Updating news of the one boat of the Flotilla II that has managed to head for Gaza with expected arrival overnight. Reports of a French Navy vessel in the area raise question of whether France will protect its citizen’s ship or bow to Israeli blockade? Haaretz reporter Amira Hass amongst those on board along with an Al Jazeera crew. Share the news as it happens with us.

The reports that two of the foreign flagged ships planning to be part of the ten vessel Freedom Flotilla II experienced similar forms of disabling sabotage creates strong circumstantial evidence of Israeli responsibility. It stretches the imagination to suppose that a sophisticated cutting of the propeller shafts of both ships is a coincidence with no involvement by Israel’s Mossad, long infamous for its overseas criminal acts in support of contested Israeli national interests.

Eight ships have been gathered in Greek ports preparing to sail to Gaza carrying humanitarian supplies and, in the case of the American ship, letters. Two have been sabotaged – the Irish and Swedish ships – and two have now been seized by Greece upon making attempts to leave port.

It’s a big moment, not only because it ends the blockade on the Palestinian people. It’s a big moment for Egypt as well. This is a country just 3-4 months from revolution, and it’s their second major foreign policy decision. They brokered the deal between Fatah and Hamas, and now they’ve opened the border crossing.

Israel’s self appointed inquiry, the Turkel Commission, on the Israeli attack on the Mavi Mamara has issued the first part of it’s report. When pressure for an international investigation swelled after the killings, Israel refused to cooperate with independent reviews but assured us all that Israel would conduct an inquiry into what happened. And to [...]

Yesterday’s wikileaks news included the release of a US State department cable describing Israel’s policy on Gaza:

“As part of their overall embargo plan against Gaza, Israeli officials have confirmed to (U.S. embassy economic officers) on multiple occasions that they intend to keep the Gazan economy on the brink of collapse without quite pushing it over the edge”

“Easing” of blockade the day before Benjamin Netanyahu visits with President Obama is weak tea for Gazans under collective punishment while new settlement building campaign gears up and Phil Weis uncovers Gen. David Petraeus emails to Max Boot.

Don’t call it occupied territory, call it a maintenance fee.

In his visit today to Israel, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen said “I always try to see the threats and the challenges from an Israeli perspective.”

Opposition to the blockade of Gaza moved yesterday to the docks of Oakland while Tony Blair led a PR campaign to sell a new “easing” of Israel’s efforts to keep essential goods from the Gazans.