15 sept 2016
A new flotilla of international female activists left for the Gaza Strip from the Spanish city of Barcelona on Wednesday evening, hoping to break a nearly decade-long Israeli blockade.
Two sailing boats, Amal and Zaytouna, with 30 women from different nationalities onboard, put out to sea on way to the blockaded Gaza Strip, carrying food and medicine that will hopefully be distributed to civilians upon arrival.
Sailing under the banner “Women’s Boat to Gaza,” the activists aim to carry a message of hope and solidarity to Gazans.
The International Committee to Break the Gaza Siege released live snapshots of hundreds of supporters as they bid farewell to the activists onboard the flotilla.
Spanish MP Benet Salias, from the Unidad Popular Party, dubbed Israel “a theocratic, racist, and illegitimate entity.” Spokeswoman for the Gaza flotillas campaign Sundus Farawna said in a press statement that the campaign is peaceful and aims at breaking the illegitimate siege on Gaza.
She added that Nobel Peace Prize laureates are onboard. Member of the United Left of Spain party, Khalidiya Abu Bakra, who has Gazan origins, also said: “Regardless of whether we will reach Gaza or not, the flotilla will be held on an annual basis.
Activism and popular support will keep going in every corner of the globe in solidarity with Gaza and the Palestinians.” The boats are expected to be moored in Ajaccio (Corsica, France) a few days later and will depart again for their last port of call before heading for Gaza.
The list of passengers include Tunisian MP Latifa Habashi; al-Jazeera’s renowned Algerian journalist Khadija Benguenna; Malin Björk, a Member of European Parliament from Sweden; Ann Wright, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and former U.S. diplomat who resigned in 2003 in opposition to the invasion of Iraq; and Dr. Fauziah Modh Hasan, a Malaysian physician who has participated in many humanitarian missions with the Malaysian Medical Relief Society.
The Women's Boat to Gaza declared that the illegal blockade of Gaza must end so that every person can live with freedom and dignity. The women participants, who differ for each leg of the journey, represent over 15 countries across six continents. While they come from very different cultural and professional backgrounds, they all share a common bond and find the blockade of Gaza and the occupation of Palestine absolutely unacceptable.
The Women’s Boat to Gaza is an initiative of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition composed of civil society organizations and campaigns from more than a dozen countries.
Khudari hails Women’s boat to Gaza
The Palestinian MP and head of the popular committee to break the siege on Gaza Jamal al-Khudari hailed Thursday the new flotilla of international female activists which left for the Gaza Strip from the Spanish city of Barcelona on Wednesday evening to break the Israeli blockade.
Khudari described the new flotilla as an important step to break the nearly decade-long Israeli blockade. Such a move would shed light on the growing suffering of Gaza Strip where nearly 80% of its people fall below the poverty line, he said.
He pointed out that the continued tight siege on Gaza for nearly ten years and the delay of Gaza reconstruction after Israel’s deadly aggression in 2014 forced thousands of families to remain in mobile houses insufficient to meet their basic human needs.
He also stressed the urgent need for an international intervention to end the plight of Gaza’s residents. Two boats, Amal and Zaytouna, with 30 women on board each, have left Wednesday evening for the Gaza Strip from the Spanish city of Barcelona, hoping to break a nearly decade-long Israeli blockade.
Two sailing boats, Amal and Zaytouna, with 30 women from different nationalities onboard, put out to sea on way to the blockaded Gaza Strip, carrying food and medicine that will hopefully be distributed to civilians upon arrival.
Sailing under the banner “Women’s Boat to Gaza,” the activists aim to carry a message of hope and solidarity to Gazans.
The International Committee to Break the Gaza Siege released live snapshots of hundreds of supporters as they bid farewell to the activists onboard the flotilla.
Spanish MP Benet Salias, from the Unidad Popular Party, dubbed Israel “a theocratic, racist, and illegitimate entity.” Spokeswoman for the Gaza flotillas campaign Sundus Farawna said in a press statement that the campaign is peaceful and aims at breaking the illegitimate siege on Gaza.
She added that Nobel Peace Prize laureates are onboard. Member of the United Left of Spain party, Khalidiya Abu Bakra, who has Gazan origins, also said: “Regardless of whether we will reach Gaza or not, the flotilla will be held on an annual basis.
