Greece Arrests Gaza-Bound Boat Captain of the ‘Audacity of Hope’
- Posted on July 2, 2011 at 12:49pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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The activist run boat "Audacity of Hope" is escorted by the Greek coast guard in port of Perama, near Athens, Greece, Friday, July 1, 2011. Greece on Friday banned ships heading to the Gaza Strip from leaving Greek ports, and a vessel carrying several dozen American protesters which left port without permission was ordered to return. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities have arrested the captain of a boat that part of a Gaza-bound flotilla trying to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, officials said Saturday.
The 60-year-old captain, whose name was not released by authorities, was being held at Piraeus police headquarters and will remain there until a court hearing Tuesday.
Greece’s coast guard said the captain of the “Audacity of Hope” faces charges of trying to leave port without permission and of endangering the lives of the boat’s passengers. The latter charge is a felony.
The “Audacity of Hope” was carrying 36 passengers, four crew and about 10 members of the media. Its attempt to sail Friday night from the port of Perama, near Athens, was thwarted by coast guard speedboats.
In Jerusalem, Israel has denied claims it sabotaged ships trying to breach its sea blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Activists accuse Israel of damaging two ships docked in Turkey and Greece that are part of a flotilla attempting to reach the Palestinian territory.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor dismissed the sabotage charges as “ridiculous,“ calling them ”sad conspiracy theories.”
Israel says it imposed the blockade in 2007 to stop weapons reaching the Islamic militant group Hamas that rules Gaza. Activists describe the blockade as a form of incarceration for the Palestinians.
Nine activists were killed last year in an Israeli raid on a similar flotilla.
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Comments (194)
Monica2
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:38pmThey should sail them off into Gaza and leave those leftwing loons to fester with Hamas, how long before the ladies end up gang raped and enslaved via Sharia Law?? Yep drop them off and leave them there.
Report Post »The Gooch
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:34pmIf leftists excel at anything, it’s being “victims”. Eggshells in your omelette? “Sabotage!” Stubbed your toe while getting up? “Damn you, George W. Bush!” Your busybody, ideologically-fueled, photo op, hippy fest has engine trouble? “It’s those damn, dirty Jews!”
Report Post »The level of neurosis (and particularly paranoia) that fuels many on the left does tend to indicate that ideology tends to generally attract some very histrionic and unbalanced psyches. Of course, the same flavor of crazy exists on the right, but most of the loons on the right are more keen on Bigfoot watching and UFO chasing. The craziest, left or right, come together as “truthers.”
Hell, man, I don’t want anyone hurt in this politically fueled song and dance. It just seems this “drama” was prime grist for the reality show mill. I’m stunned that no one jumped on this opportunity… but I guess that role will be filled by the activists… er, reporters who just happen to be riding along.
Anti-Semitism… when you need to kick around someone you will easily outnumber and likely get a pass on hating. No one historically makes a better whipping boy than a Jew. To put this in perspective, there are arguably more illegal immigrants in the U.S. than there are Jews in the world. As I’ve always said, it takes a special brand of stupid and cowardly to think Jews rule your world and are a threat to your existence. But there’s no shortage of stupidity or cowardice in the world, is there?
BBomber66
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:32pmWhere’d they get the money?
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:25pmWow,that turd cutter would of never made it to Gaza
Report Post »gingerdr
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:25pmI also stand with the Greece. Cuff him and stuff him.
Report Post »farmerdel
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:24pmWell done, Greece.
Report Post »Want our country back
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:20pmThank you Greece, America stands with you.
I stand with the USA, Israel, and Greece…. let’s all stand together and surround the evil
We can make a difference.
Report Post »skiziks20453
Posted on July 3, 2011 at 2:50amThat grey brearded puke needs his wiskers pulled out, one at a time.
Report Post »UpstateNYConservative
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:19pmGood thing I’m not a submarine commander. I’d be out of torpedoes and missiles by now.
Report Post »Joshua7
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:18pmThis is an interesting change of events. However, this certainly isn’t the end. If Greece won’t let them go to Gaza, they’ll find someone who will. Hopefully this slowed them down a little though. Thumbs up to you Greece, I don‘t know why your doing this but I’m glad you are.
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:12pmHow much useful “AID” can a little ‘boat’ like the AOH really carry? It’s not really about aid so much as it is about stirring up trouble and hatred for Israel.
Report Post »Look at the boat. Does it look like a cargo ship to you?
It’s just some radical anti-semites idea of a vacation!!
Their 15 mins of infamey…………………
freethinking
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 3:35pmMy thoughts exactly.
Report Post »mlcblog
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 8:17pmGreat common-sense point. Does this ship look like a cargo ship with pallets of humanitarian wares, or more like a gun runner??
