An Orcas Island man who was on the aid flotilla raided by Israeli troops will be deported later this week, his daughter said Tuesday.
The pro-Palestinian flotilla was headed to Gaza, which is under an Israeli blockade, with 10,000 tons of aid. After days of warnings, Israel intercepted the flotilla under the cover of darkness early Monday, setting off violent clashes. Nine people were killed, mostly Turks.
Kate Schermerhorn said American Embassy officials told her Monday that her father — retired television producer David Schermerhorn — was taken into custody by Israeli officials and is unharmed.
She said her 80-year-old father is an activist with the Free Gaza Movement and has been to Gaza three times.
David Schermerhorn also left behind a video message to President Barack Obama with his family, a video that was to be released in case something happened to the flotilla. In it, he urges Obama to act forcefully if the flotilla is challenged.
On Tuesday, Egypt said it was opening its border with Gaza to allow in humanitarian aid, setting off a mad rush to the crossing by thousands of residents, while an Israeli official said there is an “ongoing dialogue” with the international community on how to expand the amount of goods entering the area.
At the same time, Israel began expelling some of the nearly 700 activists it rounded up in the naval raid, and strongly rejected criticism that its tactics were heavy-handed. The government said late Tuesday it would deport almost all of them within the next two days, but about 50 would be held for investigation into their part in the violence at sea.
Israel pledged to halt a new attempt by pro-Palestinian groups to sail more ships into Gaza, and claimed some of the arrested activists carried weapons and large quantities of cash, raising questions about whether they were mercenaries.
On Monday, three Israeli helicopters dropped 45 commandos on the flotilla’s largest ship to face more than 500 activists on board. Israel said Tuesday about 50 of them were deployed for battle, armed with knives and clubs, some wearing gas masks.
In all, about 700 Israeli troops took part in the takeover of the six ships, sailing in more than 20 Israeli vessels and including surveillance and support troops.
Worldwide condemnation of the raid has been flooding in. Turkey, an unofficial backer of the flotilla, has led the criticism, accusing Israel of committing a “massacre,” and the U.N. Security Council demanded an impartial investigation.
Late Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected world criticism, telling top security officials that Israel must prevent Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers from rearming.
“In Gaza, there is a terrorist state under Iranian sponsorship,” he said. “Opening a sea route to Gaza would present a grave danger to our citizens. ”
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