TEL AVIV, July 4, 2011 (WAFA) - Israeli peace organizations issued a statement of support Monday to the Freedom Flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip in the next few days. The statement, made by organizations with Jewish and Arab members, condemned the Israeli actions to stop the Flotilla from reaching the Strip and considered them a violation of human rights and international laws.
The organizations said the Freedom Flotilla is “a courageous act of political protest” which shows the worldwide support towards Palestinians and rejects the Israeli siege on 1.5 million people who are deprived of their basic human rights. They also saw that the sabotage of the Flotilla by the Israeli government is an “advance justification for further acts of violence against activists taking part in a legitimate political act of protest.”
The report stressed that the Flotilla is a non-violent approach, and, if Israeli forces attack it, the international activists on board will respond peacefully. It also condemned the ongoing media campaign which is clearly designed to cause fear and hatred among the Israeli population, “spreading lies regarding supposed preparations for violent resistance and alleged plans to kill soldiers, and accusing peace activists taking part of intending to take weapons into Gaza.”
A member of the Flotilla 's international coordinating team explicitly stated that “there are no weapons of any kind on any of our boats – which can be confirmed by dozens of international media representatives on board. Activists intending to take passage on the Flotilla are undergoing non-violence training and signing a clear personal commitment not to resort to violence.”
The organizations also condemned the government of Greece for its decision to block a number of boats from leaving Greek ports, saying this is a violation of international law concerning freedom of the seas. They said that reports in Israeli newspapers create the impression that Greece has caved in to unacceptable political pressure applied by the Israeli government.
The statement finally called on the Israeli government to let the boats arrive in Gaza and deliver their cargo of humanitarian supplies peacefully, and for Israel to put an immediate end to the siege and blockade on the Strip.
F.J.
