Israeli flag on fire in Beirut
Photo: AP
Report: Lebanon flotilla yet to receive permission to sail
Sources in Lebanon tell al-Hayat newspaper organizers of Gaza aid sail have not filed request with authorities to depart to Strip
Israel is preparing for the arrival of Lebanese ships set to sail to the Gaza Strip, but sources in Lebanon said on Sunday that a date for their departure has yet to be set, London-based al-Hayat newspaper reported.
According to the report, no request to sail from Lebanon to Gaza has been filed with the country's authorities, despite this being required by law.
Official sources in Beirut said the request should be filed with the Lebanese Transportation Ministry, which is responsible for inspecting the ships, including the number of passengers and the goods it is carrying to ensure there are no weapons on board.
The sources added that Lebanese law bans any vessels from docking in Israeli harbors, but added that the flotilla's organizers "may request to sail to a port that they are allowed to dock in and do something else at the heart of sea."
Of the possibility of the takeover of the ships, a Beirut source said, "Lebanon will not sit idly by if Israel harms its citizens or foreign citizens in international waters, as it did with the Turkish ship several weeks ago."
The paper further reported that the flotilla's organizers are still undecided on whether to depart from a port outside of Lebanon towards Gaza, or to sail to the El-Arish Port in Egypt and deliver the goods via Rafah crossing.
Of the Israeli warnings in the UN against the Lebanese sail, the sources said Beirut is preparing a response "to Israel's threats on its ships not to sail to Gaza" as presented by Israel's ambassador to the UN Gabriela Shalev.
According to the sources, "Lebanon will reject all of Israel's threats, and in particular the speculations expressed by Israel, via its ambassador to the UN, Gabriela Shalev, of the activists' intentions, as well as the ship's organizers' possible ties to Hezbollah."
