Libyan Ship to El Arish

The group behind the Libyan ship that sought to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza has officially announced it will sail to Egypt's El Arish port instead. Yusuf Sawani, manager of the Libyan organization that arranged the voyage, held a news conference Wednesday and said: “We have decided to change the course of the aid ship to El Arish."

The decision, he said, was reached after the Israeli Navy warned the ship not to sail toward Gaza because it was under a naval blockade.   

The saga of the Libyan ship trying to break Israel's sovereignty over Gaza's coastal waters continued on a path of uncertainty Wednesday afternoon after the vessel halted its course to El Arish and began coasting along Egypt's international coastal boundary.

Eight Israel Navy warships have blocked it from sailing towards Gaza, and their formation left the ship with the option of taking a course to Gaza or trying to run the blockade and risking a disaster. An Al Jazeera reporter said that port workers at El Arish are preparing to receive the vessel.

Reflecting what may have been disagreements among the crew and passengers, the Libyan ship, loaded with 2,000 tons of aid for Gaza, issued conflicting messages the past 24 hours on its intentions. The voyage is being sponsored by a foundation named after Libyan President Muaamar Qaddafi (pictured).

Israel and officials of the foundation held indirect secret talks to avoid a clash on the high seas. The mediator was Austrian businessman Martin Schlaff, according to a German media outlet.

Qaddafi's representatives wanted guarantees that the humanitarian aid on board will reach Gaza, while Israel insisted that it be delivered via ports in Israel or in Egypt.

The ship's captain earlier had said the vessel had undergone repairs for a malfunctioning engine. He also stated he would head for Gaza and then contradicted his own word and a statement by the owner of the ship that it would sail for El Arish, instead of trying to challenge the Israeli Navy’s embargo over the coastal waters where it has sovereignty.

Israel originally had given the boat a midnight ultimatum to shift course before the report that the boat was in need of repairs. The Cuban-born captain told Navy radio operators he would change course.

Navy ships are continuing to track the ship, wanting to prevent another clash similar to the May 31 battle with Turkish terror activists, nine of whom were killed after brutally attacking virtually defenseless Navy commandos who had expected to be confronted by pacifists.

The Libyan ship is carrying 21 passengers from Libya, Syria, Nigeria, Cuba, Algeria and Cuba. The ship is sponsored by a charity organization, named after Libyan President Muaamar Qaddafi. The organizers of the project said there are no weapons on board, and it may be trying to stage a public relations coup by forcing the Navy to stop it and then prove it had peaceful intentions.

The Mavi Marmara ship’s crew that clashed with the Navy on May 31 later was found to be without any humanitarian aid.

On Tuesday, a Greek businessman who owns the Almathea stated that if the Navy challenges the ship, “We will choose to sail to the port of El-Arish and transfer the assistance by ground to Gaza.”

U.S. State Department spokesman Phillip Crowley told reporters Tuesday that the United States urges “all those wishing to deliver goods [to Gaza] to do so through established channels so their cargo can be inspected by the government of Israel and transferred by land crossings into Gaza.” He called on parties involved to “act responsibly.”