Irish Aid Ship Braces for Showdown With Israel

An Irish aid ship bound for Gaza has changed course and headed for port so it can stock up on video cameras and satellite transmission equipment before its inevitable confrontation with the Israeli Navy, a Free Gaza activist tells CNN. They're hoping that Israeli soldiers will behave if they know they're on camera and being streamed live.

Israel has offered to take the goods at Ashdod airport, screen them, and deliver them to Gaza, with one Israeli newspaper describing such a deal as “imminent.” But the people on the ship deny that, saying it's part of an Israeli misinformation campaign. They also say Israel has no reason to search the vessel for weapons, since Irish customs officials already have. (More Gaza aid flotilla attack stories.)