FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 November 2, 2011

 

 Canadian and Irish ships wrong to challenge Israel's Legal Naval Blockade of Gaza

 

A Canadian and an Irish ship are currently en route to Gaza to challenge  Israel's legal naval embargo on weapons smuggling to Palestinian terrorist  organizations. Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs offers the following comment:

 

"This entire flotilla escapade is nothing but a deplorable propaganda exercise. It is bound to fail, because its purpose is not the distribution of aid; but rather to undermine Israel's legitimate and legal right and duty to protect its citizens. The world recognizes that this is political theatre,

designed to delegitimize the State of Israel. The Flotilla is supported by and benefits Hamas, which is designated by Canada, the United States and most European countries as a terrorist entity sworn to the destruction of Israel.

 

 As confirmed by the Palmer report, which was commissioned by the UN Secretary General, the naval blockade of Gaza is legal. It was imposed as a legitimate security measure in order to prevent weapons from entering Gaza by sea.

 

Israel, like every liberal democracy, has a duty and obligation to ensure the safety and security of its citizens, and protect them from attack. Just yesterday, Southern Israel was undergoing mortar attacks launched from within Gaza, and last month Egyptian authorities said they caught several smuggling rings transporting large arsenals of weapons from Libya to Gaza. These recent events offer further proof that the blockade is necessary to the protection of

Israeli families," said Fogel.