Free Gaza Movement
The Free Gaza Movement is an international human rights organization created in 2006 by a coalition of pro-Palestinian human rights organizations and activists for the purpose of publicizing the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip after the election of Hamas by sailing two ships from Greece and Cyprus to Gaza.[1] It comprises activists from many different countries and religious denominations.
History
The group was founded by four women, Bella Locke, Eliza Ernshire, Greta Berlin, Mary Hughes and by one man, Paul Larudee. The Free Gaza Movement is a human rights organization based on principles of Ghandi and Martin Luther King, according to their website. (http://www.freegaza.org)
They planned on buying a boat to sail to Gaza and break Israel's siege on the 1.5 million Palestinians there.The group originally planned to depart Piraeus on August 1, 2008, stopping at several Greek islands, and to then sail from Cyprus to Gaza on August 5.[2] The Israeli newspaper Haaretz recalled the 1988 failure of the PLO to sail to Haifa on the Sol Phryne, when an explosion punctured the hull.[3] Israel officially denied carrying out the car-bombing that killed 3 of the PLO organisers earlier the same day, but, according to Time "hardly bothered to conceal its role in disabling the ferry".[4]
Egypt has closed its border with Gaza and does not permit the passage of supplies; organizers of Free Gaza told interviewers that they were not attempting to sail from Egypt or via Egyptian waters because they "did not want to make a political statement" hinting that Egypt disagreed with the plan.[5] The Free Gaza Movement claimed that, if it proved impossible to sail from Cyprus, then they might go from Turkey or from Alexandria, Egypt, which they left before picking up their passengers in Cyprus.[6]
The organizations participating in the Free Gaza Movement include the International Solidarity Movement.[7]. The group has more than 70 endorsers for the project, including Desmond Tutu and Richard Falk. (see www.freegaza.org)
The activists participating in the effort include Jeff Halper; Hedy Epstein; Lauren Booth, former British prime minister Tony Blair's sister-in-law; and members of various Christian, Jewish, and Muslim religious organizations.[1]
Israeli anti-terror NGO Shurat HaDin have asked United States Attorney General Michael Mukasey to stop the ships on the grounds that the American fundraising for the venture is a violation of the Neutrality Act, although the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have already told the Free Gaza organizers that their project does not break any U.S. laws.[8]
August 2008 sailing
On August 23 the ships arrived in Gaza.[9] The Israeli navy did not stop them but both boats had great difficulty with their communications, a problem they blamed on jamming by Israel in an attempt to prevent the human rights watchers from getting to Gaza.[10]
The Free Gaza Movement claims that leaving Gaza 5 days later was even more significant than arriving. On arrival, they were the first internationals to freely enter Gaza in forty-one years - but on leaving, they (and the seven Palestinians with them) were given exit stamps by their own government.
Consequences
Israeli citizen Jeff Halper did not return to Cyprus on the boats, but traveled into Israel via the Erez crossing. He was arrested and has been told he will be prosecuted for breaking the Israeli law forbidding its citizens from entering the Gaza Strip.[11] A spokeswoman for the Free Gaza Movement believes that Israel’s foreign and interior ministries had given the boats permission to land in Gaza, and she believed that meant they were all in Gaza legally.[12]
Lauren Booth, sister-in-law of Tony Blair also planned to enter Israel. She was told that she'd entered Gaza illegally and refused permission to cross, finally leaving Gaza by the Rafah crossing into Egypt 4 weeks later on 20th Sept.[13] 3 days earlier she had been critical of conditions in Gaza.
