Gaza-bound ship from Lebanon will not leave Sunday, organizers say

Aug 21, 2010, 12:24 GMT

Beirut - Citing 'obstacles,' women-activist organizers of a Lebanese vessel to bring aid to Gaza said Saturday they will not set sail on Sunday as had been planned.

'It is now impossible for us to leave on Sunday. We are trying and will continue to try until we find the best way to set sail towards Gaza,' Samar el Hajj, one of the organizers, told the German Press Agency dpa.

'We are still going forward with our humanitarian project, but we need to find a way to remove all the obstacles,' she told dpa.

The Lebanese aid vessel Saint Mariam, with women activists, was set to leave Sunday from the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli for Gaza in the latest attempt to defy the Israeli blockade.

Up to 75 women of different nationalities will be on board the vessel Saint Mariam.

The ship had been denied entry to any of Cyprus ports, the organizers said.

Israel has warned that it will not allow any boat to transfer aid to the Palestinians in Gaza Strip, which has been controlled by the Palestinian movement Hamas since 2007.

Israeli commandos stormed a Turkish vessel trying to break the blockade in May, killing nine activists on board.

Lebanese Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi confirmed to dpa that the ship will not sail as long as the Cypriot authorities have refused to allow it to enter its waters.

'Lebanon cannot grant anyone permission to sail from a Lebanese port without specific destination and the right permission from the country they are heading to,' Aridi said.

Lebanon does not allow ships to sail directly to Gaza, because Lebanon and Israel are technically in a state of war.

Hajj stressed that they are now trying to find another port to sail from to Gaza.

She declined to say if they have approached the Greek authorities for permission.

'I can tell you we are doing all we can to see which is the best way to reach Gaza,' Hajj said.