Activism and popular support will keep going in every corner of the globe in solidarity with Gaza and the Palestinians.” The boats are expected to be moored in Ajaccio (Corsica, France) a few days later and will depart again for their last port of call before heading for Gaza.
The list of passengers include Tunisian MP Latifa Habashi; al-Jazeera’s renowned Algerian journalist Khadija Benguenna; Malin Björk, a Member of European Parliament from Sweden; Ann Wright, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and former U.S. diplomat who resigned in 2003 in opposition to the invasion of Iraq; and Dr. Fauziah Modh Hasan, a Malaysian physician who has participated in many humanitarian missions with the Malaysian Medical Relief Society.
The Women's Boat to Gaza declared that the illegal blockade of Gaza must end so that every person can live with freedom and dignity. The women participants, who differ for each leg of the journey, represent over 15 countries across six continents. While they come from very different cultural and professional backgrounds, they all share a common bond and find the blockade of Gaza and the occupation of Palestine absolutely unacceptable.
The Women’s Boat to Gaza is an initiative of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition composed of civil society organizations and campaigns from more than a dozen countries.
Khudari hails Women’s boat to Gaza
The Palestinian MP and head of the popular committee to break the siege on Gaza Jamal al-Khudari hailed Thursday the new flotilla of international female activists which left for the Gaza Strip from the Spanish city of Barcelona on Wednesday evening to break the Israeli blockade.
Khudari described the new flotilla as an important step to break the nearly decade-long Israeli blockade. Such a move would shed light on the growing suffering of Gaza Strip where nearly 80% of its people fall below the poverty line, he said.
He pointed out that the continued tight siege on Gaza for nearly ten years and the delay of Gaza reconstruction after Israel’s deadly aggression in 2014 forced thousands of families to remain in mobile houses insufficient to meet their basic human needs.
He also stressed the urgent need for an international intervention to end the plight of Gaza’s residents. Two boats, Amal and Zaytouna, with 30 women on board each, have left Wednesday evening for the Gaza Strip from the Spanish city of Barcelona, hoping to break a nearly decade-long Israeli blockade.
Khadija Benguenna, a journalist and a popular female news presenter of Al-Jazeera, declared intention to join the new flotilla of international activists that aims to break the siege on Gaza.
Two boats, Amal and Zaytouna, with 30 women on board each, have left Wednesday evening for the Gaza Strip from the Spanish city of Barcelona, hoping to break a nearly decade-long Israeli blockade.
The passengers, including Swedish European Parliament Member Malin Bjork and Dr. Fouzia Hassan of Malaysia, aim to reach Gaza by early October.
"We are carrying food and medicine on the boat that will be distributed to Gazans upon arrival," Zohar Chamberlain Regev, a spokeswoman of the initiative, told Al-Jazeera. "But mainly we are carrying a message of hope and solidarity, because we think Gazans want that most of all."
She said she had high hopes that the flotilla would not be stopped by the Israeli navy and reach the destination. "We know that we are not a threat to Israel. We are not heading to an Israeli port so they have no reason to stop us," she said.
Last time the Women's Boat to Gaza attempted to deliver aid to the territory in 2015, the Israeli navy boarded and took over its vessel, Marianne.
The boat was taken to the Israeli city of Ashdod. In 2010, a similar bid to break the blockade by a Turkish flotilla resulted in the killing of 10 activists by Israeli commandos, and caused a diplomatic row between Ankara and Israel. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently described the blockade as "a collective punishment for which there must be accountability."
Two boats, Amal and Zaytouna, with 30 women on board each, have left Wednesday evening for the Gaza Strip from the Spanish city of Barcelona, hoping to break a nearly decade-long Israeli blockade.
The passengers, including Swedish European Parliament Member Malin Bjork and Dr. Fouzia Hassan of Malaysia, aim to reach Gaza by early October.
"We are carrying food and medicine on the boat that will be distributed to Gazans upon arrival," Zohar Chamberlain Regev, a spokeswoman of the initiative, told Al-Jazeera. "But mainly we are carrying a message of hope and solidarity, because we think Gazans want that most of all."
She said she had high hopes that the flotilla would not be stopped by the Israeli navy and reach the destination. "We know that we are not a threat to Israel. We are not heading to an Israeli port so they have no reason to stop us," she said.
Last time the Women's Boat to Gaza attempted to deliver aid to the territory in 2015, the Israeli navy boarded and took over its vessel, Marianne.
