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.