This year the Freedom Flotilla Coalition will launch an all-women fleet to challenge the nearly 10-year-old blockade of Gaza. In late September two boats, the Amal-Hope and Zaytouna-Oliva, will leave Italy and set sail for the coast of besieged Gaza to challenge Israel’s illegal blockade of the Palestinian territory. The Flotilla will aim to arrive in Gaza on October 1st, visiting other Mediterranean ports along the way to raise awareness and collaborate with local organisations, inviting local boats to sail with them for some legs of the trip. The flotilla boats will then be donated to the people of Gaza.
According to Women’s Boat to Gaza website, the blockade of the densely populated Gaza strip “is a form of collective punishment”, which violates the Geneva Conventions and denies the 1.8 million inhabitants “the possibility to support themselves, security of food supplies, medical care, education, drinkable water and cultural exchange”. To add salt to the wound, Gaza is still suffering from the effects of the brutal 2014 attack by the Israeli military, which lasted 51 days and, according to the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry, killed 2,251 Palestinians, including 1,462 civilians, of whom 551 were children. Over 11,000 Palestinians were injured, 1,500 children orphaned, 18,000 homes destroyed and half a million people displaced.
Another UN report published last year predicts that Gaza will be uninhabitable by 2020. Homes, schools and hospitals have been destroyed. 90% of the water is not drinkable and electricity is only available for a few hours a day. There is over 30% unemployment, 75% of the population are dependent on international aid, 35% of agricultural land and 85% of fishing waters are inaccessible due to restrictions imposed by the Israeli military and navy. Around half the population are under the age of 18.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition supports the Palestinian struggle for freedom and justice based on international law, which includes: an end to the occupation and dismantling of the apartheid wall, equal rights for Palestinian citizens under Israeli law, and the right of return for refugees to their homes and property. Its aim is to end the blockade of Gaza completely and permanently. Another aim of the women’s mission is to highlight the important role of women in the struggle for human rights in Palestine.
Organisations in Norway, Canada, Italy, South Africa, Spain, USA, New Zealand and Australia are participating in the Women’s Boat to Gaza campaign, with more to be announced. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition organised the previous Freedom Flotillas in 2010, 2011 and 2015 and this is the first all-women Flotilla to sail to Gaza. The Flotilla will be crewed entirely by women, with prominent women participants confirmed from several participating countries (more to be announced), including Nobel Laureate and peace activist from Northern Ireland Mairead Maguire, Naomi Wallace (US), our own Marama Davidson, who is the New Zealand Green Party spokesperson on Human Rights, and Gerd von der Lippe (Norway). Also on board will be Cigdem Topçuoglu, whose husband was killed on the Mavi Marmara in 2010.
The 2010 Flotilla gained significant international attention when one of the ships, the Turkish Mavi Marmara, was attacked by the Israeli Occupation Force (IOF), killing nine passengers (a tenth died four years later, never recovering from a coma caused by injuries sustained in the attack). This was a turning point for the campaign, sparking large international protests. Subsequent Freedom Flotillas have not suffered any deaths, although the response from the IOF is still violent, with reports of tasers being used on intercepted vessels. In 2011 the second Freedom Flotilla suffered sabotage to its ships, only one of which managed to approach Gaza, but was boarded and redirected to an Israeli port. Among those on the 2015 Flotilla were two MaoriTV journalists, Ruwani Perera and Jacob Bryant, who made a two-part documentary about the Flotilla. Their boat was intercepted and they were detained in Israel before being sent back to New Zealand.
Imagine if Israel was blockaded by land, sea, and air by it’s neighbours.
Imagine if the US was blockaded by Russia and China.
Imagine if the West tried to blockade North Korea (instead of just trade sanctions for it’s atomic weapons programme).
World War III would break out within twentyfour hours. No nation would tolerate being blockaded, especially illegally.
Israel’s blockade of Gaza is not just illegal, it is morally bankrupt. It is the 21st Century version of the Nazi-created Warsaw Ghetto.
My sympathies are with Gaza, and not with Israel, which continues to act as a regional bully.
No sympathy for Obama or Netenyahu or Hillary Clinton as they continue their war mongering psychotic support of this middle east madness.
More funding and more lunacy – like pouring water down a rats hole.
Arms dealers making a killing and have no conscience or ethics.
Bring all the war criminals to justice.
https://theintercept.com/2016/07/31/as-israel-prospers-obama-set-to-give-billions-more-in-aid-while-netanyahu-demands-more/
Indeed, Blake. Without the economic and military support by the US, I doubt if Israel would be in a position to pursue it’s expansionist policies. The US is certainly not the “honest broker” it purports to be.
Which explains why the US (and it’s Western allies) are despised so much by much of the Arab population; they can see and smell hypocrisy when it’s shoved in their faces.
Oh, I forgot to ask, Sian, is there an account where we can make donations? I would be willing to contribute.
Agree, Frank. I will happily donate to support this. It’s incredibly important that actions like this continue, to maintain some kind of focus on the illegality of the blockade, and its human casualties.