The boat was taken to the Israeli city of Ashdod. In 2010, a similar bid to break the blockade by a Turkish flotilla resulted in the killing of 10 activists by Israeli commandos, and caused a diplomatic row between Ankara and Israel. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently described the blockade as "a collective punishment for which there must be accountability."
13 sept 2016
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced the next port of call for the two boats, the Amal (Hope) and Zaytouna (Olive), slated to leave Barcelona on September 14.
After they leave Barcelona on September 14, the boats will arrive in Ajaccio (Corsica, France) on September 17. The two boats will be moored in the Ajaccio harbor during their stay, and will depart again for their last port of call before heading for Gaza.
A warm welcome is planned by the local Corsica-Palestina Association, including boat visits, meetings with local officials and more. The women on board this mission aim at breaking the illegal and inhumane Israeli blockade on Gaza.
The list of passengers include Tunisian MP Latifa Habashi;
Malin Björk, a Member of European Parliament from Sweden;
Ann Wright, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and former U.S. diplomat who resigned in 2003 in opposition to the invasion of Iraq;
and Dr. Fauziah Modh Hasan, a Malaysian physician who has participated in many humanitarian missions with the Malaysian Medical Relief Society.
The Women's Boat to Gaza declared that the illegal blockade of Gaza must end so that every person can live with freedom and dignity.
The women participants, who differ for each leg of the journey, represent over 15 countries across six continents.
While they come from very different cultural and professional backgrounds, they all share a common bond and find the blockade of Gaza and the occupation of Palestine absolutely unacceptable.
Chairman of the Popular International Committee to Support Gaza, Essam Youssef, said the flotilla represents “a humanitarian cry in the face of an illegitimate siege imposed on an innocent people that has been calling for years on the international community for help.”
“The courage plucked up by female volunteers reflects an Arab and international awareness of the important role played by women in national liberation struggles,” said Youssef.
“Women in Palestine have been paying a heavy price due to the occupation,” he added. According to Youssef, what makes this flotilla special is the fact that it transgresses all political considerations and gathers women from all corners of the globe as global citizens of goodwill to speak up for people’s right to live in dignity.
“Palestine will remain the axis of struggle not just in the Middle East but also in the world. Achieving justice for Palestine is the key to stability in the region and the world,” Youssef further stated.
The Women’s Boat to Gaza is an initiative of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition composed of civil society organizations and campaigns from more than a dozen countries.
After they leave Barcelona on September 14, the boats will arrive in Ajaccio (Corsica, France) on September 17. The two boats will be moored in the Ajaccio harbor during their stay, and will depart again for their last port of call before heading for Gaza.
A warm welcome is planned by the local Corsica-Palestina Association, including boat visits, meetings with local officials and more. The women on board this mission aim at breaking the illegal and inhumane Israeli blockade on Gaza.
The list of passengers include Tunisian MP Latifa Habashi;
Malin Björk, a Member of European Parliament from Sweden;
Ann Wright, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and former U.S. diplomat who resigned in 2003 in opposition to the invasion of Iraq;
and Dr. Fauziah Modh Hasan, a Malaysian physician who has participated in many humanitarian missions with the Malaysian Medical Relief Society.
The Women's Boat to Gaza declared that the illegal blockade of Gaza must end so that every person can live with freedom and dignity.
The women participants, who differ for each leg of the journey, represent over 15 countries across six continents.
While they come from very different cultural and professional backgrounds, they all share a common bond and find the blockade of Gaza and the occupation of Palestine absolutely unacceptable.
Chairman of the Popular International Committee to Support Gaza, Essam Youssef, said the flotilla represents “a humanitarian cry in the face of an illegitimate siege imposed on an innocent people that has been calling for years on the international community for help.”
“The courage plucked up by female volunteers reflects an Arab and international awareness of the important role played by women in national liberation struggles,” said Youssef.
“Women in Palestine have been paying a heavy price due to the occupation,” he added. According to Youssef, what makes this flotilla special is the fact that it transgresses all political considerations and gathers women from all corners of the globe as global citizens of goodwill to speak up for people’s right to live in dignity.
“Palestine will remain the axis of struggle not just in the Middle East but also in the world. Achieving justice for Palestine is the key to stability in the region and the world,” Youssef further stated.
The Women’s Boat to Gaza is an initiative of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition composed of civil society organizations and campaigns from more than a dozen countries.
