are headed," Rami Elhanan, who was aboard the Irene, said. "The navy
asked to bypass the ship from 5 miles to the right, and we complied."

"We said we are headed to Gaza and sailing under the British flag,"
Elhanan added.

The Irene, which was carrying nine Jewish peace activists from Israel
and other countries, set sail from Cyprus on Sunday. The peace
activists said they were trying to draw attention to Israel's illegal
blockade of Gaza and would not resist if they were stopped.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Andy David called the peace
activists' claim to be bringing aid to Gaza "ridiculous" and labeled
the voyage "a politically motivated provocation."

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