Er zijn gisteren door zowel Egypte als Israel (tweede artikel) wagens cq. boten met wapens onderschept. Het blijft dus nodig zowel op zee als op land alles wat de Gazastrook binnenkomt goed te controleren. Mensen die oproepen tot het beëindigen van de Israelische blokkade bedoelen vaak dat Israel met die controles moet stoppen. Israel laat immers humanitaire goederen gewoon toe, en ook de export regels zijn (wat) versoepeld.
RP
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Egypt intercepts vehicles carrying weapons from Sudan to Gaza
Security forces say they seized trucks with large quantities of mortars, rocket propelled grenades, rifles, and explosives apparently headed to Hamas-ruled Gaza through smuggling tunnels.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/egypt-intercepts-vehicles-carrying-weapons-from-sudan-to-gaza-1.349431
By The Associated Press
Egyptian security officials said Tuesday that Egypt's armed forces have seized five vehicles carrying weapons into the country from Sudan, apparently headed for Gaza.
The officials say the vehicles were intercepted inside Egypt Sunday near the border with Sudan, following a shootout during which the truck drivers fled. They said the trucks were carrying large quantities of mortars, rocket propelled grenades, rifles and explosives.
They said they were headed to Hamas-ruled Gaza through smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border.
The officials spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity under government regulations.
Israeli intelligence officials say Sudan is a major route for Hamas weapons.
Last year Sudan accused Israel of carrying out airstrikes on smugglers inside Sudan. Israel did not comment on that report.
Earlier Tuesday, the Israel Navy seized a ship which was apparently carrying anti-ship missiles and other weapons meant from Gaza, believed to be sent from Iran.
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Published 19:56 15.03.11
Israel Navy: Gaza-bound anti-ship missiles found on seized ship
Navy deputy commander says the anti-ship missiles were smuggled from Iran to terrorist organizations in Gaza, warns missiles could have been used to strike both IDF and civilian ships off Gaza coast.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-navy-gaza-bound-anti-ship-missiles-found-on-seized-ship-1.349410
The officials say the vehicles were intercepted inside Egypt Sunday near the border with Sudan, following a shootout during which the truck drivers fled. They said the trucks were carrying large quantities of mortars, rocket propelled grenades, rifles and explosives.
They said they were headed to Hamas-ruled Gaza through smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border.
The officials spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity under government regulations.
Israeli intelligence officials say Sudan is a major route for Hamas weapons.
Last year Sudan accused Israel of carrying out airstrikes on smugglers inside Sudan. Israel did not comment on that report.
Earlier Tuesday, the Israel Navy seized a ship which was apparently carrying anti-ship missiles and other weapons meant from Gaza, believed to be sent from Iran.
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Published 19:56 15.03.11
Israel Navy: Gaza-bound anti-ship missiles found on seized ship
Navy deputy commander says the anti-ship missiles were smuggled from Iran to terrorist organizations in Gaza, warns missiles could have been used to strike both IDF and civilian ships off Gaza coast.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-navy-gaza-bound-anti-ship-missiles-found-on-seized-ship-1.349410
By Amos Harel
Israel Navy forces found several anti-ship missiles on board the "Victoria" ship, which was believed to be smuggling weapons from Iran to militants in Gaza and was seized by IDF forces earlier Tuesday.
"The Israel Navy operation prevented the smuggling of weapons which had strategic importance to the Gaza Strip," Israel Navy Deputy Commander Rani Ben-Yehuda said Tuesday.
According to him, if the weapons were to reach terrorist organizations, they could have used the anti-ship missiles to strike Israel Navy ships as well as civilian ships in the Ashdod port.
Ben-Yehuda said that thus far IDF forces located two Chinese-made C-704 missiles with a range of 35 kilometers, noting the IDF believes that more missiles were hidden on the ship.The IDF estimates that the weapons and ammunition found on board the ship could reach 50 tons.
He said that weapons were smuggled from Iran to Syria where the ship collected them on its way to Turkey and then sailed to Egypt.
"The Israel Navy operation prevented the smuggling of weapons which had strategic importance to the Gaza Strip," Israel Navy Deputy Commander Rani Ben-Yehuda said Tuesday.
According to him, if the weapons were to reach terrorist organizations, they could have used the anti-ship missiles to strike Israel Navy ships as well as civilian ships in the Ashdod port.
Ben-Yehuda said that thus far IDF forces located two Chinese-made C-704 missiles with a range of 35 kilometers, noting the IDF believes that more missiles were hidden on the ship.The IDF estimates that the weapons and ammunition found on board the ship could reach 50 tons.
He said that weapons were smuggled from Iran to Syria where the ship collected them on its way to Turkey and then sailed to Egypt.
Ben-Yehuda also presented a Farsi-language manual for the missiles found among the ship cargo.
He stressed that he is convinced that neither Turkey nor Egypt knew what was hidden on the ship.
Elite troops from the Shayetet 13 naval commando unit took control of the "Victoria" ship earlier Tuesday without a struggle when it was around 200 nautical miles off Israel's coast, and towed it to the port in Ashdod.
The weapons smuggling shows an attempt by terrorist organizations in Gaza with Iranian and Syrian aid to improve their fighting capabilities against Israel's naval blockade.
In the Second Lebanon War, a C-802 anti-ship missile was fired by Hezbollah and struck an Israel Navy ship resulting in the death of four soldiers. Ben-Yehuda said he believed that the kind of missiles found Tuesday on the "Victoria" are already in the hands of Hezbollah, but not in the Gaza Strip.
He stressed that he is convinced that neither Turkey nor Egypt knew what was hidden on the ship.
Elite troops from the Shayetet 13 naval commando unit took control of the "Victoria" ship earlier Tuesday without a struggle when it was around 200 nautical miles off Israel's coast, and towed it to the port in Ashdod.
The weapons smuggling shows an attempt by terrorist organizations in Gaza with Iranian and Syrian aid to improve their fighting capabilities against Israel's naval blockade.
In the Second Lebanon War, a C-802 anti-ship missile was fired by Hezbollah and struck an Israel Navy ship resulting in the death of four soldiers. Ben-Yehuda said he believed that the kind of missiles found Tuesday on the "Victoria" are already in the hands of Hezbollah, but not in the Gaza Strip.
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