Again they shot Rachel Corrie

An alert SMS alert reported the ship, Spirit of Rachel Corrie on the way to Gaza with Malaysian and international volunteers to send medical aids was intercepted and attacked by Israeli Navy in the Palestinian water.

The ship has changed direction and is landing in Egyption waters.

No death or injury reported.

An e-mail was received from Matthias Chang, the Mission Leader on-board The Spirit of Rachel Corrie - Mission to Gaza with information for immediate dissemination.

Below is the transmission from Matthias Chang:

10:54am KL, Gaza 5:54am:
We have been intercepted by Israeli ship and Egyptian ship.
We are disobeying the orders and sailing ahead to Gaza.

10:57am KL, Gaza 5:57am:
One Israeli warship coming to us very fast!
We are in international waters, therefore they have no right to attack us.
We are still sailing ahead.

10:59am KL, Gaza 5:59am:
They are opening fire across our ship!
We are still sailing ahead.

11:09am KL, Gaza 6:09am:
They are shooting all over the place.
We can't continue ...

11:35am KL, Gaza 6:35am:
They circled our ship twice and fired across our ship. Machine guns.
No one was injured.
One of the fishing nets caught the propeller, so we can't move now.

11:37am KL, Gaza 6:37am (Derek Graham):
The Israeli ship was coming from one end and the Egyptian ship was coming from another end.
Firing.
We are just stalled now.
Everybody is okay.
No one is injured.

Perdana Global Peace Foundation has issued a Press Release below:

16 May 2011 (Wednesday)

The Spirit of Rachel Corrie Mission, involving a Malaysian owned ship carrying aid for Palestine, has been intercepted and attacked by the Israeli naval forces in the Palestinian security zone this morning at 0654 Jordan time. Currently the ship has been forced to anchor in the Egyptian waters at one and a half nautical miles from the Gazan waters.

The vessel left the Port of Piraeus, Greece on Wednesday, May 11 carrying 7.5 kilometers of UPVC (plastic) sewage pipes to help restore the devastated sewerage system in Gaza.

The humanitarian initiative is sponsored by Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF) and participating in this mission includes anti-war activists and journalists, consisting of 7 Malaysians, 2 Irish, 2 Indians and 1 Canadian.

About PGPF

The Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF), formerly Perdana Global Peace Organisation (PGPO), is a first but resolute step in the arduous journey towards global peace, moves towards the single goal of putting an end to war. Its founder, YABhg Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, envisages “a serious, active and sustained struggle against war and for peace”. Sharing and supporting this agenda are world-prominent professionals, intellectuals, authors, statesmen – all passionate advocates of international peace. Together, they have signed the Kuala Lumpur Initiative that defines the Kuala Lumpur Initiative to Criminalise War.

"The Palestinian struggle is nothing more than a struggle for justice, to which they, as much as everyone else, have a right." Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, President of PGPF.

Tan Sri Norian Mai – PGPF Chairman
T(O) +603 2092 7248
Tan Sri Dr Samsudin Hitam – PGPF (Jordan)
HP +6 012 528 3414
Tan Sri Abdul Halil Abdul Mutalif – PGPF (Malaysia)
T(O) +603 2092 7248
Dr Zulaiha Ismail – PGPF (Malaysia)
T(O) +603 2092 7248
Alan Lonergan – Representative (European Media)
HP +962 7941 2169

Visit our website at www.perdana4peace.org

News below from the Palestinian News Network:

Israeli Navy Attack Aid Ship to Gaza and Force it Back to Egypt

16.05.11 - 11:15

Egypt – PNN – Israeli Naval forces attacked and intercepted on Monday morning aid boat named “The Spirit of Rachel Corrie Mission” off the Gaza coast. The ship’s 12 crew and passengers are safe. Currently the ship has been forced to anchor in the Egyptian waters at one and a half nautical miles from the Gazan waters. The vessel left the Port of Piraeus, Greece on Wednesday, May 11. Spirit of Rachel Corrie Ship - Photo by PGPF The humanitarian initiative is sponsored by Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF) and participating in this mission includes anti-war activists and journalists from the Asian, American and European continents. The cargo ship The Spirit of Rachel Corrie (officially known as FINCH) is carrying 7.5 kilometers of UPVC (plastic) sewage pipes to help restore the devastated sewerage system in Gaza. The ship was named after the courageous American activist who was crushed and killed by an Israeli bulldozer in 2003 while trying to prevent the demolition of another Palestinian home. She died at 23. The Spirit of Rachel Corrie Mission is part of the Perdana Global Peace Foundation's (PGPF) "Break the Siege on Gaza” campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to highlight the effects of the illegally imposed Israeli siege and raise awareness of the human rights violations of the people of Gaza. Breaking the siege and ending the illegal collective punishment of 1.5 million people must be a priority for the international community. Spirit of Rachel Corrie Ship - Photo by PGPF "The Palestinian struggle is nothing more than a struggle for justice, to which they, as much as everyone else, have a right." Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, President of PGPF stated. In a press release by PGPF the group said that on 27 December 2008, the Israeli military launched Operation Cast Lead, which not only killed some 1400 Palestinians, but also destroyed vital infrastructure leaving the Gazans with critical water and sewage problems. PGPF says Repair of the infrastructure has proved impossible as Israel has prevented the entry of construction materials and fuel to resolve this dire situation. According to a report from the Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene group (EWASH), "the release of 80 million litres of untreated or partially treated sewage into the environment and Mediterranean Sea each day is primarily a result of the Israeli imposed blockade on the Gaza Strip." According to Physicians for Human Rights-Israel: "Between 90% and 95% of the aquifers in the Gaza Strip are not safe for drinking." The primary cause of the current problem originates from the destruction, during Operation Cast Lead, of "20 kilometers of water pipes, 7.5 kilometers of sewage pipes and 5,700 mobile water tanks".