By Ejaz Khan

Ismail Moola of the Palestine Solidarity Alliance and a spokesman of the Freedom Flotilla Committee spoke to Radio Islam’s Yusuf Moosagie live from Athens this morning, following the capture of the “Marianne” Ship to Gaza” by Israeli Defence force.

“Very sad day for us, we were hoping they would be in Gaza by Now, but the apartheid state has not relented. Marianne has been intercepted.”

This was Freedom Flotilla’s 3rd attempt of Breaking the siege of Gaza and they anticipated Israeli interception as Ismail Moola explains:

We knew Marianne was crossing into dangerous waters, 100 Nautical miles from Gaza Port. She crossed into that area at around 1 am (CAT time)

All communications were lost with them at  3 am.”

He explained that the normal procedure would follow :

“Yes the Boat was Boarded, no casualties reported. The Raid was apparently peaceful…we don’t know if that is the truth as now we are getting the reports from Israeli Press.”

On Mavi Marmara some of our people were killed, and on our second attempt  our activist were bashed around.

“Marianne will be kept in Ashdod Port.

Activists will be kept in Prison for 24-48 hours.

18 delegates on board, and we now activate the different Embassies.

Activist will then all be Deported to their countries.

We await further updates from them now”

ON South Africa’s representative on the flotilla :

“Clint De Bruyns is on another boat, not the Marianne, so we are confirming  NO south Africans were on board.

Knesset MP Basel Ghattas  and Tunisia’s former president Moncef Marzouki were on the Marianne.”

Is it all over now for the current campaign?

“No, We have Phase 2 , but whether we go ahead with it will be discussed.

Regardless ,we will never rest until the seige of Gaza is broken in whichever way.”

@ejaz_k