A ship which left Greece Saturday afternoon carrying aid for the Gaza Strip will head for the Israeli-blockaded territory and not to the Egyptian port of el-Arish, as reports have said, dpa quoted the director of the foundation behind the voyage as saying Sunday. "Our intention, as stated, is to sail to Gaza and we hope that everyone does want to allow the ship to get there," Youssef Sawani, Executive Director of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Association, told Israel Army Radio. Reports Saturday said the Moldovan-flagged, Greek owned ship, the Amalthia, would sail to el-Arish, on the coast of the Sinai peninsula, after Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman discussed the matter with his Moldovan and Greek counterparts. Although Israel has relaxed its four-year-old siege of the Gaza Strip and now allows in most civilian goods and products, the enclave is still under naval blockade as Israel attempts to ensure no weapons, or materials used in weapon-production, reach the Islamist Hamas movement. On Saturday night, Israeli officials said the ship, whose voyage was commissioned by the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Association, headed by Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, the second- born son of the Libyan leader, would not be allowed to dock in Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who called the voyage "an unnecessary provocation," said the ship should sail for el-Arish, or for the Israeli port of Ashdod, where its merchandise would be checked before being sent to the Strip. Sawani denied to Army Radio that the voyage was a "provocation against anyone, or a public relations exercise with a political motive, but "a humanitarian mission" undertaken by a charity organization with peaceful aims." The Amalthia is expected to arrive off Gaza or el-Arish early Wednesday morning. Aid aboard the ship includes cartons and sacks of wheat, flour, maize, rice, sugar, olives, tomato paste, milk and vegetable oil, all of which has been donated by Greek companies and charities. Also on board the 92-metre vessel are a crew of of 12 from Haiti, India and Syria, under the command of a Cuban-born captain. Nine supporters and activists are also on board, all from Libya except for one Nigerian, one Algerian and one Moroccan. -- SPA