10 sept 2016
Three organizations in Britain have announced their intention to organize a boat trip on the Thames River in London in support of the besieged Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Forum, the International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza and Olive (Palestinian Youth group) launched the invitation for the participation in the trip to show solidarity with the Women's Boats to Gaza and to demand an end to the inhuman blockade of Gaza.
The boat trip will be organized on September 24. The participants will be provided with Palestinian flags to wave them during the tour.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has announced the two women's boats, the Amal-Hope and Zaytouna-Oliva will leave Barcelona on September 14 and will arrive in Ajaccio (Corsica, France) on 17 September before they will depart again on 19 September for their last port of call before heading for Gaza.
The Palestinian Forum, the International Committee to Break the Siege of Gaza and Olive (Palestinian Youth group) launched the invitation for the participation in the trip to show solidarity with the Women's Boats to Gaza and to demand an end to the inhuman blockade of Gaza.
The boat trip will be organized on September 24. The participants will be provided with Palestinian flags to wave them during the tour.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has announced the two women's boats, the Amal-Hope and Zaytouna-Oliva will leave Barcelona on September 14 and will arrive in Ajaccio (Corsica, France) on 17 September before they will depart again on 19 September for their last port of call before heading for Gaza.
9 sept 2016
Tunisian MP Latifa al-Habashi announced her decision to join Women’s Freedom Flotilla to break the Israeli siege on Gaza in mid September.
Lawmaker and member of the Tunisian Parliament Latifa al-Habashi said in a press conference held in the office of the Tunisian Journalists’ Union that she will be representing Tunisia onboard Women’s Ship of Hope to the blockaded Gaza Strip on September 14.
Two ships, Amal and Zaytouna, will sail from Barcelona’s port in mid-September in order to reach the Strip and challenge the Israeli blockade.
“The hard socio-economic conditions endured by our country, should not prevent us from supporting our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” al-Habashi said addressing the Tunisian people.
“This is the duty of every single Tunisian citizen as regards our Palestinian brothers and sisters. We should not spare any single effort, humanitarian or legal, to lift such an illegitimate and immoral siege on Gaza,” she added.
Al-Habashi slammed “the silence maintained by the international community vis-à-vis two millions of people,” saying “silence just amounts to an involvement in crime.”
“Oh our sisters in Gaza! You’ll break the siege thanks to your very iron will, your strong determination, and your relentless patience.” Prominent Tunisian activists and civil society institutions acclaimed al-Habashi’s pro-Gaza move.
Lawmaker and member of the Tunisian Parliament Latifa al-Habashi said in a press conference held in the office of the Tunisian Journalists’ Union that she will be representing Tunisia onboard Women’s Ship of Hope to the blockaded Gaza Strip on September 14.
Two ships, Amal and Zaytouna, will sail from Barcelona’s port in mid-September in order to reach the Strip and challenge the Israeli blockade.
“The hard socio-economic conditions endured by our country, should not prevent us from supporting our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” al-Habashi said addressing the Tunisian people.
“This is the duty of every single Tunisian citizen as regards our Palestinian brothers and sisters. We should not spare any single effort, humanitarian or legal, to lift such an illegitimate and immoral siege on Gaza,” she added.
Al-Habashi slammed “the silence maintained by the international community vis-à-vis two millions of people,” saying “silence just amounts to an involvement in crime.”
“Oh our sisters in Gaza! You’ll break the siege thanks to your very iron will, your strong determination, and your relentless patience.” Prominent Tunisian activists and civil society institutions acclaimed al-Habashi’s pro-Gaza move.
6 sept 2016
By Aayesha J Soni
“Palestinian women”, a phrase that conjures up images of courage, strength and the backbone of Palestinian survival under ruthless and vicious Israeli occupation.
There is not a single Palestinian woman who is unscathed by the violence that Israel unleashes daily. While Palestinian women are the stone-throwers, demonstrators, field-workers, activists, and the heads of households; they are also the victims of daily human rights violations, assault, imprisonment, torture and murder.
Palestinian women play multiple roles in the survival of Palestinian life. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s Women’s Boat to Gaza (WBG) aims to highlight this role. The illegal Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza strip increases the difficulty of the tasks faced by the Palestinian women exponentially.
Gaza is the largest open air prison in the world. The illegal blockade prevents aid and daily consumables from entering the strip. Items such as A4 paper, diesel fuel, gasoline, fruit, vegetable, wheat, sugar, meat, chicken, fish products, dairy products, animal feed, hygiene products, clothing and shoes are not allowed into Gaza.
