Freedom Flotilla II
Encyclopedia
"Freedom Flotilla II – Stay Human" was a flotilla
that planned to break the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip
by Israel
by sailing to Gaza on 5 July 2011. Ultimately, the sailing did not take place.
The flotilla was organized by a coalition of 22 NGOs. Its name refers to the May 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla
. Their stated goal was to end the blockade of Gaza "completely and permanently". Initially, 10 ships, with 1,000 activists were set to sail for Gaza, but by 28 June 2011, the number of expected participants had decreased to fewer than 300, plus a few dozen journalists, and by 7 July all but a few dozen activists had returned home.
The flotilla was publicly opposed by the United States
, France
, the United Kingdom
, Turkey
, Canada
, the Middle East Quartet (consisting of the European Union
, Russia
, the United Nations
, and the United States), and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
. It was publicly supported by the Hamas administration of the Gaza Strip whose leaders asked countries to support the flotilla, saying that the blockade was a crime, and that claims that the blockade had ended were wrong.
Activists on two ships, one in Greece and one in Turkey, found similar damage to their propeller shafts, and claimed that the ships had been sabotaged by Israel. It was reported that the investigation by Turkish
authorities on one of the ships determined that there may have been no sabotage at all, and that any damage happened before the boat arrived in Turkey, but these media reports appeared prior to the formal investigation beginning and the Turkish coastguard enquiry has yet to announce its findings. The media reports were disputed by Irish Ship to Gaza, the owner of the vessel. Greece
forbade the vessels from leaving its ports, citing safety concerns, but offered to instead send any humanitarian aid to Gaza in its own vessels, under United Nations supervision. Greece's offer was supported by Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and the United Nations, but rejected by the flotilla activists. Subsequently, two flotilla ships, the Audacity of Hope and Tahrir, disobeyed Greece's orders. They were intercepted by the Greek coast guard, brought back to shore, and dozens of activists were arrested. Activists responded by occupying the Spanish embassy in Athens.
Only the French ship Dignité Al Karama managed to approach Gaza. They advised the Greek authorities that their destination was the Egyptian port of Alexandria
, and then turned toward Gaza. On July 19, the ship was intercepted and boarded without incident by Israeli commandos and escorted to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
, Israel and Egypt closed off their respective borders with Gaza, preventing most goods and nearly all people from going in and out.
At the end of May 2010 a flotilla of six ships left from Turkey towards the Gaza Strip. The main purpose of the flotilla, according to its organizers, was to bring humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip. On 31 May 2010 the Israeli navy raided the ships
some 40 kilometres away from Gaza shores. During the takeover, a violent confrontation occurred in which nine activists were killed on one of the ships and several Israeli soldiers were injured as well as dozens of passengers from several ships. At the end of the operation the ships were seized by the Israeli navy and taken to the port of Ashdod.
Following the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid, international outrage contributed to a shift in Israeli policy. Both Israel and Egypt eased their blockade, letting in more goods over land. In June 2010 Egypt decided to open the land crossings between Egypt and the Gaza Strip in order to transfer a minimal amount of supplies.
After the events of the 2011 flotilla raid, organizations from several countries declared their intention to send more ships to break the blockade on Gaza. As a result, the Israeli government announced that the any ships attempting to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip would be arrested.
Opinions on the legality of Israel's blockade of the Gaza strip, as well as on the use of force in international waters to maintain the blockade, are divided.
On 3 July 2011, the Greek government offered to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza themselves, but Greece's offer was turned down by the activists.
, an Italian reporter and activist whose killing by suspected members of a Palestinian Salafist group in Gaza in April 2011 "left the Palestinian activist community stunned." His favourite expression was "Stay Human".
would lead the flotilla, but in mid-June, IHH announced that the ship would be unable to sail due to technical issues. As of 10 July 2011, the following ships had planned on sailing to reach Gaza:
The following boats did not set sail:
, before being allowed into Gaza.
Plans for the new flotilla were met with international opposition. United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
urged Mediterranean governments to discourage the new flotilla and send aid through "legitimate crossings and established channels", the United States warned against the flotilla reportedly considered asking Turkey to host a peace summit between Israel and the Palestinian Authority
provided that it stop it, and Canada warned its nationals not to participate in the flotilla and called it "provocative". Turkey
urged activists to reconsider the need for a flotilla in light of the newly opened Rafah crossing, but also urged Israel to act wisely and avoid past mistakes.
