Lebanese flotilla to sail through Greece?

Organizers of the Lebanese flotilla which is scheduled to set sail towards the Gaza Strip on Sunday, told the as-Safir newspaper that the ship may go through Greece after Cyprus announced it would not allow it to enter its territorial waters.

For various reasons the vessel cannot sail directly to Israel and has to pass through a third country.

On Friday Defense Minister Ehud Barak urged Lebanon to "exercise responsibility and stop the Gaza-bound flotilla set to leave its waters."

The sail "has nothing to do with humanitarian aid and is an act of hostile provocation, with all it entails," he said and stressed that Israel will allow the ship to dock in Ashdod or Egypt, but will have no choice but to stop it, should it try to reach Gaza.

Lebanese Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi said in response: "We shall not respond to Barak's requests. What he said is entirely irrelevant to us." Aridi added that his country will continue exercising its sovereignty and will "make an appropriate decision."

The Lebanese ship is slated to carry 50-75 women who have informed they will be bringing cancer medications, books and toys for Gaza Strip residents.

Another flotilla on August 29

Meanwhile, another ship is preparing to set sail towards Israel. The Lebanese newspaper an-Nahar reported that Yasser Kashlak had announced an aid ship will set sail on August 29 from Lebanon, one week after the women's ship departs.

Kashlak also told al-Sharq al-Awsat he does not intend on changing the schedule and added that Cyprus "has no right to prevent the ship's entry into its territory." He threatened to "expose secrets and many surprises for the Palestinian people," should the vessel fails to depart.

Kashlak also noted that the peace process would be compromised should Israel refuse to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and that in such a case Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would be better off going on exile and not entering into direct talks with Israel.

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