PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights LTD (non profit)
Press Release

Ref: 107/2008
Date: 30 November 2008
Time: 11:30 GMT

After PCHR Filed a Lawsuit to the Israeli Supreme Court, IOF Release Three
Confiscated Fishing Boats

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) returned, on 27 November, 2008, three
fishing boats owned by Palestinian fishermen from the Gaza strip. IOF
returned the confiscated fishing boats to the sea off Gaza City coast and
informed the owners to go and retrieve them.

On behalf of the owners of the confiscated fishing boats and in cooperation
with the office of advocate Leah Tsemel, PCHR filed a lawsuit to the Israeli
Supreme Court against the Israeli Defense Minister and Navy Commander. In
its lawsuit, PCHR demanded the restoration of the three boats. IOF released
the three confiscated boats before a decision was issued by the Court,
especially because there was no legal justification of the actions committed
by IOF against the fishermen and their boats.

The three boats were stopped under IOF Navy fire 18 November 2008 as they
were sailing in the open sea off Deir al-Balah coast in the center of the
Gaza Strip. At the time, 15 Palestinian fishermen and 3 international
solidarity activists (from USA, Scotland and Italy) were on the boats.

Nine Israeli gunboats surrounded the Palestinian fishing boats, arrested the
fishermen and the internationals, and transferred them to the seaport of
Ashdod. The Palestinian fishing boats were pulled to the Israeli shores. In
the early hours of the following day, IOF released the Palestinian fishermen
and continued to detain the internationals. Afterwards, IOF deported the
international solidarity activist while keeping the boats detained till
their release on 27 November 2008.

Public Document
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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8
2824776 - 2825893
PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip.
E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
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