Oh Well: More Boat Woes for 'Free Gaza' Kooks

The joke of it is they're wasting their time since the Israelis aren't going to let them go by anyway.

But these hapless morons can't even get a properly functioning boat.

A couple weeks ago they were saddled with whackjob Cynthia McKinney, although there are no reports she was on board this time.

Activists sailing to Gaza with medical supplies in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade had to turn back to Cyprus on Monday when their vessel developed engine trouble, organisers said.

Members of the U.S. based Free Gaza Movement had planned to take doctors, aid workers and European parliamentarians on a small ferry to Gaza, where Israel has mounted an offensive to rout Hamas fighters.

The group said the Greek-flagged boat had suffered problems with a generator about three hours off the Cypriot coast.

"The boat is on its way back. The problem is going to be repaired and we are going to go back (to Gaza) as soon as the boat is in shape to go," a representative of the Free Gaza Movement told Reuters.

Earlier, activists said they were determined to get into the Palestinian enclave.

"We cannot wait until Israel decides to stop the killing and then open up Gaza for the international community and aid workers to pick up the pieces," Huwaida Harraf, one of the organisers, said.

"We insist on the right to enter, we are not going to let the violence Israel may use against us stop us," she said.

It's a pretty long ride they have in front of them.

The trip, with parliamentarians from Greece, Spain and Belgium on board, was expected to take about 25 hours. Free Gaza has sent regular shuttles of aid to Gaza from Cyprus since August.

Hopefully they make it about 24 hours of the way before the Israelis sink it.