NU: Israeli attack on Mavi Marmara disturbs peace efforts

Jakarta, NU Online
The Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) strongly condemned Israeli attack on Mavi Marmara, a ship on humanitarian mission for the conflict in Gaza in which up to 16 people were killed and more than 30 others injured, saying the attack was intolerable for being able to disturb peace efforts.

"The Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) has since the beginning not expected (Israel) to use violent acts in dealing with various problems. All this could disturb peace efforts," general chairman of PBNU KH Said Aqil Siradj told reporters here on Monday.
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Siradj said that NU fully supported the Indonesian government to help seek better solutions, more over there were 12 Indonesian nationals residing in the ship.

"As the world's most populous Muslim country, we fully support the government of Indonesia to take part in seeking peace in the Gaza Strip. PBNU as an Islamic organization has also taken efforts in helping Palestine gain its independence," Siradj said.

Before the attack, eyewitnesses who are reluctant to be identified said the Navy had contacted the Israeli Zionist government ship’s captain and asked him to identify himself and the purpose of the ship. In order to avoid further confrontation, finally decided to slow down.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Israel’s claim to ship more of a humanitarian “act of provocation” against the Israeli military, rather than distributing aid. Tel Aviv also pointed to the ship activists violate international law by entering the waters of Gaza and has banned them earlier. But this claim was rejected by humanitarian activists

Previously, six ships carrying humanitarian aid relief for Gazans that had been blockaded Jewish government departed from Cyprus yesterday, Sunday. Nobel Prize winner Mairead Maguire doctors and some members of the legislators and European countries joined the entourage of hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists. (nam)