Several Dutch journalists who were due to travel in the flotilla backed out in late June, accusing the organizers of non-transparency, particularly with regard to their relations with Hamas
, restrictiveness, dishonesty and "shocking" gullibility. Journalist Eric Beauchemin said, "never have I seen a more closed organization. When we would ask critical questions they would accuse us of being unprofessional. Restrictions were imposed on us that hadn't been agreed upon beforehand."
In France, a ship purchased for the flotilla was prevented from sailing after being denied permission to dock in Marseille
. The move followed intense political pressure by the Jewish community on members of Parliament
, political parties, and organizations, which in turn pressured insurance companies and authorities. A day before, the IHH had announced that was rethinking its participation in the flotilla and might withdraw from the initiative. On 17 June, İHH announced that they are still part of the flotilla movement, though the Mavi Marmara pulled out from the flotilla because, according to Yildirim, president of IHH, "after the damage caused to the Mavi Marmara [last year], we are not in a position to go to sea".•
to Greece, to meet up with the other vessels. The vessels docked in Piraeus
. However, the French vessel Dignité – Al Karama did not dock, and proceeded directly towards the Gaza Strip.
, there was no direct evidence Israel was involved, and he estimated the damage would take several days to repair. Other flotilla organizers suspected that the damage was the result of a sabotage operation by Israeli naval divers, and demanded that the Greek police and port authorities provide security for the vessels. Some activists announced that they themselves planned to guard the vessels. On 29 June, the MV Saoirse sustained damage while docked in Turkey
. Activists claimed that the damage was caused by Israeli divers, who were able to avoid detection by guards stationed on the vessel.
A number of passengers on the flotilla said they had been mugged on the streets near the port and had mobile phones stolen, and that suspicious "fishermen" had been sighted near the ships, loitering without bait or buckets, by waters that are known to be contaminated.
Israel flatly rejected the accusations as "paranoid" and accused the activists of "living in a James Bond
film."
Selcuk Unal, a spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry, said that an investigation by Turkish
authorities determined that there was no act of sabotage on the Irish ship, which had been docked in the Turkish port of Gocek. These claims have been disputed by Activists who called for an independent investigation into how the MV Saoirse was damaged.
Due to the damage, the MV Saoirse's plans to join the flotilla were cancelled but several Irish activists went to Corfu to join the Italian/Dutch ship, the MV Stefano Chiarini.
Greece offered to transfer the cargo onto Greek ships, and transport humanitarian aid through established aid channels, as requested by the UN Secretary General. The offer was supported by Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations, but rejected by the flotilla activists.
in violation of this Greek ban. It was intercepted after about ten minutes by an armed Hellenic Coast Guard
boat and two Zodiac speedboats. An hours-long standoff ensued, with the coast guard initially trying to persuade the boat to turn back. Eventually, the boat was boarded by armed coast guard personnel and escorted to a Greek naval facility. Greek authorities arrested the American captain of the boat, John Klusmire, and held him on charges of endangering the lives of the boat's passengers, which is a felony, and of trying to leave port without permission. Activists responded by launching a hunger strike
. Klusmire was released from custody on 5 July, but the charges against him were not dropped. "Only a fool thought we'd get to Gaza given what happened last year. We knew we'd be stopped," said Henry Norr, an activist on the boat.
On 4 July, the mainly Canadian-manned Tahrir sailed from Crete
in violation of the ban. It did so without its original Greek crew on board, and instead with "international volunteers" piloting the boat. Canadian Soha Kneen and Australian Michael Coleman were arrested after they used kayak
s to surround a Greek coast guard vessel pursuing the boat. The coast guard vessel caught up to the Tahrir after about 15 minutes. Passengers attempted to protect the wheelhouse by draping it with netting and blocking doorways by sitting in front of them and linking arms. The Tahrir was sprayed with water cannons, boarded by armed officers, and towed back to port. One activist claimed that two officers boarded the boat, and one had a pistol drawn as he approached the boat's wheelhouse to take control. Canadian citizen Sandra Ruch, who was responsible for the boat, was arrested on charges of illegally sailing without permission. Fifty other passengers were detained by the Greek coastal authority. Activists claimed that the coast guard vessel rammed the boat against a cement pier and demanded that it be fixed immediately at Greece's expense. Activists Soha Kneen and Michael Coleman were tried and found guilty of obstructing the interception of the Tahrir, and were sentenced to 30 days in prison. Both had their sentences suspended and were released, but were fined 246 Euro
s in court costs.
