Participants of the Gaza-bound flotilla claimed that Greece has offered them to ferry their humanitarian aid cargo to the Strip through the Ashdod or El Arish ports, in coordination with the United Nations.
Amin Abou Ibrahim, also known as Amin Abou Rashed, is one of the main organizers of the ”Freedom Flotilla 2″ and a founder of the ECESG, a central organization participating in the flotilla. Recently, the Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf cited Abou Rashed as the “brain behind the flotilla”, and noted that according to a Dutch journalist who had spent time with the flotilla organizers, Abou Rashed’s role as the flotilla’s main backer was kept secret until the ships all arrived to Greece. Earlier this year, Ma’an quoted him as simply a “campaigner” in an article about the upcoming flotilla.Abou Rashed was an active participant in last year’s flotilla as well. His name also came up during the prosecution of the Holy Land Foundation by the US government in 2007. The Holy Land Foundation is designated by the US Treasury as a Specially Designated National and banned by the EU for its direct financial and material support to Hamas. During the Holy Land Foundation trial, a letter was shown written by Abou Rashed to Akram Mishaal, a director of the Holy Land Foundation and a cousin of Hamas leader Khalid Mashaal.IDF h/t docstalk
