RACHEL CORRIE UPDATES

1.40 AM

Organisers of the MV Rachel Corrie trip to Gaza said they lost contact with the ship. Audrey Bomse of the Free Gaza Movement said: "The situation is we lost all contact with the boat. We assume this was sabotage by the Israelis." Read the report here. Probably the Israelis had sabotaged (jammed) the communication channels.

 3.20 AM

The same Israeli commandos who launched the assault on aid ships Mavi Marmara bound for Gaza will also try and stop the Irish aid ship Rachel Corrie. Their plan is to board the Rachel Corrie.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear late Thursday that the ship will not be allowed into Gaza but will be boarded and brought to an Israeli port.

The Israelis have asked that Rachel Corrie would voluntarily sail to Ashdod Port rather than be boarded.

Read the report here.

The same is reported in The Jerusalem Post here. In addition, Netanyahu said he was considering letting more goods into Gaza.

4.20 AM

The Israeli and Irish governments have agreed to divert the Rachel Corrie ship to the Israeli port of Ashdod instead of the coast of Gaza. But passengers on board the Rachel Corrie have rejected the proposed agreement. Read the report here. It looks like a standoff is imminent. I can't imagine what the consequences will be.

But according the the Haaretz here, following the passengers' rejection of the agreement, Israel's forum of seven high ranking ministers have decided to go ahead with the plan to stop the ship and take it over, as was done with the Mavi Marmara previously. Trouble brewing?

May Allah protect the passengers.

5.15 AM

According the Christian Science Monitor report here, the Israel is mulling over easing the blockade on the Rachel Corrie ship now heading nearer to Gaza.

Are the Israelis softening their stand? Most the reports quoted above are from Israeli and western media. So, knowing their media spin, we have to view them with caution. Further, the Los Angeles Times report here and the Arab News here are expecting a showdown.

Whatever happens, may Allah protect the passengers. 

The best minute-by-minute update is through Google News, apart from direct contact with the Malaysian passengers which other bloggers may have.

3.30 PM

According to the Free Gaza Movement report here, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) has been contacted by the Rachel Corrie ship at about 9.30 am KL time (about 3.30 am Rachel Corrie time). Reportedly the ship had been followed by Israeli ships for about 2 hours, and that 2 other ships were approaching from the port side. The equipment on board had been jammed by the Israeli navy, and that they expected their satellite phone to be jammed soon as well. The line was reportedly bad, and the IPSC were unable to determine the exact location of the Rachel Corrie relative to their destination.

Another report here said the Rachel Corrie was just a few dozen miles (kilometers) from the Gaza Strip, and was being tailed by three Israeli naval boats.

Both the above reports seem to be consistent with A Voice's post here. A Voice has direct contact with the Malaysian passengers on board the Rachel Corrie.

Incidentally the Free Gaza Movement is also updating minute-by-minute through its freegazaorg twitter here (see below).

According to the twitter report, which remains unconfirmed, the Rachel Corrie was stopped in international waters at about 10.30 am and a request to ship to identify was issued, but there was no boarding of the ship yet. The ship still refused a second call to go to Ashdod.

It sure look like a standoff with neither side refusing to yield. Let's pray nothing untoward happens.

5.30 PM

Latest update from A Voice:

MV Rachel Corie had been intercepted by the Israeli Navy at around 2:45 pm Malaysian times. It is being towed away to the Israeli Port of Ashdod, the same destination the Israeli had offered for landing but was rejected.

The Free Gaza Movement's freegazaorg twitter has provided the same report, although it said the Rachel Corrie has been forcibly seized by the Israeli navy and is being towed to Ashdod; all on board are reported to be safe. It also reported the Israeli navy have denied that they have boarded. Possibly the ship has just been towed without the Israeli boarding. Maybe, but you never know with the Israelis. After all, they have lied before with regard to the attack on the Mavi Marmara.

6.15 PM

Press Release by Minister of Foreign Affairs as reported by The Free Gaza Movement:

Malaysia strongly demands Israel to ensure the safety of all the humanitarian activists onboard the cargo vessel MV Rachel Corrie that was seized by the Israeli Defence Force early morning of 5 June 2010.

Malaysia also demands for Israel not to take any drastic and violent military action on the unarmed passengers of the Rachel Corrie. All the humanitarian activists on board the Rachel Corrie should be given the necessary assistance to ensure their safety. Malaysia also calls on Israel to ensure a safe passage for the vessel to Gaza to deliver the humanitarian cargo. In this regard, Malaysia urges the International Community to persuade Israel to allow the humanitarian vessel to reach Gaza safely.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is closely monitoring the developments as there are six Malaysians on board the Rachel Corrie.

Dato' Sri Anifah Aman
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia
5 June 2010

According to reports here and here, the Israelis had in fact boarded and taken control of the Rachel Corrie, allegedly with the permission and compliance of the passengers.