Engineer Wa’el Al-Saqqa, head of the Lifeline Jordan Committee, said that the Committee’s representative ,actually in Greece,has concluded an agreement for buying the Arab vessel that will participate in “Freedom Flotilla 2” slated to set sail to Gaza from various European seaports, by the end of this month.

Al-Saqqa, in a press statement, added that the vessel, that can carry 200 passengers,was registered under the name of “Noor” company, that was established by a number of Arab stakeholders, who already met in Amman before two months,and decided to buy an Arab vessel and participate in the Freedom flotilla, which is expected to carry about 600 solidarity activists and passengers.

He explained that the vessel’s value is 560 thousand euro, noting that the committee owns 50% of it , and has paid 10% of its price, while the committee members will meet next Monday to discuss measures to settle the rest of the committee’s share in the vessel.

He went on to say that the meeting will also discuss nominating representatives of the Jordanian professional associations in the Jordanian delegation, slated to participate in the “Freedom Flotilla 2”, who are expected to reach 35 participants, including representatives of political parties and Islamic movement.

Al-Saqqa also explained that withdrawal of the Turkish vessel Maramara , increased the necessity of buying the Arab vessel that will be one of eight vessels of the fleet, within an international coalition of 26 Arab and foreign countries.

He pointed that he will participate in the meeting of the International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza, to discuss the current preparations for launching the fleet, beside the procedures of purchasing the Arab vessel, and the distributions of solidarity activists on the fleet’s vessels, as well as the international attitudes about launching the fleet.

Engineer Al-Saqqa criticized the supportive positions of Israel by UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, US president Obama, and Hilary Clinton , opposing the launch of the fleet and describing it as a provocation to Israel, while stressing that the latter is practicing provocation, killing, and assault against the Palestinians , beside violating their basic rights of living on their lands.

AB.