http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog/ Jan 13 2009
International mainstream media report this morning that the planned US shipment of ammunition from Greece to Israel has been canceled. The reason for this is still a bit unclear: While the international media claim the decision was made by the Pentagon in light of the proximity of the Israeli port of Ashdod (the shipment’s destination) to Gaza, Greek mainstream media paint a very different story: According to this, the shipment has been called off by the Greek government - here’s a translation of an abstract from the news as carried by news portal in.gr:
As reported in the newspaper Ta Nea (The News), for hours the phone lines between Washington and Athens were on fire until it was decided, on Monday, that at this point the operation publically announced by the American Navy should not go ahead.
The decision came despite the fact that outside the greek port of Astakos was a ship of the American Navy that would be used to transport the shipment in 235 containers.
The greek government and the ministry of foreign affairs have been uneasy about the publicity received by the issue and so, despite the (political and legal) commitments in place, the huge political cost of the operation outweigh them, since the country would have been directly implicated in the forwarding of ammunition to Israel whilst its attack on the Gaza strip is ongoing.
On Saturday (10.01), the Popular front for the Liberation of Palestine had called upon “the Greek movement, the Greek people and all international progressive forces to halt the planned shipment of U.S. arms to Israel from the Greek port of Astakos” (read the full callout here). During the following two days, tens of groups across the country responded to the callout, by calling in turn for a demonstration and blockade of the port of Astakos for Thursday, 15.01.
Only one day later, the shipment has been canceled! A small, but so significant victory… Comradely greetings to our brothers and sisters in Gaza.
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