HELSINKI — Finland says Israel has warned the country it will take action against a boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists trying to break a naval blockade of Gaza.
The Foreign Ministry says Jerusalem sent a message earlier this week, but it didn't say what action would be taken against the Finnish-flagged Estelle. Ministry spokesman Risto Piipponen said Saturday that Finland urged Israel for restraint, because it was a non-military vessel with civilians on board. It left Naples, Italy, on Oct. 7 with about 20 people on board.
Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza after the militant Islamic Hamas seized control of it in 2007 from secular rival Fatah.
Under heavy international pressure, Israel eased the closure in 2010 after a naval raid killed nine Turkish activists on board a Gaza-bound flotilla.
© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.