Construction material to rebuild Palestinians homes after three devastating invasions of the Strip by the illegal occupying force is also not permitted to enter. The effects of the siege on Gaza are both economical and designed to deprive people of basic every day commodities. This ties in with Zionist philosophy to change the demographics of historic Palestine through genocide and ethnic cleansing.
This is why non-violent women’s only initiatives such as the WBG, which attempt to challenge the blockade while promoting women and their rights are important. The boat is not an aid boat, it is a humanitarian solidarity mission. Notable activists, politicians, members of the media and cultural artists from around the globe will sail aboard the WBG.
These include Nobel Laureate and peace activist Mairead Maguire, playwright and screenwriter Naomi Wallace and Cigdem Topçuoglu, a professional athlete and coach, whose husband was killed in the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara in 2010.
As a woman, I am in awe of these brave female activists who will be on board the WBG. Israel is an illegal, pitiless and heartless occupier and has no respect for human rights or life.
The Zionist Apartheid regime has displayed its total disregard for international law repeatedly and I doubt they will hesitate to use excessive force again even where these brave non-violent female activists are concerned. There have been many attempts to break the siege on Gaza. Most noteworthy of these attempts was the flotilla organized by the Free Gaza Movement. The Mavi Marmara was part of this flotilla.
The Turkish Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (İHH) was also part of this attempt in 2010. Even though it was carrying only humanitarian aid and construction material, it was attacked by the illegitimate Zionist military in what has been called, an act of unprovoked aggression and piracy in international waters.
The attack resulted in the death of many renowned activists. The names of the boats (Amal-Hope and Zaytouna-Oliva) that will set sail are very significant.
Amal, which will set sail on September 14th, symbolizes the hope that will be brought to the shores of Gaza. Oliva was the name of the civil protection boat that activist-journalist Vittorio Arrigoni sailed in solidarity with Palestinian fishing boats in Gaza before he was murdered in 2011.
Zaytouna symbolizes the olive tree. The role of the mighty olive tree in Palestinian history is well documented. It is also an ancient symbol of the inevitable victory and peace that will embody the courage of the Palestinian women. Palestinian women, who bend with the wind, but never break.
Aayesha J Soni, Vice Chairperson of the Media Review Network on behalf of the Women’s Boat to Gaza. She contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com.
“Palestinian women”, a phrase that conjures up images of courage, strength and the backbone of Palestinian survival under ruthless and vicious Israeli occupation.
There is not a single Palestinian woman who is unscathed by the violence that Israel unleashes daily. While Palestinian women are the stone-throwers, demonstrators, field-workers, activists, and the heads of households; they are also the victims of daily human rights violations, assault, imprisonment, torture and murder.
Palestinian women play multiple roles in the survival of Palestinian life. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s Women’s Boat to Gaza (WBG) aims to highlight this role. The illegal Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza strip increases the difficulty of the tasks faced by the Palestinian women exponentially.
Gaza is the largest open air prison in the world. The illegal blockade prevents aid and daily consumables from entering the strip. Items such as A4 paper, diesel fuel, gasoline, fruit, vegetable, wheat, sugar, meat, chicken, fish products, dairy products, animal feed, hygiene products, clothing and shoes are not allowed into Gaza.
Construction material to rebuild Palestinians homes after three devastating invasions of the Strip by the illegal occupying force is also not permitted to enter. The effects of the siege on Gaza are both economical and designed to deprive people of basic every day commodities. This ties in with Zionist philosophy to change the demographics of historic Palestine through genocide and ethnic cleansing.
This is why non-violent women’s only initiatives such as the WBG, which attempt to challenge the blockade while promoting women and their rights are important. The boat is not an aid boat, it is a humanitarian solidarity mission. Notable activists, politicians, members of the media and cultural artists from around the globe will sail aboard the WBG.
These include Nobel Laureate and peace activist Mairead Maguire, playwright and screenwriter Naomi Wallace and Cigdem Topçuoglu, a professional athlete and coach, whose husband was killed in the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara in 2010.
As a woman, I am in awe of these brave female activists who will be on board the WBG. Israel is an illegal, pitiless and heartless occupier and has no respect for human rights or life.
