This just in from Haaretz journalist Amira Hass: organizers for the Swedish-Greek–Norwegian boat to Gaza are reporting that their ship has been sabotaged.
One of the ships due to participate in the Gaza flotilla was deliberately tampered with while it was docked in Greece’s Piraeus port, organizers of the Gaza flotilla told Haaretz on Monday.
The ship, due to carry Greek, Norwegian, and Swedish passengers to Gaza, was found to have been tampered with when its propeller shaft was found broken, the ship’s spokesman, Israeli activist Dror Feiler told Haaretz.
A scuba diver who examines the ship on a daily basis discovered Monday that the ship’s propeller shaft, which connects the transmission inside the vessel directly to the propeller, was cut off.
According to Feiler, there is no doubt that the action was a deliberate attempt at sabotage, which he believed also violated Greece’s sovereignty.
The propeller shaft can be fixed, but it’s not clear how quickly given the general strike planned for Tuesday and Wednesday in Greece. Which means: more intrigue — and more delay.
Here’s a quick Google translation of the statement issued by representatives of the damaged ship:
At 17:30 o’clock (Swedish time) on Monday discovered the Ship to Gaza’s passenger boat “Juliano” victim of sabotage in the port of Piraeus. Hostile divers have destroyed prop house and cut the propeller shaft. No man was injured in the attack.
In Gaza has documented the sabotage of their own camera equipped divers. According to a first inspection on site yesterday to repair the damage before the planned departure at the end of this week.
Passenger boat “Juliano” (named after Juliano More Khamis, the murdered actor and director at Freedom Theatre in Jenin) is owned jointly by the Ship to Gaza organizations in Sweden, Norway and Greece.
In a first comment says Ship to Gaza spokesperson Mattias Gardell:
– It’s one thing to a foreign power presses the Greek government to delay our voyage with red tape. It is quite another thing to enemy agents operating on Greek territory. It is high time for the international community to put their foot down and say: Enough!
