Police claim Neta Golan, who sailed into Gaza on activists’ boat, will be charged with violating order prohibiting Israelis from entering Gaza. Meanwhile Lebanese boat prepares to sail for Strip on Jan. 3
By Tova Dadon
To view original article, published by Ynet on the 23rd December, click here
The Magistrates’ Court in Kiryat Gat on Tuesday remanded the arrest of peace activist Neta Golan, who attempted to cross into Israel after arriving in Gaza on an activists’ boat from Cyprus. She was arrested at the Erez crossing on Monday.
Police stated an indictment would be filed against Golan, charging her with the violation of the order implementing the State’s Disengagement Plan of 2006. The order prohibits Israeli citizens from entering Gaza.
Police representatives asked the court to remand Golan’s arrest in order to provide for time to prepare the indictment and to consult with the Prime Minister’s Office in order to estimate the danger of Golan’s actions.
Golan’s attorney, Adanan Aladdin, told the court that his client “may have been endangering herself by entering Gaza, but the Gazans welcomed the arrival of the boat carrying a minimal amount of medical equipment to cure the seriously ill.”
Aladdin added, “There is no criminal offense in Golan’s actions. The siege Israel is imposing on Gaza is causing a serious humanitarian crisis endangering the lives of thousands of Gazans.
“Golan was taking personal responsibility as she believed the entire Israeli public should be doing, and boarded the ship that eventually docked in Gaza, otherwise the ship would have been banned. The fact that there were Israelis on board forced the Israeli forces to allow it to dock in Gaza.”
First Lebanese boat follows suit
Meanwhile it was reported that another cargo ship will set sail for Gaza on January 3 to defy the Israeli blockade, the organizer said Tuesday. On board the ship will be Lebanese activists, journalists, and supplies. Authorities at Larnaca port in Cyprus are expected to inspect the cargo and passengers before it proceeds to Gaza.
Hani Sleiman, a lawyer and university professor, said the indirect route is designed to deprive Israel of any excuse not to allow the ship into Gaza.
Five ships carrying activists and goods have run the blockade since the summer, but it will be the first time a ship carrying people and goods from Lebanon.
A spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Yigal Palmor, said Israel will not comment prior to the event and “will react accordingly when it happens.”
AP contributed to this report