In a letter the mayor sent to Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak last week, he asked the government to give the ship to Haifa, the most “appropriate home” for the ship, the Israeli Maariv daily reported on Thursday.
Israeli naval commandos raided the Mavi Marmara, part of a six-vessel Gaza-bound aid flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to impoverished Gazans with more than 600 multinational peace activists. The deadly attack took place 75 miles off the Gaza coast in international waters, claiming the lives of eight Turkish citizens and one American. Israel towed the ships to ports days after the raid and says it will keep the ships until an internal investigation is concluded. Turkey has repeatedly requested that the Israeli authorities return the ships, which are currently docked in the resort city of Haifa. “If Israel decides to confiscate the Turkish ship, I ask for it to be given to the city of Haifa to turn it into a floating hotel opposite the city’s shore,” Yahav wrote in his letter, the daily reported.
He said: “I feel that Haifa, a symbol of coexistence and cooperation between all religions, would be the appropriate home for this ship, which will turn into an international symbol of reconciliation and hope.” “Nothing will be done with these ships until after the [Jacob] Turkel inquiry because they might want to inspect them,” said Israeli Defense Ministry spokesman Shlomo Dror the day before the suggestion was brought up.
