By Jamal Elshayyal, AlJazeera.net, 27 May 2010
As the much anticipated departure of the Freedom Flotilla nears, Israel has been busy issuing statements and press releases as how it intends to deal with the humanitarian aid convoy of ships bound for Gaza.
Israel’s military says it has completed the construction of a mass detention centre in Ashdod where it plans to hold the 800 or so activists, humanitarians and journalists on board the nine ships.
Tel Aviv has declared the waters off the shores of Gaza a military zone, deeming any unauthorised entry tress passing.
But the problem is, Gaza’s waters are just that – waters belonging to Gaza. Israel’s navy has no right under any law to enter those waters let alone declare the area a military zone. In fact ask any of Gaza’s one and a half million residents and you will find that anything related to Israel is not welcome.