In the early morning of 5 July, the French yacht Dignité – Al Karama, carrying eight passengers, evaded the Greek coast guard and left a port near Athens, but turned back on its own after several hours. Reportedly, the activists aboard aboard the vessel did not want to be the only ones sailing to the Gaza Strip. Later, the vessel attempted to depart again in defiance of the Greek ban, but was stopped and taken to the port of Sitia
on the island of Crete
. Greek authorities said that during these events the yacht collided with a Greek coast guard vessel and damaged it.
On 5 July, about 20 Spanish activists from the ship Guernica occupied the Spanish embassy in Athens to protest the Greek travel ban.
ian port of Alexandria
. Instead, the vessel headed for Gaza. Aboard the yacht were 16 people, including three crew members and journalists from Al Jazeera
, as well as Amira Hass
, an Israeli journalist from Haaretz
.
Dignité Al Karama was stopped by the Israeli Navy about 65 kilometers off the coast of Gaza, in international waters, after ignoring warnings that it was approaching the Gaza blockade line and must change course for either Ashdod or Egypt
. The yacht was surrounded by at least three Israeli warships and boarded by Shayetet 13
naval commandos, who took over the vessel, arrested the passengers, and transferred them to a warship. The operation was conducted without any resistance from the passengers or use of violence by the commandos. The vessel was towed to Ashdod port and searched. No weapons or humanitarian aid were found on board. The passengers were taken to Ashdod, where Haaretz
journalist Amira Hass
was released. The remaining 15 passengers were transferred to Holon, where they were interviewed by Immigration Authority personnel and signed documents stipulating that they would leave the country within 72 hours, before being deported.
The Paris-based organisers described the Israeli naval interception as "an act of violence and an illegal act," and as "a new act of piracy against harmless people".
Israeli authorities said that they wish to avoid clashes with the activists, and promised flotilla organizers that if they dock at the Israeli port of Ashdod, humanitarian aid would be delivered by Israel directly to Gaza. It warned the flotilla organizers that if they were to attempt to break the blockade, it would intercept the ships and that Israeli forces would defend themselves if they were attacked. To deal with any casualties that could result from a naval interception from the flotilla, the Israeli Navy converted the mess halls on two vessels into operating rooms fully equipped for surgery, and planned for them to feature a full medical staff, including surgeons and anesthesiologists. Medevac
helicopters were also planned be at hand in case any of the injured needed to be evacuated to hospitalized in Israel, and Medical Corps personnel were to be deployed at the port of Ashdod.
A top Israeli naval officer warned that Israel would prevent the ships from breaking its blockade on Gaza at all costs, and that Israel would again use force if required, including boarding the ships and confronting the activists. Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai added, "There is an unequivocal directive from the government to enforce the naval blockade that is recognized by international law, and we will not allow it to be broken." The Israel Defense Forces
(IDF) began training personnel for future flotillas. In addition to Shayetet 13
commandos, other naval and special forces units were also drilled to participate. IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi
announced that Israel may deploy snipers to minimize troop casualties on the next flotilla. The IDF also announced that attack dogs from Unit Oketz
would be deployed before soldiers to neutralize threats. In June 2011, the IDF released a video showing naval forces practicing an interception of the flotilla. The footage showed the use of high-powered water cannons aimed at vessels simulating flotilla ships, along with other means.
In 19 June 2011, Eli Marom
, Commander of the Israeli Navy, was quoted as calling the flotilla a "hate flotilla".
