AJC Hails Greek Ban on pro-Hamas Flotilla Departure

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Jul 01, 2011, 03:48 ET

NEW YORK, July 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC hailed Greece's decision today to ban the planned flotilla of ships to Hamas-ruled Gaza from leaving its ports.

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"We express our admiration and deeply-felt gratitude for this courageous, principled step by Greece," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "By preventing the flotilla from leaving for Gaza, Greece has taken a major step in preventing a serious challenge to Israel's legal maritime blockade of Gaza, the sole purpose of which is to prevent a Hamas regime sworn to Israel's destruction from importing weapons. The international community should follow Greece's lead in ensuring that the flotilla campaign, a Hamas solidarity movement disguised as a humanitarian enterprise, is no longer able to carry out its provocations."

The announcement by C. Papoutsis, the Greek Minister for Citizen Protection, followed the welcome decision by Cyprus to prevent Gaza-bound ships from leaving its shores.

Late on Friday evening, the U.S. boat slated to participate in the flotilla, The Audacity of Hope, was turned back to a Greek port after it was intercepted by the Greek authorities. Greece has pledged to police the wider maritime area to prevent flotilla ships from approaching Gaza.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee