Unnamed Peak, First Ascent, Prospect Point, Antarctic Peninsula. A group of eight Palestinian and Israeli adventurers—the Breaking The Ice expedition—with another eight support crew, traveled well south down the Peninsula aboard the well-known yacht Pelagic and the new Pelagic Australis. Their aim was to make a first ascent of a virgin Antarctic mountain in the name of peace. The eight team members were Ziad Darwish, Doren Erel, Yarden Fanta, Olfat Haider, Suleiman al-Khateib, Heskel Nathaniel, Nasser Quass, and Avihu Shoshani. Most of the team had never climbed before, but were guided by Skip Novak (skipper of Pelagic), Doren Erel, and Denis Ducroz of France. Erel and Ducroz had both visited the Peninsula in January 1994 when, with Novak and sailing aboard Pelagic, they made the fourth ascent of the beautiful Mt. William on Anvers Island.

On January 16 all team members eventually summited a non-technical peak at the head of the glacier above Prospect Point. Their handheld GPS gave a height of 882m and a location of 66 01.08S 65 11.36W. On the summit, Nathaniel read a declaration that the team had prepared and called the peak The Mountain of Israeli-Palestinian Friendship. More information can be found at:www.breaking-the-ice.de.

Damien Gildea, AAC, Australia