Israeli military sources told Israeli newspapers on 27 June 2011 that some radical elements among flotilla members intended to kill soldiers who tried to board their vessels, and had equipped themselves with bags of sulfur to throw at soldiers. Multiple newspapers reported the statements. Alex Fishman, dean of Israeli military correspondents, criticized these claims and said "There isn't a shred of substance to the report that extremist elements will put up violent resistance to IDF soldiers aboard the flotilla. Neither is there any clear information regarding deadly weapons on any of the ships". He said that it can be assumed that this is considered a possibility by defense forces, along with many other scenarios, but was improperly turned into a definitive fact. This article also reports that Israel's most widely-read newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth
, wrote ( in Hebrew ) of the claim, "There isn't a shred of substance to the report that extremist elements will put up violent resistance to IDF soldiers aboard the flotilla. Neither is there any clear information regarding deadly weapons on any of the ships. It can be assumed that this is considered a possibility – along with many other scenarios and possibilities that come up in brainstorming sessions among military and intelligence officials preparing for the flotilla. But when a possibility such as this gets turned into a fact within the context of the Israeli hasbara campaign – this can boomerang and show Israel to be lacking in credibility." Anonymous Israeli cabinet members described this information as "political spin", saying that information concerning violent resistance had not been presented to them. However, Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon
later said that reports from army sources that flotilla participants were planning lethal violence were accurate. Similarly, Israel's Prime Minister's Office replied that the materials issued by the IDF spokesman are based on reliable intelligence assessments..
On the same day, Israel's Government Press Office issued a letter to foreign journalists, warning them that participating in the upcoming flotilla sailing to Gaza could result in them being barred from Israel for up to 10 years. The letter was signed by GPO director Oren Helman. The decision was rescinded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
the following day, along with a statement that journalists would be invited onto Israeli naval vessels. The Foreign Press Association welcomed the reversal.
On 27 June Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that flotilla participants are "terror activists, seeking to create provocation and looking for blood", and that Israel plans to "deal with the flotilla properly". He added that the majority of those who had planned to join the flotilla now understand that those who wish to help can do this through legal means.
On 28 June, a Youtube
video of a man called "Marc" who claims to be an activist denied from boarding the flotilla on account of his homosexuality was exposed to be a hoax. The man in the video was discovered to be Omer Gershon, an Israeli entrepreneur and public relations expert. The video was tweeted by an intern in Prime Minister Netanyahu's office. The intern said he did not know that the video was a hoax, and that he posted the video on his own private Twitter
account, not on behalf of the government.
said, "I strongly urge those wishing to deliver humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip to do so through established channels. Unauthorized efforts to deliver aid are provocative and, ultimately, unhelpful to the people of Gaza." He added that Canadians should instead donate to the Red Cross/Red Crescent in the Gaza Strip. The department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said: "The border around the Gaza Strip is under the control of Israeli and Egyptian authorities. Canadians who break the laws of another country are subject to the judicial system of that country. DFAIT can neither offer protection from the consequences of such actions nor override the decisions of local authorities.": Egypt offered to allow the flotilla to dock at the Egyptian port of El Arish. The cargo would then be transferred overland to Gaza after it has been searched.: The Foreign Ministry of France strongly denounced the flotilla, calling it a "bad idea that is expected only to increase tension and be a source of conflict". "Last year's events showed that there is a danger that confrontation will result from these initiatives," it said in a statement. The French Ambassador to Israel told Israeli authorities that France expected them to "act with a sense of responsibility and moderation". France indicated that it was prepared to provide consular protection to its nationals, and reiterated its position that the Gaza blockade should be lifted.: On 24 June 2011 Ismail Haniya
, the Hamas
Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority, was interviewed as saying "The United Nations and all international law organizations should provide protection to the second flotilla that is preparing to sail to the Gaza Strip. The world must stop Israel from intercepting the ships, We believe that it is the right of the foreign activists to arrive in the Gaza Strip, and we condemn any Israeli threats against them. It is obvious that the Israeli occupation is preparing for another crime against them". The Hamas government secretary Mohammad Awad has called other countries to support the flotilla, stating that it was a crime to continue imposing the blockade against the Gaza Strip, and that the claims that the blockade has ended are wrong.: The Greek foreign ministry stated that "Greece's positions on the need to lift the Gaza blockade and improve the humanitarian situation in the region are well known", but added that the flotilla "does not deal with the substance of the humanitarian problem in Gaza", and urged Greek citizens as well as Greek-registered vessels not to participate in it. The Greek government later made it illegal for ships to sail from Greece to the Gaza Strip, citing safety concerns (see above).: The Tánaiste
