Jordan activists to dispatch aid ship to Gaza on December 25

Dec 18, 2008, 10:01 GMT

Amman - Jordanian Islamists and unionists plan to dispatch a boat on December 25 with medical aid to break the siege imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip, a spokesman for the organizers, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), said Thursday.

A letter was sent to the government on Wednesday listing the names of activists, MPs and trade unionists who agreed to be on board the ship, which is due to sail from the Red Sea port of Aqaba, said Rhayyel Ghraibeh, IAF Deputy Secretary General, head of the voyage's organizing committee.

Gharaibeh confessed that the mission was facing 'logistical difficulties,' as the ship would need to refuel at least six times before reaching the shores of Palestinian territory.

The IAF official rejected as baseless media reports that the Jordanian activists were seeking permission from Israel to be allowed to dock off the Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli naval blockade for almost 18 months.

The IAF, the political arm of the influential Muslim Brotherhood movement, has been campaigning over the past couple of weeks to collect donations for the Gazans.

Professional associations, which are due to take part in the mission, said they planned a stage sit-in at their headquarters next week to express support for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and to collect aid materials.

An attempt to obtain approval of the lower house of parliament for sending a ship to break the Gaza blockade faltered last week when pro-government lawmakers insisted that such a move would need time, alluding to prior coordination with the Israeli authorities.

Earlier this week, the Israeli coast guard intercepted a Libyan boat carrying humanitarian aid and prevented it from reaching the coast of Gaza.