Arab Americans and supporters in Greece have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help fund two boats that are set to sail to Gaza in a carefully prepared publicity stunt under the slogan "Free Gaza." The boats have been provided with a sophisticated satellite link and a live hookup for journalists on board.
Israel stated it still retains sovereignty over the air and territorial waters after it withdrew soldiers from the Gaza region three summers ago, but Arabs and left-wing groups dispute the claim. They are gearing up for worldwide publicity for the boats to arrive on the Gaza coast. Israel has not yet decided how to react to the campaign, and the people on board are hoping for a confrontation or arrest in order to win more media sympathy.
"Will Israel stop us?" the Free Gaza Movement wrote on its website." We believe that they will make the apparently reasonable request to inspect the boats first. However, [for us to comply] would constitute recognition of Israel’s right to regulate traffic in a territory where they have no sovereignty."
"The group will have the boats inspected in Cyprus in order to assure that no one is sabotaging the mission, but they insist that they will not voluntarily submit to Israeli authority outside of Israeli territory, even if it means being forcibly stopped."
Israeli intelligence officials have said that terrorists in Gaza have used the seas to smuggle a large amount of weapons and explosives into Gaza.