Israel Navy Intercepts Canadian, Irish Gaza-bound Aid Ships

The Israeli navy on Friday intercepted two international ships carrying pro-Palestinian activists who were trying to break the blockade on Gaza, a military statement said.

"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," it said.

An Israeli security source told Agence France Presse there were no injuries during the boarding operation.

The 15 activists aboard the Irish Saoirse (Gaelic for Freedom) and the 12 aboard the Canadian Tahrir (Arabic for Liberation), who had set sail from Turkey on Wednesday, were being towed to Ashdod port in southern Israel, it said.

Denis Kosseim, a Montreal-based spokesman for the Canadian Boat to Gaza campaign had earlier told Agence France Presse the passengers and crew would not put up a fight if Israel moved to intercept the boards.

"Those on board have been instructed not to put up any resistance to the Israeli navy when it tries to intercept them," he said.

"Everyone has signed a document in which they pledged not to put up any resistance should they be boarded by Israel," he added.

The move came after the two ships refused to heed calls to change course, prompting Israeli military Chief of Staff Benny Gantz to order their interception.

"The IDF Chief of Staff ordered the navy to board the vessels should they refuse our radio requests," the military unit's spokesman tweeted, using the identifying hashtag "provocatilla."

Moves to board the ship came three hours after the navy had first made radio contact with the two vessels, warning them not to continue into naval territory which was under "a maritime security blockade in accordance with international law."

Dublin-based organizers of the Irish boat said they had been contacted by those on board just before 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) to say they were being "rapidly" approached by two Israeli warships, with first radio contact made some 15 minutes later.

"The Israel navy advised the vessels that they may turn back at any point," the military said, adding: "The activists refused to cooperate."

Shortly afterwards, organizers said they had lost contact with the two boats.

On arrival, those on board would be transferred to the custody of the Israeli police and immigration authorities in the interior ministry, the Israeli army said. Five of those on board the Tahrir are journalists, organizers said.

"The Israel navy soldiers operated as planned, and took every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of the activists on board the vessels as well as themselves," the Israeli military's statement said.

Activists had organized a major attempt to break the Israeli blockade in May 2010, when six ships led by the Turkish Mavi Marmara tried to reach Gaza.

Israeli troops stormed the Marmara, killing nine Turkish activists and sparking a diplomatic crisis with Ankara, which expelled the Israeli ambassador and has cut military ties with the Jewish state.

Earlier this year, a second flotilla tried to reach Gaza, but several ships were sabotaged -- which activists blamed on Israel. Only the French-flagged yacht, the Dignity, was able to attempt the last leg of the journey but was stopped by the navy and those on board were deported.

Israel says its blockade is necessary to prevent weapons from entering the coastal territory, which is run by the Islamist Hamas movement.

Two months ago, a U.N. report on the flotilla raid accused the Jewish state of acting with "excessive force" but found that its naval blockade on the coastal territory was "legal."