As of July 1, about 5:30am PST (Bay Area time) / 3:30pm EEST (Athens time)



ibnezra Joseph Dana

If these boats sail today, it is going to be a major blow to the Israeli pressure on the Greek government. That much is very clear.
13 minutes ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

If these boats sail today, it is going to be a major blow to the Israeli pressure on the Greek government. That much is very clear.
13 minutes ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Passengers, talking among themselves, are saying that a Spanish boat has left port without problems. Impossible for me to confirm this
14 minutes ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

I am sick of the rumors. I have heard more rumors over the past week in Athens than in the past year.
15 minutes ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Reuters photographers have just arrived at the port, I am told by organizers
19 minutes ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

The boat is fully loaded with food and water. It is clearly ready to sail.
20 minutes ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

The pressure is now going to fall entirely on the Greeks and the world will see the depth of the pressure to stop the US boat to Gaza
21 minutes ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Passengers are now arriving to the US boat to Gaza from various points in Athens. CNN, CBS on the scene setting up cameras
22 minutes ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Just like yesterday, international press corps is going to gather on the dock in Athens to see the boat off
44 minutes ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

This is not going to get started until later in the afternoon. I will update more as they get closer to the time of the demonstration.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

#flotilla activists are going to challenge the Greek blockade of their boat in port in #athens.They are setting sail for Gaza this afternoon
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Showdown #athens. @USBOATTOGAZA passengers prepared to break the Greek blockade of their ship. They are making large signs now in Greek
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

I have just arrived at the ship. The organizers are telling the truth. I can count two Greek coast boats roughly 100 meters from the ship.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

OK, I am on my way down there now. Tweets to resume as soon.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

A question for me: Why would Greek police use force to stop this boat? Where are the orders coming from?
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Naturally, I will be tweeting from the boat as well. If the Greeks use force against this boat it is going to be a story.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

If they try to leave, they are telling me that the Greeks might use force to stop the boat. Make sure to watch the news this afternoon
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Yesterday, organizers announced that they would leave regardless of Greek approval b/c of the Israeli influence in Greece.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Organizers believe that the Greeks have read yesterday's AP piece and they are going to physically block the boat at port.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

I just got word from ppl on the US boat that there is now a heavy police/coast guard presence around the US boat. I am going down there.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

So when reports about the boats went to press in Israel I was able to check with facts on the ground.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Keep in mind, I have been observing passengers on the US boat for the last week. I have been interviewing them and watching them mix
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Anyone that cares for Israeli democracy should be afraid at how the Israeli press has handled the flotilla. Right, left or center.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

In Israel you can quote 'unnamed military sources' and the information is accepted as true fact. This is horribly unhealthy for a democracy.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

Israel says the flotilla activists are violent. Then military officials deny the allegations but everyone's mind is already made up
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

My point is that the ability to have rational debate about this Flotilla and the Israeli reaction is very difficult at this moment
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

If an Israeli boat was attacked in port in Turkey, what would the reaction be? Imagine the rhetoric that would pour out of the US...
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

They started as somewhat coherent and now most attacks simply do not make sense. They all have no grounding and simple pathetic to read
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

It has been interesting to watch the attacks on my develop on twitter throughout the week
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

..@jewlicious that is well and good. Look at how many of your countrymen do though.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

There is significant and understandably frustration among press here about information regarding departure from Athens. It changes everyday
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

It is a horrible commentary on the level of discourse inside the Israeli press and it is hardly surprising.
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

I can't tell you how many 'liberal Zionist/peace now' people have openly called for incitement against unarmed civilians and journalists
1 hour ago


ibnezra Joseph Dana

A good thing for about this assignment has been to see the true colors of racism of so many in Israeli media/twitter world
1 hour ago




Joseph Dana
@ibnezra Eastern Mediterranean
Writer and Journalist based in the West Bank and Israel.
http://www.josephdana.net