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Activists set sail for Gaza aboard ‘Freedom Flotilla’

Spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Emmanuel Naschon said earlier this week that the Flotilla has “announced their intention to go to Gaza, but we will not allow this because Gaza is under a naval blockade approved by worldwide law“.

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“If the IDF attempt to commandeer the ship, we will not resist, but we will submit a complaint against the soldiers for piracy”, he said, according to the Israeli daily Maariv.

A cease-fire in August ended 50 days of fighting between Gaza militants and Israel in which health officials said more than 2,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed.

“Palestine is a test for the credibility of global mechanisms”, he told reporters. “Secretary Kerry, we urge the Department of State to elevate the human rights of Palestinian children to a priority status in our bilateral relations with the government of Israel“.

The Hague-based ICC, with no police force or enforcement powers of its own, is looking into alleged crimes by both sides of the conflict but can not compel Israel to give it information.

Also on board are Basel Ghattas, an Israeli-Arab lawmaker, and ex- Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki, along with food supplies and solar panels, the Ma’an news agency reported.

There has been sporadic violence in the Palestinian territories during Ramadan. Gaza’s dominant Hamas group ignored the accusations against it and called for prosecutions of Israeli leaders.

Mr Fabius also visited Ramallah and Amman to discuss the French proposal, which recommends a return to direct Israel-Palestinian talks and the convening of an worldwide conference with the five permanent members of the Security Council along with representatives of the Arab League.

He criticized the report’s condemnation of Israel’s attack warning techniques, including the use of a small explosive, known as a “knock on the roof”, to warn Palestinians to leave their homes prior to a strike.

Lowey and other top appropriators have repeatedly warned the PA against taking actions against Israel at the ICC.

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“The bill prohibits economic assistance to the Palestinian Authority if they initiate or actively support an global Criminal Court investigation that subjects Israeli nationals to an investigation for alleged crimes against Palestinians”, she said in a statement. Additionally, Israel transfers Palestinians from the occupied territory to a number of prisons inside Israel in what the Palestinian brief argues is a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

UN Releases Report on Gaza War Crimes