Sol Phryne

The "Sol Phryne" was a ferry of Sol Maritime Services Ltd. She was bought by the Palestine Liberation Organisation and sunk, probably by Israeli agents [http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/88jun/yaari.htm Runaway Revolution] , "The Atlantic", Ehud Yaari, June 1988] , on 16 February 1988.

The "Sol Phryne" was built in Japan in 1947 as "Taisetsu Maru".

From 1967 to 1974, she was owned by Efthymiades Line and used for regular ferry duties between Greek islands as "Eolis". In 1974, she was purchased by Sol Maritime Services Ltd., renamed "Sol Phryne" and was then used in the Middle East, notably evacuating Palestinian guerrillas from Beirut in 1982.

Voyage

The 6,151-ton "Sol Phryne" was purchased in some secrecy by the Palestine Liberation Organisation and renamed "Al Awda" ("the Return"). The PLO planned to symbolically ferry 135 Palestinian deportees and, if they accepted the short notice invitation, 100s of journalists and other observers, to the port of Haifa for a "journey of return" echoing the journey of the "Exodus" [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,966806-3,00.html Middle East Land for Peace?] , "Time" 29 February 1988] [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE5D81138F935A25751C0A96E948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all Blast Disables P.L.O.'s 'Exodus' Ferry in Port] "New York Times", 16 February 1988] .

Israeli Defence Minister Yitzhak Rabin stated that Israel would oppose the voyage "in whatever ways we find", while Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir labeled the journey "a declaration of war" [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE1DA1031F93BA25751C0A96E948260 P.L.O. Scuttles ship plans] , "New York Times", 18 February 1988] .

A different, chartered ship had been scheduled to sail from Piraeus on 9 February, but the departure was postponed several times because Greek ship owners feared commercial retaliations from Israel if their vessel was used. With this difficulty chartering a ship, on 13th Feb 1988 the PLO purchased the aging "Sol Phryne" in Limassol, Cyprus at auction for $600,000. By the time of the sinking the crew of the ship had not been informed of the new owners.

On 15 February, three high-ranking military officials of the PLO were assassinated in Limassol by a remote-controlled bomb planted on their car [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE0DC103FF934A25751C0A96E948260&sec=&spon= P.L.O. 'Exodus' Ferry Faces a Sea of Trouble] "New York Times" 17 February 1988. Verified 28th Aug 2008.] .

18 hours later, on the night of the 15th February, an underwater explosion holed a fuel tank of the "Sol Phryne", flooding it and causing the ship to list. No casualties were reported [http://fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/ASAM-1988.htm PORT OF LIMASSOL, CYPRUS (34-40N 33-03E) 15 FEBRUARY 1988.] "1988 Anti-Shipping Activity Messages". Verified 28th Aug 2008.] but this ended the attempt. The "Sol Phryne" was raised and transferred to Bijela, in Yugoslavia.

As Time reported, "Israel officially denied complicity in the car bombing but hardly bothered to conceal its role in disabling the ferry" and suspicions of Israeli involvement were further reinforced when Israeli Transport Minister Chaim Corfu threatened that, if a further attempt was made by the PLO, "its fate will be the same". Fuad al-Bitar, Athens representative of the PLO told an Athens news conference that "it is clear that the only one interested" in the sabotage was Israel.. In July 2008, Haaretz referred to this attack, without admitting Israeli responsibility, in the context of the threatened [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1012171.html Israel may use force to halt boat trying to break Gaza siege] "Haaretz" 17th Aug 2008. Verified 28th Aug 2008.] but ultimately successful "Free Gaza" breaking of Israel's siege of Gaza. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1006667.html U.S. leftists confirm plans to sail to Gaza to break siege] , "Haaretz" 29th July 2008. Verified 28th Aug 2008.]

Three claims of responsibility were made, two of them being:
* an anonymous caller, claiming to be from the Palestine Salvation Front because "rejected many times Yasir Arafat's idea to arrange this propaganda trip" - denied by Abdul Hadi al-Nahhad for the Damascus-based group and by the PLO.
* a telephone call received by the Associated Press claimed the attack for the Jewish Defence League

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1006667.html U.S. leftists confirm plans to sail to Gaza to break siege] , "Haaretz"
* [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/taisetsu_maru_1948.htm S/S TAISETSU MARU.]