A ship carrying pro-Palestinian activists bound for Gaza was intercepted and boarded by Israeli marines and rerouted to Israel’s southern Mediterranean port of Ashdod, where passengers could face charges of entering Israel illegally.

The Estelle left Sweden in early June and made stops at roughly 20 ports around Europe, inviting the public, media and authorities to check out the cargo and get acquainted with the passengers. At the time it was boarded, the ship was carrying 30 activists from Europe, Canada and Israel, including several European and Canadian politicians, and a cargo of cement, soccer balls, children’s books and musical instruments. No one was reported hurt in the boarding.

-- Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.