How is this $25000 better than spending the same on actually sending aid? As far as i see, an e pensive publicity stunt does little to practically help anyone. Why don’t we donate straight to Hamas to help them rebuild?
Eddie, it’s not a “publicity stunt”.
You could donate a billion bucks to Hamas (which wouldn’t be a bad idea), and Hamas would be unable to use that money to import building materials and technology to rebuild. Remember, Israel has illegally blockaded Gaza. Very little gets through to the people of that open-air prison-camp.
If it’s not about the publicity, what else does it achieve?
There is plenty of goods entering Gaza through Israel! That the concrete goes to tunnel building instead of schools is not Israel’s fault, is it?
The foreign aid pledged by wealthy Arab countries has not materialised because they don’t even trust Hamas. Are you serious about funding the terror org? I was joking!
Eddie you must read just what MSM presents.
“That the concrete goes to tunnel building instead of schools is not Israel’s fault, is it?”
It’s as much Israel’s fault as the concrete they use to build illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Withdraw Israeli settlers and hand over the homes to the Palestinian people. Until Israel stops flouting UN resolutions there will never be peace.
How to support NZ’s participation in this important mission – donate to our appeal to raise $25,000:
Make a direct payment to our bank account: Kia Ora Gaza Trust, 03-0211-0447718-000, Westpac Bank, Onehunga branch. Afterwards, email office@kiaoragaza.net with your deposit details so we can send you an e-receipt.
Write a cheque for ‘Kia Ora Gaza’ and post to: Kia Ora Gaza Trust, P.O. Box 86022, Mangere East, Auckland 2158
Kia Ora Gaza is a Charitable Trust incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957. Registration number 2540065.
Thank you, Roger.
$250 donated this morning.
Each time EDDIE/Heather (or one of their other pseudonyms) posts here, I’ll top it up with an extra $25.
A real pleasure to assist.
I would love to post 100 times so no one else is scammed of their money but I don’t want to upset the Mods. ScarletMod would not be happy with a spam of posts just to get you to donate.
Can we just say you’ll fund the whole $25k so the generosity of others can go to causes other than publicity stunts? Women’s refuge or the City Missions or countless other real charities could use the money for real good.
Thanks for the details, Roger. We’ll be putting a cheque in the post today.
Donation on the way. Thank you!
Donation will be made!
How to support NZ’s participation in this important mission – donate to our appeal to raise $25,000:
Make a direct payment to our bank account: Kia Ora Gaza Trust, 03-0211-0447718-000, Westpac Bank, Onehunga branch. Afterwards, email office@kiaoragaza.net with your deposit details so we can send you an e-receipt.
Write a cheque for ‘Kia Ora Gaza’ and post to: Kia Ora Gaza Trust, P.O. Box 86022, Mangere East, Auckland 2158
Kia Ora Gaza is a Charitable Trust incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957. Registration number 2540065.
It looks like Israel’s illegal expansion will envelope Gaza and further.
Certainly a terror organisation, shielded by the USA.
Israel is earning itself a growing antagonism globally.
Follow the Women’s Boat to Gaza peace flotilla – go to http://www.kiaoragaza.net
I found this very interesting:
http://untribune.com/un-peacekeepers-observe-idf-interacting-al-nusra-golan/
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/06/israel-idf-jabhat-al-nusra-druze-syria-interview-moti-almoz.html
What is the truth?
So Israel-firsters want to deny that Gaza is under siege.
How would you like it if you were never allowed to visit or be visited by your own relatives?
Isn’t this an example of sadistic cruelty?
The Gazans are Palestinians. They have family members in the West Bank and in Israel and in the diaspora.
Gazans don’t want to live on charity; they want freedom to be self-sufficient..freedom to fish without being shot , freedom to farm without being shot and without their fields being poisoned by deliberate aerial spraying, they want their children to be free to have a normal children without drones flying overhead reminding them that they can be killed any time. They want to access their aquifer water without it being drained before reaching Gaza. They want decent water and sanitation services without them being bombed.
I admire Marama Davidson and the other women of conscience from around the world who believe in a shared humanity. They are truly heroic. What they are attempted to do is so important.
In spite of all she has been through Gazan Red Crescent Dr Mona El Farra has said that the hardest thing for the people to endure is the feeling that the world doesn’t care.
Stay Human.
heather/ Eddie your are full of shit… And a disgusting Zionist mouthpiece.
Read. “Drinking The Sea of Gaza”. Days and Nights in a Land Under Siege. By Amira Hass an Israeli journalist
This is what the hell goes on in Aleppo Syria right now, I do not support or oppose it, but it is dramatic, a nasty reality that most here shy away from seeing and facing up, to, but Key and consorts support the US and what goes on in Iraq, another failed state.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX3bzq9FDi8
Key is shifting his PR image hoping many will accept his support of US/ Israeli terrorism.
Some will follow him undoubtedly. There are many who blindly support war and aggression against others and stealing their resources. Greed is fairly universal and as a greed cheer leader Key must be recognised for who he is and what he is doing. Certainly nothing for NZ.
Power is corrupting.
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