Report Post »LAM2
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:08pmThe Audacity of Dopes is thwarted again. More good news.
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:06pmIsrael may or may not have had something to do with the boats, but looking at the “aoh”, it doesn’t look to good-maybe the others are not too great either. It isn’t like rich progressives were going to use their yacts to let them get blown up. They probably went as cheap as they could, hence the breakdowns. Still and all, good for Greece! May their “heads” all become plugged and their drinking water get salt in it, and may they all get serious sand in their shorts and have no fresh water to shower in. Dang, there I go again, I’m off to repent of wishing ill on these people who wish to start a war.
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:35pmMay their lightning rods all become connected to the through-hull fittings on their marine toilets.
Report Post »rienheart
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:06pmWhat a Joke. The Audacity of Morons. They don’t know it, but they just got a Reprieve on their execution. Anyone who tries to Run a Blockade deserves exactly what they get, an invitation to Davey Jone’s Locker.
Report Post »LAM2
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:06pm“Nine activists were killed last year in an Israeli raid on a similar flotilla.”
C’mon Blaze. Let’s not leave out the fact that the so-called peace activitsts were killed as a result of the Israelis (after boarding the flotilla) defending themselves against an attack by these activists who were wielding pipes, knives, guns, etc.
Report Post »TMan2020
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 2:54pmExcellent point. LAM.
Report Post »WinstonSmith1984
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 2:57pmThis is an Associated Press article
Report Post »charliego
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:04pmREALLY? it is called the ‘Audacity of Hope’??? Where have I heard that name before? Certainly cements the collusion by a certain author. If not that, at the very least an accolade honoring the said author.
Report Post »I cannot believe this ‘audacity’. Greece may be falling, but at least they do have some honor.
Stand with Israel.
EP46
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 6:07pmSince Bill Ayers is ‘said’ to have written obama’s first book…he probably wrote Audacity of Hope also, and since he and Bernadine are part of the flotilla….sounds like ‘all in the family’.
Report Post »Listenup
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:04pmGod Bless Greece. I’m sending my thoughts and prayers your way. Courage and Character among chaos! It’s what the world needs now!! God Bless You!
Report Post »Teaparty-grammy
Posted on July 3, 2011 at 3:34am@ Listenup who Posted: “God Bless Greece. I’m sending my thoughts and prayers your way. Courage and Character among chaos! It’s what the world needs now!! God Bless You!”
Amen! Just when I was really down and thinking NOBODY in the world was going to stand up against the insanity that seems to be sweeping across the globe, comes this heaven-sent assistance from a totally unexpected place.
God bless the Greek officials who had the courage to stand against this travesty. The “useful idiots” in that flotilla were hellbent on assisting OTHER radicals in delivering weapons into the hands of Hamas to use against Israel. The Greeks put a stop to that dangerous idiocy by refusing to allow them to launch their “ships of hate” (let’s call them what they really are, after all–ships of HATE aimed at ISRAEL) from Greek ports.
It would have been a no-win situation for Israel to try to stop them. No matter how much restraint they exercised against these so-called “humanitarians”, if they tried to stop these “humanitarian” vessels, the mainstream media would have screeched to high heavens about the “violent Israelis refusing to let these brave souls carrying humanitarian aid” into Gaza.
The Greeks nipped all their plans in the bud by simply keeping their ships from leaving Greece. I applaud the Greeks for their politically savvy and truly HUMANITARIAN actions.
You give me hope that sanity can actually be restored to the globe before it melts down altog
Report Post »Truthbeliever2
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:04pmOh those poor palastinians won’t get their guns…I mean aid.
Report Post »dcwu
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:20pmATF will be disappointed.
Report Post »Charybdis
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:02pmWhy was my word g-o-o-d censored to **** in my above post?
Report Post »twistin
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 2:04pmI know, right? Glenn’s computer watchdog needs a tuneup.
Report Post »virgie morgan
Posted on July 3, 2011 at 4:13amProbably because it resembled the word G O D too much!
Report Post »don young
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:01pmI bet he is paid by george soros also the media that is on board.
Report Post »Mandors
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:01pm“Audacity of Hope.” Right.
Kind of reminds of that Japanese enforcer/harpoon boat on Whale Wars that has “RESEARCH” painted on it.
Report Post »Da Kingfish
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 2:05pmAudacity of hope, the title of obummers book, sure fits the situation of losers.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:00pmWell something good is happening in Greece.
Report Post »Charybdis
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 12:59pmScore one for the Greeks. **** work!
Report Post »Charybdis
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:00pmWhy was the word g-o-o-d censored to **** in my post?
Report Post »booger71
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:59pmBecause the Huffington Post editor that for some reason Glenn hired does not like it.