The Zionist Apartheid regime has displayed its total disregard for international law repeatedly and I doubt they will hesitate to use excessive force again even where these brave non-violent female activists are concerned. There have been many attempts to break the siege on Gaza. Most noteworthy of these attempts was the flotilla organized by the Free Gaza Movement. The Mavi Marmara was part of this flotilla.
The Turkish Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (İHH) was also part of this attempt in 2010. Even though it was carrying only humanitarian aid and construction material, it was attacked by the illegitimate Zionist military in what has been called, an act of unprovoked aggression and piracy in international waters.
The attack resulted in the death of many renowned activists. The names of the boats (Amal-Hope and Zaytouna-Oliva) that will set sail are very significant.
Amal, which will set sail on September 14th, symbolizes the hope that will be brought to the shores of Gaza. Oliva was the name of the civil protection boat that activist-journalist Vittorio Arrigoni sailed in solidarity with Palestinian fishing boats in Gaza before he was murdered in 2011.
Zaytouna symbolizes the olive tree. The role of the mighty olive tree in Palestinian history is well documented. It is also an ancient symbol of the inevitable victory and peace that will embody the courage of the Palestinian women. Palestinian women, who bend with the wind, but never break.
Aayesha J Soni, Vice Chairperson of the Media Review Network on behalf of the Women’s Boat to Gaza. She contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com.
22 aug 2016
By Greta Berlin
We were so late leaving Cyprus for Gaza. The 30+ passengers waiting in the hot, dusty confines of the University in Nicosia were fed up and beginning to wonder if two boats ever existed.
Every day, I went into the morning meeting and said, “Not today, they are in a storm.” Or, “Not today, they have had problems with the steering.” Or, “Not today, one of the captains quit.”
We had been due to sail on July 31 2008. It was now August 18, and the last communication we received was the boats would finally pull into the harbor in Larnaca on the 20th, three weeks late.
Mary Hughes Thompson was sending out pleas for more money, as our adventure to Gaza was becoming more expensive by the day. People donated their social security checks, their military pensions, part of their pay checks because they believed in us, that we would actually sail to Gaza.
The media was calling all the time, the Israelis were spending thousands of shekels trying to find out where the boats were or threatening us by phone that we would never make it. “There’s a bomb on board,” was one call. Another came in late at night, a heavy Israeli accent, “Do you know how to swim?”
Lauren Booth, the sister-in-law of Tony Blair was receiving phone calls telling her that her children were in danger. We paid no attention to any of these calls, and we were naïve enough to think Israel would play fair and let two small fishing boats crammed with 44 passengers sail to Gaza.
Why not? Israel said Gaza was free, and we were going straight from international waters into the waters of Gaza. What could be easier?
The night of August 20, 2008, two tiny boats rounded the corner of Larnaca and limped into port, a bedraggled crew who hadn’t bathed in days making a run for the Sunflower Hotel to stand under the showers, while those of us waiting for them to arrive just wanted to get on board and sail.
Everyone was irritated at everyone else; 44 people from 17 countries and a dozen different cultural backgrounds tried to hold a meeting that night to strategize. And we were frightened, even the hardy sailors who had navigated the 1200 miles (1900 kilometers) to get from Greece to Cyprus. And we had the most dangerous 240 miles to go to make it to Gaza.
After all, the Israelis had threatened us repeatedly over the past month. Israel was frustrated, because they had been looking for the boats since June.
We had written they were in Alexandria, Egypt (and they sent a team there to question port authorities). Then we said they were coming down from different locations in Greece, only we hadn’t posted the correct names on the boats.
We knew Israeli commandos had blown up the engines on the Ship of Return in 1988 and murdered three of the Palestinian organizers.
But we were determined to set sail and hoped our deception cost the Israeli government money. When passengers finally lined up to get on board the morning of Friday August 22, we were shocked to realize we had to go through passport control. It never occurred to any of us that we actually had to have our passports stamped, since we were leaving the EU for Gaza.
The passport control agent, a patient Greek Cypriot, asked us to collect all of the passports and line up until our names were called. A Port Authority officer stood next to him. “You realize that these two boats are only certified for 22 passengers and you have 44.” No, actually, we didn’t know that.
“I’m going to stand right here and watch the passports stamped, and when I turn around to look at the boats, I only want to see ten people on board the Liberty and 12 on board the Free Gaza. Do you understand?’
Twenty-two of us went below deck until we pulled out to the cheers of the people standing on shore. The Cypriot Coast Guard escorted us out and we were on our way.
