The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Gaza ceasefire.[ 4357 ]


Hamas says Gaza blockade must end before ceasefire

BBC  ||  23 July 2014 Last updated at 22:11 GMT
 
Israel Markava tanks pull out of the Gaza Strip on 23 July 2014.
Israel says its latest ground offensive in Gaza is aimed at destroying Hamas' network of tunnels
The leader of Islamic militant group Hamas has said there can be no ceasefire to ease the conflict in Gaza without an end to Israel's blockade.
Khaled Meshaal said Hamas would continue to reject a lasting ceasefire until its conditions were met.
It follows further Israeli air strikes and ground operations in Gaza, as Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel.
Israel launched its military offensive on 8 July with the declared objective of stopping rocket fire from Gaza.
At least 649 Palestinians and 32 Israeli soldiers, plus three Israeli civilians, have been killed in the past 15 days of fighting, officials say
Earlier, the UN's top human rights official, Navi Pillay, condemned Israel's military actions in Gaza.
She also condemned Hamas for "indiscriminate attacks" on Israel.
There have been hundreds of rocket attacks on Israel and Israeli air strikes on Gaza since the Israeli offensive began.
Humanitarian truce
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal holds a press conference in the Qatari capital Doha on 23 July 2014. Khaled Meshaal said Hamas would not agree to a ceasefire until the terms had been negotiated
In addition to lifting the eight-year economic blockade, Mr Meshaal's list of demands also included the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
"We will not accept any initiative that does not lift the blockade on our people and that does not respect their sacrifices," Khaled Meshaal told reporters at a news conference in Qatar on Wednesday. 
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The suspension of some international flights to Israel's Ben Gurion airport has been extended for a second day
But, he added, the group would not "close the door" to a humanitarian truce, saying: "We need the calm for a few hours to evacuate the wounded and assist in [aid] relief."
Mr Meshaal appealed to the international community to help bring medicine, fuel and other supplies into Gaza.
Israel imposed restrictions on the Gaza Strip in 2006 after Hamas abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. The measures were tightened by Israel and Egypt in 2007 after Hamas ousted rival Fatah and forcibly took control in Gaza after winning elections the year before.
Hamas and Fatah announced a reconciliation deal in April, but the move was condemned by Israel which regards Hamas as a terrorist group.
A Palestinian youth carries blankets donated to the UN school where hundreds of families sought refuge on 23 July Wednesday, July 23, 2014. The UN says hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled their homes and are staying in 77 UN shelters
Tal Iluz, the fiance of Natan Cohen, who was killed in an exchange of fire with Palestinian militants inside the Gaza Strip, mourns during his funeral on 23 July 2014, in the central town of Modiin. Three civilians in Israel and 32 Israeli soldiers have been killed over the last 15 days
Khaled Meshaal's comments come amid fierce fighting in Gaza on Wednesday, with eyewitness reports of around 5,000 Palestinians fleeing the village of Khuzaa, in the south, following a ground incursion by Israeli troops.
Palestinian medical sources say the death toll rose to more than 690 on Wednesday, which includes a Palestinian man shot dead by Israeli forces in pre-dawn clashes in the West Bank.
Israel said three of its soldiers were killed on Wednesday during efforts to destroy the network of Palestinian militant tunnels.
Israeli police say a foreign worker was killed when a rocket fired from Gaza landed near the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon on Wednesday.
Palestinian officials say eight militants were killed in clashes with Israeli troops on the outskirts of Khan Younis.
Separately on Wednesday, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva voted in favour of an official investigation into alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Israeli soldiers return from the Gaza Strip at an army deployment area near Israel's border with the besieged Palestinian territory on 23 July 2014 Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza last week
A Palestinian man and medics prepare to wheel a wounded child into Gaza City's al-Shifa hospital following an Israeli military strike near his family home on 23 July 2014. UN human rights boss Navi Pillay says Israel's military actions in Gaza "could amount to war crimes"
The move was condemned by the media office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which described it as "travesty".
Israel's Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni, earlier said her country was acting according to international law.
UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond : "Today's UN Human Rights Council resolution will not help achieve a lasting ceasefire. It is fundamentally unbalanced and will complicate the process by introducing unnecessary new mechanisms."
Meanwhile US Secretary of State John Kerry has been meeting both Israeli and Palestinian leaders to try to help negotiate a truce.
His visit follows the decision by several US and European airlines to suspend civilian flights into Israel's Ben Gurion airport, near Tel Aviv, after a rocket from Gaza landed near the airport.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri hailed the flight cancellations as a "great victory" for the group.
Speaking after meeting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who is also in the region, Mr Kerry said: "We have certainly made some steps forward, but there is still work to be done."
Map of Gaza

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