Libyan aid for Gaza -- a success story?
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The Egyptian Red Crescent is transporting an estimated 2,000 tons of Libyan food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip by land on Thursday. The aid was being off- loaded from the Moldovan-flagged Amalthea at the port of El-Arish in Egypt late on Wednesday.
Initially the boat was planning on docking in Gaza, but the intervention of around Israel Navy vessels meant the ship had little choice other than to head for El-Arish, on the northern shoreline of the Sinai Peninsula.
While the episode ended with no loss of life, unlike the highly reported Gaza flotilla of May 31, Israel knows more aid ships will likely set sail for Gaza and there will be further confrontations with its navy.
At the same time, while Hamas, which controls Gaza, expressed its disappointment at the failure of the Amalthea to reach the strip, reports suggest in order to arrive at a peaceful conclusion to this maritime journey, Israel had to agree to allow a large cash sum to be transferred to the Gazan coffers.
No repeat of Mavi Marmara
Initially Israel feared the Libyan-sponsored trip would end in a clash between those on board and Israeli commandoes. When armed Israelis descended from helicopters onto the deck of the Mavi Marmara, the Turkish ship that headed the May 31 convoy, nine people lost their lives in the violence that ensued.
The Israeli government was keen to ensure there would be no repeat performance this week. In order to do so, it is understood that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak held talks with Egyptian Head of Intelligence Omar Suleiman.
Some reports suggest a line of communication was also established between Barak and the son of Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi, Saif Al-Islam. Gaddafi junior heads the organization that bankrolled the Amalthea voyage. Arabic and Hebrew newspapers suggest the deal was brokered by Jewish Austrian businessman Martin Schlaff, who is thought to have close ties to leaders in both Israel and Libya.
The price for Israel though is heavy. First it had to leave the security check of the cargo to the Egyptians at El-Arish, and secondly, and arguably far more significantly, not only will the Gazans receive all the aid on board, but a reported 50 million U.S. dollars will be sent from Libya to Gaza. That money will go directly to projects managed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
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