October 2008 sailing
A second sailing was planned for September 25, immediately after a press conference in Larnaca. The HOPE was to carry doctors, lawyers, observers and journalists, along with six cubic meters of essential medical supplies for Gazan children.[14]
However, the second sailing did not occur until late October. The movement's 66-foot yacht, named the DIGNITY, arrived at a Gaza port on October 29. The ship carried 26 activists and medical supplies. Although Israeli officials initially announced that they would stop the ship, a last minute decision was reportedly made to allow the ship to enter Gaza. Among the passengers were 1976 Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Corrigan and Palestinian Legislative Council member Mustafa Barghouti.[15]
Sailings During the December 2008 - January 2009 Conflict
On December 29, 2008, the Dignity set sail from Cyprus, headed for Gaza, attempting to deliver 3.5 tonnes (3.9 short tons) of medical supplies to its residents.[16][17] The boat, which was boarded by Caoimhe Butterly, Cynthia McKinney, journalists from Al Jazeera and CNN,[18] three surgeons including Dr. Elena Theoharous,[19] was forced to turn back after a confrontation with Israeli naval vessels in international waters. According to The Free Gaza Movement, Israeli warships rammed their vessel, then fired machine guns in the water. Israel claims that the boat had failed to respond to Israeli naval radio contact and was attempting to out maneuver the warships while entering a “military area”. Israel denied opening fire and intentionally colliding with the Dignity. Not having enough fuel to return to Cyprus, the boat docked in Lebanon severely damaged.[20][21][22]
Cyprus lodged a formal complaint regarding the incident.[21] The Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast USA called McKinney "irresponsible", accusing her of a "provocation" that endangered many.[18] The Free Gaza movement is contemplating a suit against Israel for deliberately damaging the boat.[16][20][21][23]
The Arion, which was headed to Gaza under a Greek Merchant Ensign in order to bring human rights observers to Gaza and to offer humanitarian aid returned to Larnaca, Cyprus on January 15. According to the captain, the ship encountered Israeli warships at a distance of 92 nautical miles from the Cape Greco off Cyprus in Famagusta Bay, which is in international waters. Three Israeli ships approached the Arion and warned it that if it will not change its course towards Gaza, and sail into Israeli waters, they will be forced to attack it. According to the spokesman for Free Gaza, there was never any intention of sailing into Israeli waters and no need to, since the boats have been and will continue to go directly from international waters into the waters of Gaza. Aboard the Arion there were twelve Greek nationals and activists aboard as well as journalists and doctors of other nationalities.[citation needed] Greece had informed the Israeli government on its transfer of humanitarian aid days ago, but also warned the leaders of the expedition about the dangers of the expedition.[24]
References
- ^ a b JTA: Group will test Israel's Gaza blockade
- ^ Boat trip aims to break Israeli blockade of Gaza Reuters.
- ^ ... Sol Phryne ... damaged in a mine attack in the Cypriot port of Limassol Haaretz 29th July 2008.
- ^ Israel ... hardly bothered to conceal its role in disabling the ferry Time Magazine 29th Feb 1988.
- ^ European Jewish Press: 'Free Gaza,' plans to sail from Greece to Gaza, Jean Cohen, 30/Jul/2008
- ^ ... departs Alexandria, Ship picks up at Cyprus freegaza.org
- ^ Israel concerned leftists plan to send ship from Cyprus to break Gaza blockade by Barak Ravid, Haaretz
- ^ Israeli Civil Rights Center, a Zionist entity, Warns US Attorney General: Gaza Boat Organizers Have Violated the Neutrality Act, Sun-Herald, July 21, 2008
- ^ "Activist boats reach Gaza Strip". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ Gaza activists fight poor communications, rough seas Reuters 23rd Aug 2008.
- ^ Israeli police hold Gaza activist BBC 26th August 2008.
- ^ Israeli arrested for entering Gaza Jerusalem Post (mirrored by Karmalised.com) 26 August 2008.
- ^ Escape from Gaza (Lauren Booth). The Scotsman 21st Sept 2008.
- ^ Press release, Free Gaza Movement
- ^ Gaza activist boat docks, Jewish Telegraph Agency (JTA), October 29, 2008.
- ^ a b "Pro-Palestinian activists say Israel Navy fired on protest boat off Gaza shore". Haaretz/Reuters. 2008-12-30. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7805075.stm
- ^ a b "Gaza relief boat damaged in encounter with Israeli vessel - CNN.com". cnn.com. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ "Passengers List (Dignity has left Cyprus)". Free Gaza Movement. 2008-12-29. Archived from the original on 2008-12-30. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b "Gaza protest boat sails into Lebanon". International Herald Tribune/Associated Press. 2008-12-30. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ a b c Tran, Mark (2008-12-30). "Israel accused of ramming Gaza aid ship". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2008-12-30. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ YNET Navy orders aid boat to Gaza to retreat, December 30, 2008
- ^ "Israeli naval ship clashes with Gaza aid boat". Reuters. 2008-12-30. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
- ^ Foreign Ministry Spokesman’s reply to a question regarding the approach of the vessel Arion to the Gaza Strip, 15/1/2009