Before we set sail on Friday, the Israeli foreign ministry had warned us to steer clear of the Gaza coastline, and said Gaza was “the subject of an [Israeli Navy] advisory notice,” and we are warning off foreign vessels from the “designated maritime zone”. (It’s important to see that, in August 2008, there was never any talk about a military blockade, legal or illegal).
Thirty-three hours on the sea were harrowing, because most of us had no idea how rough the sea would be. And the Israeli military had blocked all our communications, from GPS to sat phones. The two captains were navigating with paper and compass for the entire night, and many people following our trip thought we had been lost at sea.
On Saturday, August 23, an Israeli spokesman said we would be ‘allowed in’.
”They wanted a provocation at sea, but they won’t get it,” foreign ministry spokesman Aviv Shiron told the AFP news agency. “We know who the passengers are and what they are bringing with them and so we have no problem letting them through.” Israel didn’t realize that the last thing we wanted was any kind of a provocation at sea.
By this time, the majority of us were sea sick, and the only way we could have driven off Israeli commandos would have been to vomit on them.
When we sighted the shores of Gaza that sunny Saturday afternoon, August 23, we realized we had made it. Forty thousand Palestinians were standing at the port, waving and cheering and blowing whistles as our bedraggled passengers and ramshackle boats pulled into port. We were throwing balloons into the water for little boys to grab and stuff down their wet shirts.
They were climbing on the sides of the boats, and, for the first time on that trip, we considered the boats might sink with hundreds of Palestinian boys hanging on the edges.
The full story of our successful trip and the challenges we met and solved is in this book, Freedom Sailors. It’s 200 pages highlight our quixotic trip and joyful ending. We set a precedent that day, and no amount of Israeli spin over the past 8 years can change the fact that we successfully sailed four more times.
“No matter what happens we have already achieved our goal by proving that ordinary citizens with ordinary means can mobilize a defense of human rights for Palestinians,” organizer Paul Larudee told the AFP news agency. “We want people to see the Palestinian problem as one of human rights, not feeding them rice,” he added.
On this 8th anniversary, we would like to remember the passengers and land-crew who have died since then and have written this article as a tribute to them as well as the thousands of Palestinians who have lost their lives in Gaza since that joyous day that changed all of us for the better.
Smooth sailing to Sister Ann Montgomery, Hedy Epstein, Vittorio Arrigoni, Scott Kennedy. Thank you courageous Palestinians who cheered us on that day and continued to cheer when we landed in October, November and December of 2008.
We have not forgotten the joy we all had, and we will continue to sail until Gaza is free. Although no boats have been able to land since December 2008, boats are still attempting to break the illegal siege.
As I write this memory, a woman’s boat is getting ready to sail in September. We wish them well.
Greta Berlin is the Co-founder, Free Gaza movement. She contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com.
We were so late leaving Cyprus for Gaza. The 30+ passengers waiting in the hot, dusty confines of the University in Nicosia were fed up and beginning to wonder if two boats ever existed.
Every day, I went into the morning meeting and said, “Not today, they are in a storm.” Or, “Not today, they have had problems with the steering.” Or, “Not today, one of the captains quit.”
We had been due to sail on July 31 2008. It was now August 18, and the last communication we received was the boats would finally pull into the harbor in Larnaca on the 20th, three weeks late.
Mary Hughes Thompson was sending out pleas for more money, as our adventure to Gaza was becoming more expensive by the day. People donated their social security checks, their military pensions, part of their pay checks because they believed in us, that we would actually sail to Gaza.
The media was calling all the time, the Israelis were spending thousands of shekels trying to find out where the boats were or threatening us by phone that we would never make it. “There’s a bomb on board,” was one call. Another came in late at night, a heavy Israeli accent, “Do you know how to swim?”
Lauren Booth, the sister-in-law of Tony Blair was receiving phone calls telling her that her children were in danger. We paid no attention to any of these calls, and we were naïve enough to think Israel would play fair and let two small fishing boats crammed with 44 passengers sail to Gaza.
Why not? Israel said Gaza was free, and we were going straight from international waters into the waters of Gaza. What could be easier?
The night of August 20, 2008, two tiny boats rounded the corner of Larnaca and limped into port, a bedraggled crew who hadn’t bathed in days making a run for the Sunflower Hotel to stand under the showers, while those of us waiting for them to arrive just wanted to get on board and sail.
