Business and Businessmen in Palestine – a glimpse into the views of Yasser Abbas

Excerpts from an interview with Yasser Abbas in Ramallah – 18 December 2008 – by Marian Houk – Part 3
Other excerpts:
Part 4: Separation of Powers in Ramallah
Part 2: Fatah and Hamas – what’s the problem?
Part 1: Fatah and Hamas – and the Abbas family house in Gaza
Question (Marian Houk):  Let me start by asking [...]

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Israel deports all but two Free Gaza activists captured at sea

Almost a week after they were confronted by Israeli naval vessels and towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod, the Free Gaza Movement indicates that its activists captured at sea on board a boat flying a Greek flag and sailing from Cyprus to Gaza were “accused of entering Israel illegally”, but that all charges were [...]

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Cyprus and the Free Gaza movement

The Jerusalem Post reported yesterday that “The Cypriot Embassy in Tel Aviv issued a statement following the incident, saying ‘The Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Israel would like to inform that the “Spirit of Humanity” boat, sponsored by the Free Gaza Movement, that attempted in the early hours today to reach Gaza was [...]

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Free Gaza ship boarded by Israeli forces about 24 miles offshore Gaza, towed to Israeli port of Ashdod, passengers taken by Israeli immigration authorities

The IDF announced this afternoon that “an Israeli Navy force intercepted, boarded, and took control of the cargo boat ‘Arion’ [renamed by the Free Gaza movement for this voyage the "Spirit of Humanity"] which was bearing the flag of Greece and was illegally attempting to enter the Gaza Strip/Gazan Coastal Waters”
Yes, the formal Israeli [...]

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Israeli warships to Free Gaza boat: “You will not be allowed to proceed to Gaza”

The Free Gaza expedition that left Cyprus by sea Monday morning must now be near Gaza’s maritime space, which has been under a formal Israeli naval blockade since the start of its ground offensive in Gaza on 3-4 January.
Or maybe not — can the careful wording of some of the Israeli communications suggest that the [...]

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Israeli Navy surrounding Free Gaza ship halfway from Cyprus to Gaza

The latest messages from the Free Gaza expedition, received about an hour ago, in the middle of the night (about 2 am local time) in the middle of the trip (halfway from Cyprus to Gaza) and in the middle of the Mediterranean (middle) Sea:
“Israeli Navy surrounding SPIRIT and threatening to open fire. ‘You Cannot Open [...]

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One Free Gaza boat left Cyprus for Gaza with 21 aboard

The Free Gaza movement announced this morning that one of two boats that were supposed to constitute their eighth expedition from Cyrus to Gaza actually did leave Cyprus this morning, after days of negotiations and hesitation.
Israel has said they will not allow this ship to pass.
The Free Gaza movement said in a press release that [...]

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Free Gaza expedition warned not to try sea voyage to Gaza – but if it does, it will lose Cypriot support

The Free Gaza movement has been warned not to try to sail to Gaza — its latest expedition of two ships was supposed to leave Cyprus yesterday but did not, after Cypriot authorities required additional detailed inspections — but the international activists say they “will not back down from Israel’s threats and intimidation”
According to their [...]

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One child pirate sobs in New York court – other pirate suspects appear in Kenya court without proper clothing

ABC news reported a couple of days ago that “The surviving Somali pirate suspect from the attack on the U.S. flagged merchant ship Maersk Alabama sobbed in a Manhattan courtroom today where a judge determined that he will be tried as an adult. There is still some confusion over the actual age of Abdulwali Muse, [...]

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Somalia pirates – is this the aftermath?

“As they bobbed in the ocean near the USS Bainbridge, a Navy destroyer sent to rescue Phillips, the teenage pirates were experiencing withdrawal after days without khat, a mildly narcotic leaf chewed in for its stimulant effects” — from a report in the Washington Post, here.
Then, three hijackers were killed, and, the Washington Post said, [...]

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