Palestinian peace activists sail into Gaza Strip

MIDDLE EAST:PEACE ACTIVISTS who breached Israel's blockade of Gaza in two Greek-flagged wooden boats lunched yesterday with deposed Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas.

He congratulated the Free Gaza mission and said it "spells the end of Israel's siege." The effort was also praised by Arab League secretary general Amr Moussa and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, who telephoned his approval to Huwaida Arraf, a dual US citizen and Palestinian citizen of Israel, soon after the boats, the Free Gaza and the Liberty, reached Gaza's port on Saturday evening after a rough 32-hour voyage from Cyprus.

The 46 "peace pirates" were welcomed by thousands of Palestin- ians on sea and land. Hundreds of small boats filled with dignitaries, families, fishermen, and media met the boats, the first to freely enter Gaza's waters since Israel occupied the Strip in 1967.

Palestinian flags fluttered from every craft and were brandished by shoals of boys swimming alongside the boats. The sandy shore and breakwater were packed with gleeful Gazans.

Fearing a politically damaging confrontation at sea, Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, foreign minister Tzipi Livni, and defence minister Ehud Barak decided on Friday to allow the boats to reach Gaza, tightly besieged by Israel since Hamas seized control in June 2007.

The politicians overruled the military which favoured intercepting the boats, towing them to Israel's Ashdod port, and interrogating the activists. Kept in the dark about Israel's decision and convinced they would be stopped, the activists proceeded cautiously. Early on Saturday they issued a statement accusing the Israeli navy of electronically scrambling communications and navigational equipment. Israel denied this charge.

Jeff Halper, the sole Israeli Jew on the mission, was awarded a Palestinian passport in recognition of his part in the effort. He said one of the boats plans to return to Cyprus tomorrow or Wednesday, possibly carrying a few Palestinian students who have valid visas for countries where they have places at universities.

"This will be more of a test of the siege than our coming. We want to go in and out. The idea is to get a rotating system and keep it going. This will encourage other boats to come, normalising the situation."

Although Israel has yet to formulate a response to this scenario, Mr Halper pointed out that the ministry of foreign affairs said "we are not a security threat" and "seems to be changing its policy [of blockade]. Israel is really in a bind. [It] does not want to be seen as an occupying power. We did something much more significant than a one time gesture. Now we've got to play it out." Mr Halper, founder of the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions, intends to leave Gaza for Israel tomorrow through the Erez terminal, risking arrest, a prison sentence for entering Palestinian territory, and a fine.