Greece bans ships heading to Gaza from leaving Greek ports

Описание: (1 Jul 2011)
++DAY SHOTS++
1. Wide shot flotilla boat returning to port, escorted by Coast Guard boat
2. Various of boats coming into port
3. Close-up sign on boat reading (English): "To Gaza with love"
4. Coast Guards waiting on the dock
5. Boat coming in to dock with crew on board
6. Close of activists on board
7. Activist on board with sign reading (English): "Free Gaza" and "let freedom ring."
8. Coast Guard waiting on the dock
9. Mid shot activists on boat as it comes in to dock
++NIGHT SHOTS++
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jane Hirschmann, Flotilla organiser:
"It was smooth sailing until the coastguard came up and put a boat in front of our boat and said to the captain 'you have to turn back,' and the captain said 'no we are going ahead, we have all the papers, they are all in place. Everything is fine and our boat is seaworthy and we are not going back."
++DAY SHOTS++
10. Cutaway of Greek and US flags attached to boat
11. Wide of boat docked
STORYLINE
American protesters on a boat bound for the Gaza Strip were escorted back to shore Friday, as Greece announced it was banning vessels heading to Gaza from leaving Greek ports.
The secretive attempt by the activists to head out to sea ended in failure after authorities in inflatable speedboats raced after them after their vessel tried to sail without permission from the port of Perama near the Greek capital, Athens.
Greek officials appealed to them to turn around, arguing that it was not safe to continue, but activists responded that it was not safe in port because of fears of alleged sabotage of their vessels, Jane Hirschmann, Flotilla organiser said.
On Thursday, an Irish ship, the MV Saoirse, said it had to abandon plans to set sail from the Turkish town of Gocek because of what it called Israeli sabotage.
Earlier this week, activists said the propeller of a Swedish ship in a Greek port was sabotaged. Israel has not commented on the reports.
The activists were seen being escorted by a Coast Guard vessel and arriving back at the coast.
The Greek government action delivered a major blow to a flotilla of nine Greek and foreign-flagged vessels and several hundred activists who had said they want to break Israel's sea blockade and deliver aid to the Palestinian territory.
The setback followed a week of administrative delays that organisers attributed to Israeli pressure on Greece, which is mired in an economic crisis and has grown closer to Israel as it seeks more foreign investment.
Israel says its sea blockade stops weapons from reaching Iran-backed Hamas militants who control Gaza, and had warned it would stop any attempt to circumvent its restrictions.
A year ago, nine activists on a Turkish boat died in an Israeli raid on a similar flotilla, with each side accusing the other of starting the violence.

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