Everyone was irritated at everyone else; 44 people from 17 countries and a dozen different cultural backgrounds tried to hold a meeting that night to strategize. And we were frightened, even the hardy sailors who had navigated the 1200 miles (1900 kilometers) to get from Greece to Cyprus. And we had the most dangerous 240 miles to go to make it to Gaza.
After all, the Israelis had threatened us repeatedly over the past month. Israel was frustrated, because they had been looking for the boats since June.
We had written they were in Alexandria, Egypt (and they sent a team there to question port authorities). Then we said they were coming down from different locations in Greece, only we hadn’t posted the correct names on the boats.
We knew Israeli commandos had blown up the engines on the Ship of Return in 1988 and murdered three of the Palestinian organizers.
But we were determined to set sail and hoped our deception cost the Israeli government money. When passengers finally lined up to get on board the morning of Friday August 22, we were shocked to realize we had to go through passport control. It never occurred to any of us that we actually had to have our passports stamped, since we were leaving the EU for Gaza.
The passport control agent, a patient Greek Cypriot, asked us to collect all of the passports and line up until our names were called. A Port Authority officer stood next to him. “You realize that these two boats are only certified for 22 passengers and you have 44.” No, actually, we didn’t know that.
“I’m going to stand right here and watch the passports stamped, and when I turn around to look at the boats, I only want to see ten people on board the Liberty and 12 on board the Free Gaza. Do you understand?’
Twenty-two of us went below deck until we pulled out to the cheers of the people standing on shore. The Cypriot Coast Guard escorted us out and we were on our way.
Before we set sail on Friday, the Israeli foreign ministry had warned us to steer clear of the Gaza coastline, and said Gaza was “the subject of an [Israeli Navy] advisory notice,” and we are warning off foreign vessels from the “designated maritime zone”. (It’s important to see that, in August 2008, there was never any talk about a military blockade, legal or illegal).
Thirty-three hours on the sea were harrowing, because most of us had no idea how rough the sea would be. And the Israeli military had blocked all our communications, from GPS to sat phones. The two captains were navigating with paper and compass for the entire night, and many people following our trip thought we had been lost at sea.
On Saturday, August 23, an Israeli spokesman said we would be ‘allowed in’.
”They wanted a provocation at sea, but they won’t get it,” foreign ministry spokesman Aviv Shiron told the AFP news agency. “We know who the passengers are and what they are bringing with them and so we have no problem letting them through.” Israel didn’t realize that the last thing we wanted was any kind of a provocation at sea.
By this time, the majority of us were sea sick, and the only way we could have driven off Israeli commandos would have been to vomit on them.
When we sighted the shores of Gaza that sunny Saturday afternoon, August 23, we realized we had made it. Forty thousand Palestinians were standing at the port, waving and cheering and blowing whistles as our bedraggled passengers and ramshackle boats pulled into port. We were throwing balloons into the water for little boys to grab and stuff down their wet shirts.
They were climbing on the sides of the boats, and, for the first time on that trip, we considered the boats might sink with hundreds of Palestinian boys hanging on the edges.
The full story of our successful trip and the challenges we met and solved is in this book, Freedom Sailors. It’s 200 pages highlight our quixotic trip and joyful ending. We set a precedent that day, and no amount of Israeli spin over the past 8 years can change the fact that we successfully sailed four more times.
“No matter what happens we have already achieved our goal by proving that ordinary citizens with ordinary means can mobilize a defense of human rights for Palestinians,” organizer Paul Larudee told the AFP news agency. “We want people to see the Palestinian problem as one of human rights, not feeding them rice,” he added.
On this 8th anniversary, we would like to remember the passengers and land-crew who have died since then and have written this article as a tribute to them as well as the thousands of Palestinians who have lost their lives in Gaza since that joyous day that changed all of us for the better.
Smooth sailing to Sister Ann Montgomery, Hedy Epstein, Vittorio Arrigoni, Scott Kennedy. Thank you courageous Palestinians who cheered us on that day and continued to cheer when we landed in October, November and December of 2008.
We have not forgotten the joy we all had, and we will continue to sail until Gaza is free. Although no boats have been able to land since December 2008, boats are still attempting to break the illegal siege.
As I write this memory, a woman’s boat is getting ready to sail in September. We wish them well.
Greta Berlin is the Co-founder, Free Gaza movement. She contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com.