[E-rundbrief] Info 1053 - Freedom Waves to Gaza illegally boarded by Israeli military

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 1053 - Free Palestine Movement (USA): "Freedom 
Waves to Gaza" have been illegally boarded by the Israeli military in 
international waters, 4.11.2011.

Bad Ischl, 4.11.2011

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

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FREEDOM WAVES TO GAZA

BOARDED BY ISRAELI MILITARY

Canadian and Irish ships sailing with Freedom Waves to Gaza have been 
illegally boarded by the Israeli military in international waters a 
short while ago.

The Israeli military stated that “Upon arrival of the vessels at the 
Ashdod port, the activists will be transferred to the custody of the 
Israel Police and immigration authorities in the Ministry of Interior”.

Freedom Waves to Gaza organizers have been unable to communicate with 
the ships since soon after the vessels were approached by Israeli 
warships earlier this afternoon.

The Canadian boat ‘Tahrir’ (Liberation) confirmed that the Israeli 
navy had contacted them asking for their destination at around 13:00 
(Gaza time) to which Ehab Lotayef, an activist on board the ship, 
replied ‘The conscience of humanity’. When the Israelis again demanded 
to know the destination of the ship Lotayef replied; ‘The betterment 
of mankind’. ’

Huwaida Arraf, spokesperson from Freedom Waves to Gaza, said “It’s 
clear that 27 civilians on two small boats, carrying only medicine, 
constituted no security threat to the Israeli state, and that the 
determination to keep them out is only a furtherance of Israel’s 
policy of collective punishment, a crime against humanity. Despite 
this Israeli aggression, we will keep coming, wave after wave, by air, 
sea, and land, to challenge Israel’s illegal policies towards Gaza and 
all of Palestine. Our movement will not stop or be stopped until 
Palestine is free.”

The Israeli military reported that the navy has been ordered by IDF 
Chief of Staff Benny Gantz to board the ships after “attempts to 
contact them failed.” The Israeli military has offered to unload the 
boats’ supplies at Ashdod, Israel.

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey, has reported that the boats were offered 
the choice to go to Egypt or return.

At 13:00 both ships were around 51 nautical miles from the coast of 
Gaza in international waters.

Israeli commandos boarded a previous Gaza Freedom Flotilla on 31 May 
2010, killing nine Turkish activists and wounding many more.

The Freedom Waves to Gaza initiative is a non-violent, civil society 
movement to challenge the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza Earlier 
this morning, activists aboard both ships were preparing for possible 
attack by the Israeli navy by training in nonviolent resistance 
tactics. The two ships, carrying a total of 27 passengers and $30,000 
worth of medicine and supplies, set off from Turkey on November 2.

Please help us continue our work.

www.freepalestinemovement.org


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Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
Wolfgangerstr. 26, A-4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
Impressum in: http://www.begegnungszentrum.at
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Honoured by the (Austrian) "Journalism-Award from below 2010"