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Italy and Spain Send Navy Ships to Defend Greta Thunberg's Gaza Flotilla
(The Times-UK) Samer Al-Atrush - Italy and Spain have sent navy ships to assist a flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists including Greta Thunberg, the Swedish campaigner, after the vessels were attacked overnight by drones. The Global Sumud flotilla blamed Israel for the attacks and said the drones caused 13 explosions as they targeted the sails of at least 11 of the vessels, although no one was injured. An Italian MP on board one vessel also said ship radios were jammed and suddenly started playing Abba songs at top volume. Israel has prevented seaborne activists from reaching Gaza twice this year, including Thunberg. Israel says the flotilla activists are complicit with Hamas. On Wednesday Israel said it had told the activists it would take delivery of the aid from them and deliver it to Gaza. "We were sorry to hear the response from the Hamas flotilla representative that the flotilla insists on pursuing a violent course of action and refuses our proposal to transfer, in a coordinated and peaceful manner, any aid that might be aboard," the Israel Foreign Ministry said. "If the flotilla continues to reject Israel's peaceful proposal, Israel will take the necessary measures to prevent its entry into the combat zone and to stop any violation of a lawful naval blockade." Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the attack while claiming the flotilla was a "dangerous and irresponsible" political stunt. She alleged that the Italian opposition MPs on board were intent on "creating problems" for her government, which has declined to recognize Palestinian statehood.