Report Post »LibsSuk
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 2:42pmWow
Report Post »smallstuff7
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 7:15pmI’ll try it too: Score one for the Greeks. good work!
Report Post »smallstuff7
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 7:22pmI’ll try it again: Score one for the Greeks. good work!
Report Post »His Lamb is Satanic
Posted on July 3, 2011 at 11:19amthe blaze has been infiltrated by ghey moose limb sympatheisers that wish to control the diatribe. Never elect gheys or minorities-they have a chip on their shoulder bigger than their heads.
Report Post »JO JO BINKS
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:18pmDOES “anyone” think.. in order to DO A THEY please to the people…”I KNOW…LET’S BAN SHIPS AND PLANES from the region… that way genicde can take place!
Report Post »Airgun
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 3:42pmNo, let’s let all of the “aid” flow into Gaza, so the good and kind Palestinians can get busy with the genocide that every country surrounding Israel is screaming and rioting for: KILL THE JEWS! KILL THE JEWS!
Report Post »Sound familiar, tool?
PD1966
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 4:03pmyou are a mental case
Report Post »burned at edges
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 12:58pmThe boat is quickly being sold and the new captain plans to change the name to Audacity of Change…lol
Report Post »dcwu
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:18pmAudacity of Hate
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 11:33pmPersonally I prefer the shortened version: Audacity!!!
Report Post »JGraham III
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 12:56pmsometimes I think Laurel and Hardy wrote the script that the world is following.
Report Post »ronmorgen
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:14pm” being held at Piraeus police headquarters and will remain there until a court hearing Tuesday.”
Four days in the can, I hope he enjoys it, Not.
Report Post »geonj
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:59pmand we all know how the greeks like it in the can.
Report Post »geonj
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 2:07pmthis was meant as a reply to a post about the capt spending 4 days in the can.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 2:27pmThey’ll spend 4 days in the captains can.
Report Post »geonj
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 2:05pmwe all know the greeks like it in the can
Report Post »Da Kingfish
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:14pmLaurel and Hardy had more brains, hands down,
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:39pmOr maybe the scriptwriter for Gilligans Island. There will be Thurston Howell type rich people, some professors. some movie stars, and inept skipper & crew. Lets hope their three hour tour ends the same way.
Report Post »WestTexasCountryBoy
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 4:39pmmade into the movie ‘idiocracy’
Report Post »harryt17
Posted on July 3, 2011 at 11:59amI totally agree! It is so dumb and fake that it makes u wonder how why are contolled by these complete idiots! They have money but they have no common sense at all! They live in a different world than the average man and they think they are so smart and that we are that dumb! They really believe that. God bless us!
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 12:55pmArrr Matey, Keel haul that Captain. He be an enemy pirate workin’ for the Muslims.
Report Post »Laus Deo
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:08pmLet them meet the Maker if they want.
Report Post »Jane
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:22pmThey don’t believe they have a Maker, nor do they believe they have a soul. That, in a thimble, is the sum total of their substance. Marxists, Socialists, Communists all think they are their own god.
Report Post »Obama Bin Lying
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:27pmAgain another “Peace” activist goes to jail for multiple fealonies……
Haven’t we learned yet?
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:40pmShow him where osama now lives!!!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 1:44pmLOL @TED .. couldn’t have said it any better!
Report Post »thecrow
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 3:05pm”sad conspiracy theories”
http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/movers-and-shakers/
Report Post »LambdaCore
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 3:57pmRoflmao
Report Post »Professional Infidel
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 5:17pmClub him with me beliing pin.
Report Post »Weshy
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 6:16pmperfect!
Report Post »smallstuff7
Posted on July 2, 2011 at 7:36pmThey deliberately got under way without permission just to get publicity. The passengers are desperate for attention. I hope the boat is confiscated and the occupants deported.
Report Post »GBMBulletsSKNRD
Posted on July 3, 2011 at 5:35amIt makes me sick that they are allowed to put “U.S. Boat To Gaza” on the side of their boat. Don’t put my country as Something the U.S. wants. I think that all of them should be sunk. Rescue the survivors after about an hour in the water. The sharks have to eat to. And throw the rest in jail for life. Bet that would make them think twice before sturring up crap again. If that does not work the first time leave them in the water two hours and repete as nessesary. sooner or later they will get the point or die.
I am not mean at heart but a man can be pushed just so far and the old saying goes “for every action there is a reaction” I am with Israel and await their reaction. I hope it is swift to the point and stops this nonsence. I also hope it can be done with little deaths but if there are deaths pray they are Hamas dead. I know they will hide behind the wemon, children the old and the disabled. But I believe Israel have some very, very, very good sharpshooters.
I stand with ISRAEL and I stand with THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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