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April 8, 2011

The Meir Amit Intelligence and

Terrorism I nformation Center

080-11

IHH leader Blent Yildirim said the upcomingflotilla to the Gaza Strip might be delayed. He

added that in addition to the flotilla thepurchase of an aircraft was in progress. Hesaid only one problem remained: "The virus

called Zionism." At th is point the status of theplan/ plans is unknown.

Cartoon posted on the w ebsite of the FPM. It is one of the organizations planning the upgraded floti l laand accompanied by the "Palestine by air" initiative.

1. Preparations continue for "Freedom Fleet 2," the updated flotilla to the Gaza Strip

organized by the anti-Israeli coalition. The flotilla is expected to be launched on or about May

31, the anniversary of the events of the Mavi Marmara. One of the most prominent

organizations behind it is the Turkish IHH, the motivating force behind in the previous flotilla.

2. On April 7, at the monthly ceremony held in Alanya in southern Turkey in honor of the

operatives who died aboard the Mavi Marmara, IHH leader Blent Yildirim gave a strongly

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anti-Israeli anti-Semitic speech (for example, he said "We have only one problem, the

virus called Zionism").1 Of the upcoming flotilla he said that although it was meant to

commemorate the confrontation aboard the Mavi Marmara, it would set sail only in the

middle of June. He said a ship would sail from every country "so that Israel understands it

does not control the Mediterranean Sea." He said the Mavi Marmarawould also participate,

sailing from "a European country" [Note: He did not say which one]. "We are not afraid to

die as shaheeds," he stated, "[and] will not retreat until the siege on the Gaza Strip is

broken and we complete our journey to Al-Aqsa mosque."

3. Blent Yildirim said that the road to the Gaza Strip would be taken by air as well as by sea

and land, and that the IHH was currently in the process of purchasing a plane (haberler.com

website, April 7, 2011).

4. The initiative to send a plane to the Gaza Strip was authored by the Free Palestine

Movement (FPM), which operates from the West Coast of the United States and participates

in flotillas to the Gaza Strip. This past summer (2010) Paul Larudee, the FPM leader, said they

were zealously implementing a concrete plan in coordination with the "authorities in Gaza"

[i.e., the de facto Hamas administration]. The remarks made by Blent Yildirim indicate

that the Turkish IHH, which plays a key role in the upgraded flotil la, is also

dealing with a plane to t he Gaza Strip, either independently or in conjunction with other

organizations. However, at this point the status of the preparations for sending a

plane or planes to the Gaza Strip is unknow n to us.

1 For further information about Blent Yildirim's anti-Semitic remarks, see the December 6, 2010 ITIC bulletin, IHHleader Bulent Yildirim gave an interview focusing on the U.S. intention to designate the IHH as a terroristorganization and on the Mavi Marmara incident

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