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GAZA

‘Israel doesn’t make it easy on its friends’: FM

In his first public comments about the conflict in Gaza, Denmark's foreign minister Martin Lidegaard bemoaned the loss of civilian lives from Israel's military campaign.

Published: 20 July 2014 09:59 CEST
'Israel doesn't make it easy on its friends': FM
An Israeli artillery fires a 155mm shell towards targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP/Scanpix
After nearly two weeks of violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza that have claimed 370 lives, Denmark’s foreign minister broke his silence on Saturday and weighed in on the conflict. 
 
Martin Lidegaard wrote on Facebook that the Danish government “condemned” the actions of Hamas and said Israel “doesn’t make it easy for its friends” when its military attacks result in civilian casualties. 
 
“Hamas and other groups in Gaza fire deadly rockets at the Israeli people indiscriminately,” Lidegaard wrote. “Hamas must enter into and respect ceasefires.”
 
The Danish foreign minister also criticised Israel.
 
“On the other hand, it is unbearable to see the many civilian lives that have been claimed by Israel’s actions. I see both myself and Denmark as friends of Israel, but Israel doesn’t always make it easy for its friends to defend the country’s actions when so many innocent men, women and children are killed,” Lidegaard wrote. 
 
“Everyone understands Israel’s need to defend itself. But it is hard to explain why it should cost the lives of so many innocent people,” he continued. “Therefore, a ceasefire now.”
 
 
The BBC reported on Sunday that Israel was expanding its ground operation in Gaza, with local residents reporting the most intense attacks since the conflict began on July 8th, and according to AFP at least 20 people were killed in a major Israeli assault east of Gaza City on Sunday, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 370.
 
The UN estimates that the vast majority of the 350 casualties have been civilians.
 
Lidegaard will meet with other EU foreign ministers this coming week to address both the Gaza conflict and the downing of a civilian plan in Ukraine.
 
Per Clausen of the left-wing Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) accused Lidegaard of being too weak in his criticism of Israel.
 
“I think that the Danish government should clearly condemn Israel’s collective punishment of the Palestinian people and demand an immediate end to the attacks,” Clausen told Danmarks Radio. 

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ISRAEL

Israel intercepts Swedish Gaza-bound activist boat

The Israeli navy intercepted a Swedish-flagged activist boat bent on breaching its more than decade-long blockade of Gaza, the second in less than a week, the military said on Saturday.

Published: 4 August 2018 09:57 CEST
Israel intercepts Swedish Gaza-bound activist boat
Photo: TT

“The ship was monitored and was intercepted in accordance with international law,” the military said in a statement, before the vessel, named Freedom for Gaza and carrying 12 people, was taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod.

“The (military) clarified to the ship’s passengers that they are violating the legal naval blockade and that any humanitarian merchandise can be transferred to Gaza through the Port of Ashdod,” the statement said.

The people on board were taken for “further inquiry.”

The organisers of the flotilla said the boat, which was carrying medical supplies, was intercepted in international waters.

“The demands of Ship to Gaza are that the ship with its crew and cargo will be returned to the site of the boarding, and that they will be allowed to go in peace through international and Palestinian waters in accordance to international law,” they said in a statement.

“This is a demand that the eleven years-long illegal and destructive blockade on Gaza will be lifted at last.”

Freedom was the second boat of the “Freedom Flotilla” to be intercepted en route to “break the blockade” on Gaza, organisers said.

Four boats left from Scandinavia in mid-May and stopped in some 28 ports along the way, with two remaining behind after a recent stop in the Italian port of Palermo.

On Sunday, the Israeli navy intercepted a Norwegian-flagged activist boat that was part of the flotilla.

Israel has fought three wars with Palestinian militants in Gaza since 2008 and says the blockade is necessary to keep them from obtaining weapons or materials that could be used for military purposes.

UN officials have called for the blockade to be lifted, citing deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian enclave run by Islamist movement Hamas where 80 percent of the two million population are dependent on aid.

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