Peace cruise sails into political storm

By Charlie Charalambous

A PEACE cruise designed to bring Israelis and Arabs closer together on board ship is heading back to Cyprus after becoming a victim of the region’s bitter politics.The Black Knightarrived at Larnaca port last week after being denied access into Gaza, after which it tried to re-enter a zone between Palestinian and Israeli waters.But a tricky political stand-off has seen the boat set sail once again for Cyprus in total frustration.It is due to arrive at Limassol sometime today.The 140-foot yacht had planned to moor on the edge of Palestinian waters and have its international crew disembark and meet a crowd of 3,000 young people for a peace event in Gaza.Political wrangling has plagued the peace cruise ever since it set sail from Alexandria on August 9.Apart from twice failing to enter Gaza by sea the vessel has also been barred from Lebanon, where it was due after a stop-off at Larnaca.Some 10 Lebanese youngsters were refused permission to join the crew on board.Twenty-seven people from scouting and other youth organisations from Israel, Egypt, the Palestinian territories, Morocco, Greece, France, and Jordan are involved in the unique experimental mission.From Limassol the Black Knightwill sail to Antalya in Turkey before touring the Greek islands and ending up in Istanbul on September 10, where the crew will help in the Turkish earthquake disaster relief effort.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.