Help Challenge the Blockade of Gaza

In the campaign, “Free Gaza” A small ship carrying 60 people including a Holocaust survivor will attempt to travel from Cyprus to Gaza. Many Palestinians will also be aboard. The organizers expect the ship to be illegally stopped by the Israeli Navy once it enters the territorial waters of Gaza. They foresee the possibly of the crew being arrested. The ship will be in the Territorial waters of Gaza when it gets within 12 nautical miles of the Gaza shore. The Israeli Navy Patrols the territorial waters of Gaza and has imposed a “fishing limit” on the Palestinians in Gaza.

Legally, the ship should be able to travel to the shores of Gaza because Israel claimed to have disengaged from Gaza and should no longer be in control of its sea and air space. Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza once the Palestinians had an election and voted the political party Hamas into power. The election had international monitors and was judged to be a fair.

The organizers hope this will draw attention to the de facto occupation of Gaza by Israel. Opening the Gaza port which the Israeli Navy has closed with a naval blockade would allow residents to export agricultural products and gain control over the goods and material brought into the region. Israel controls one border crossing and allows Egypt to administer the other. Egypt does not have a lot to say in how they administer the crossing and can suffer sanctions and other repercussions if they don't go along with Israel and the United States and the other influential western powers. A truce was recently signed between Hamas and Israel. Israel agreed to lift the blockade and the restrictions of essential goods. Unfortunately, food. medical supplies, cement and fuel are still only trickling in.

According to one crew member who is a Holocaust survivor in the event the ship is able to dock the crew will fish with the fishermen and help in the schools and clinics, He hopes to “remind the world that we will not stand by and watch 1.5 million people suffer death by starvation and disease”

The ship was invited to come by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, the Palestinian center for human rights and the Gaza community Mental Health Program. This voyage is also endorsed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, The Israeli Committee against House Demolitions, Code Pink, Global Exchange, San Francisco, CA, Noam Chomsky, Cindy Sheehan (anti-war campaigner) and many other individuals and organizations. The Carter Center is also backing this effort.

To learn more go to:
http://www.freegaza.org/