The wife of a Lebanese politician and who heads an anti-Semitic group told Al-Jazeera television she is boarding a ship with the intention of “martyrdom, imprisonment or victory.”
The video was distributed by the Israeli Intelligence and Terrorism Center (IITC).
The woman, Iman Tawil Sa'ad, is one of 50 women who are trying to break Israel’s sovereignty over the Gaza coastal waters.
In a separate interview with Al-Arabiya Television, Samar al-Hajj, wife of Ali al-Hajj, a former senior Lebanese security officer who was suspected of involvement in the murder of Rafiq al-Hariri in 2005, said, “We say to the Israeli government: We do not recognize you. Pardon me, but that’s how we were brought up. We do not recognize the Zionist entity. We are going to Gaza’s territorial waters and I don’t advise…Pay attention: I don’t advise [to stop the ship] because the Lebanese flag won’t be the only one aboard the Maryam.”
Another woman, Mai Kharish, said the group on board the ship are “women of resistance” but are not carrying weapons.
Two ships are slated to sail, but political obstacles have raised the possibility that they may never leave port, and no launch date has been announced. “Despite the declarations of the organizers that the ships are ready to set sail, no equipment has been seen loaded onto them [as of June 21], according to IITC.
Approximately 100 people are scheduled to sail on one of the ships, named Nagi al-Ali 1 and currently docked in Tripoli. Among those on board are 25 Europeans and 40 journalists.
The women’s ship, named the Maryam, is said to carry about 50 people.
The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center said it estimates that Syria and Hizbullah purchased the ships and organized the flotilla but are trying to hide behind the groups who are on the list of passengers.
Israel has warned that it will continue to stop ships from reaching Gaza, as it did three weeks ago when it intercepted a flotilla including a boat manned by Turkish terrorist activists. Nine of them were killed after brutally beating, knifing and trying to kidnap Navy commandos.
Lebanese has issued a counter-warning that "Israel will be held fully responsible for any attack on Lebanon.”