Israel Live Blog

Saboteurs, using remote controlled explosive bombs, have blown up the gas pipeline between Egypt, Israel and Jordan on Thursday morning in Northern Sinai, forcing a shutdown in the flow of gas, Egyptian security sources said.

The blast, the sixth this year and the first since pumping was resumed on October 24, was near Mazar area, west of the town of Al-Arish.

The pipeline has been a target for attacks by anonymous saboteurs since the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak in February after a popular uprising. The Egyptian government said this month it would tighten security measures along the pipeline by installing alarm devices and appointing security patrols from local Bedouin tribes.

Previous explosions have closed the pipeline, run by Gasco, Egypt's gas transport company - a subsidiary of the national gas company EGAS, for weeks.

Dozens of Palestinians who lost relatives in an Israeli military offensive in Gaza three years ago have been forced to put their compensation claims on hold, saying Israel has placed near-impossible barriers to proceeding with their cases.

Israeli restrictions prevent Gazans from entering Israel to testify, undergo medical exams or meet with their lawyers. But the biggest obstacle, the victims say, are steep court fees that can reach tens of thousands of dollars. [AP]

Reuters - Egypt's foreign minister condemned Israel on Friday for its decision to expand Jewish settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, a move that is likely to delay the revival of peace talks. 

Israel decided to accelerate Jewish settlement building on Tuesday, the day after UNESCO awarded the Palestinians full membership of the UN cultural agency. 

"Egypt condemns the Israeli decision to accelerate the building of 1,000 units in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank," Amr Ali said in a statement. 

Israel's decision was a "blow to all efforts exerted to reach a fair settlement to the conflict and Palestinian issue" and also a provocation to Palestinians. 

The UNESCO decision was regarded as a diplomatic victory for the Palestinian Authority, which has pushed to be recognised as a state at the UN.

Israel called the UNESCO decision a "tragedy" and the United States said it would stop its funding of the organisation. 

 

The Israeli military posted this footage on Youtube showing soldiers boarding the vessels en-route to the Gaza Strip on Friday:

CanadaBoatGaza

CanadaBoatGaza

 

The Israeli military issued this statement about its decision to board the two boats headed for the Gaza Strip:

Israel Navy Soldiers Board Provocation Vessels, Leading Them to Ashdod Port

 A short while ago, Israel Navy soldiers boarded the vessels which were en-route to the Gaza Strip, attempting to break the maritime security blockade that is in place in accordance with international law.

The boarding was carried out in line with directives from the Israeli Government and after all attempts to prevent the vessels from reaching the Gaza Strip were made, but to no avail.

The boarding was carried out following numerous calls to the activists onboard and during different points at sea. Following their unwillingness to cooperate, and after ignoring calls to divert to the port of Ashdod, the decision was made to board the vessels and lead them there.

The Israel Navy soldiers operated as planned, and took every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of the activists onboard the vessels as well as themselves.

Upon arrival of the vessels at the Ashdod port, the activists will be transferred to the custody of the Israel Police and immigration authorities in the Ministry of Interior.

 

Israel's military says the navy has boarded two protest boats on their way to Gaza to try to break Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory.

The military says it will tow the boats to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The military says the boats were "attempting to break the maritime security blockade that is in place in accordance with international law.''

It says Friday's takeover was peaceful.

 

Israel's military chief ordered the navy on Friday to intercept the two Gaza-bound boats carrying pro-Palestinian activists who were challenging Israel's maritime blockade of Hamas-ruled Gaza, a statement from Israel's military said.

Lieutenant General Benny Gantz issued the instructions after the army said activists aboard the Canadian and Irish vessels had continued sailing toward Gaza, ignoring instructions to turn around or unload their supplies in Israel or neighbouring Egypt. [Reuters]

The two boats carrying pro-Palestinian activists bound for the Gaza Strip have left the port of Fethiye in southwest Turkey on Wednesday after Turkish authorities gave them permission to sail to the Greek island of Rhodes.

The following raw footage shows the Canadian boat Tahrir and the Irish boat MV Saoirse at sea.

Israel has announced that its navy will attempt to stop two boats carrying pro-Palestinian activists bound for the Gaza Strip, in the latest attempt by activists to break the four-year Israeli blockade against the territory.

The Israeli military spokesman's office said the country's navy was "prepared to contact" the vessels and had "completed the necessary preparations in order to prevent them from reaching the Gaza Strip".

Lieutenant-Colonel Avital Leibovich, an Israeli military official, would not say how the boats might be stopped, saying only "we will have to assess and see if we are facing violent passengers."

Describing their journey as a "provocation", she said Israel would offer to unload any aid supplies on board and deliver them to Gaza.