The navy boarded the ship after the 16 pro-Palestinian activists on board
ignored calls to change course.
The military has said it will stop any attempt to break the sea blockade of
Gaza, which Israel
imposed four years ago in what it says is a measure to prevent arms
smuggling to Gaza's ruling Hamas militant group. It said the vessel, the
Dignity al-Karama, would be taken to a southern Israeli port, Ashdod.
Last year, Israeli naval commandos clashed with knife and club-wielding
activists on a Turkish ship trying to reach Gaza, killing nine Turkish
activists. Both sides have said they acted in self defense.
The deadly clash drew harsh international criticism, forcing Israel to ease
its land blockade of Gaza. But the naval embargo has remained intact.
The navy has been preparing for months for the arrival of a new flotilla,
saying it had adopted new tactics in hopes of avoiding bloodshed.
The France-based Platform Palestine group, one of the organizers of the
protest boat, said the Israeli military takeover "clearly shows the
military logic of Israeli politics, which only speaks the language of force."
It said it had no contact with anyone on the boat.
In a text message sent to reporters, the Hamas government in Gaza condemned
the seizing of the boat.
The Dignity al-Karama was the only ship remaining from a larger protest
flotilla that had hoped to sail weeks ago but was blocked by Greek
authorities.
Sixteen activists and journalists are aboard the French-based ship. They have
said they had no aid on board and that their mission was meant to make a "political
statement" against the Israeli blockade.
A France-based spokesman for a group called "A French Boat for Gaza,"
Maxime Guimberteau, said he was in contact with activists aboard the ship
earlier Tuesday and they told him that four Israeli navy ships had
surrounded the ship.
He said the vessel was about 40 miles off Gaza in international waters in the
Mediterranean and that his conversation with the boat was cut off.
Israel imposed the embargo in 2007 after Hamas militants seized control of
Gaza. It says the measure is needed to prevent weapons from reaching Hamas,
but critics say the blockade has failed to weaken the militant group and
instead has hurt the territory's economy, collectively punishing its 1.6
million people.
With the land blockade greatly eased, large amounts of consumer goods now flow
into Gaza. But restrictions remain on the entrance of construction
materials, which are sorely needed to repair damage caused by an Israeli
military offensive two years ago. Israel says items like metal, cement and
glass could be diverted for military purposes, and has approved individual
construction projects in coordination with the international community.
In its warning, the navy notified the ship that any supplies it might have on
board could be transferred legally to Gaza through an Israeli port and then
across Israeli-controlled land crossings.