and Minister for Foreign Affairs
, Eamon Gilmore
, urged Israel to show restraint and emphasised to the Israeli ambassador that "if the flotilla does sail next week, then Israel must exercise all possible restraint and avoid any use of military force if attempting to uphold their naval blockade. In particular, I would expect that any interception of ships is conducted in a peaceful manner and does not endanger the safety of our citizens or other participants." He also urged ambassador Modai to forward this message to Israeli authorities to avoid any repetition of the violence which marked last year's flotilla. The meeting with the Israeli ambassador was conducted on 23 June. The Taoiseach
, Enda Kenny
, speaking in Dáil Éireann
, echoed the same call.: Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal
wrote a letter to the parliament calling on Dutch NGOs not to join the international flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip. He wrote that the cabinet believes that the flotilla will "not make the least contribution to a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict".: Mahmoud Abbas
, President of the Palestinian National Authority and Chairman of the PLO, described Greece's plan to transfer humanitarian aid through established channels as positive, and expressed his support for it.: On 29 June 2011, British deputy Foreign Minister, Alistair Burt
stressed that while the UK was very concerned about the situation in Gaza, it did not think the delivery of aid via such a provocative route was appropriate.: The U.S. State Department warned Americans taking part in the flotilla that they may violate U.S. civil and criminal statue against delivering material support to terrorist organizations, and may face prosecution. In a travel warning, the State Department further advised U.S. citizens that they could face arrest, prosecution and deportation by Israel if they join the flotilla. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said "Groups that seek to break Israel's maritime blockade of Gaza are taking irresponsible and provocative actions that risk the safety of their passengers. We urge all those seeking to provide such assistance to the people of Gaza...not to participate in actions like the planned flotilla." The U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, said that "there are distinct mechanisms to deliver goods to Gaza and there are no justifications to sail directly to Gaza." Texas Governor Rick Perry
showed his concern regarding the flotilla by asking the U.S. attorney general to "aggressively pursue all available legal remedies to enjoin and prevent these illegal actions, and to prosecute any who may elect to engage in them in spite of your pre-emptive efforts" referring to any Americans who participate.
, an NGO based in Israel, delayed or blocked several of the vessels by legal methods, including warning insurance companies that insuring the flotilla boats might leave the companies open to prosecution for aiding a terrorist organization. In addition, Shurat HaDin sent a letter warning Inmarsat
, a satellite navigation company, that it could be open to legal charges for providing communications and navigation services to ships that are part of the flotilla.
Gisha, an Israeli not-for-profit organization whose stated goal is "to protect the freedom of movement of Palestinians, especially Gaza residents," criticized the focus on humanitarian aid by flotilla organizers and the Israeli government. Sari B ashi, Executive Director of Gisha, said "residents of Gaza are being deliberately reduced to recipients of humanitarian aid" and that there is "no shortage of food in Gaza, but economic recovery is blocked by sweeping restrictions on the movement of goods and people".•
noted that "according to Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, there is no shortage of basic foods", and that "periodic shortage of medical supplies is often attributed to the ongoing power struggle between Hamas and Fatah, whose representatives in the West Bank are sometimes accused of withholding medicine as a way of punishing the Hamas government." Abu Toameh questioned why, given this situation, the flotilla organizers did not plan to help Syria
n and Libya
n refugees, whose situation was worse, or to express solidarity with Saudi Arabia
n women who are being arrested for driving cars.
Canada's National Post
editorialized against the flotilla, calling it a "charade". It concluded that
Pravda
argued in favour of the flotilla, stating
said regarding the flotilla that the main problem wasn't importing goods into Gaza, as there was "no shortage of stock" in the territory, but the difficulty of exporting goods. However, they stressed that they were not opposed to the flotilla.
Author Alice Walker
announced that she will join the flotilla and published a letter in support of the Flotilla. The letter puts the flotilla in the context of the "followers of Gandhi," and the "Jewish civil rights activists" who stood side by side with blacks in America's South. In the letter, she also rebukes Benjamin Netanyahu policies, and those in the US who back them. Fellow author Howard Jacobson
criticized Walker saying that her concern for setting the children of Gaza over the children of Israel does not justify the flotilla, and that she gives no convincing reason for partaking.
Philip Missfelder, foreign policy spokesman of the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU) and Christian Social Union
(CSU) parties, the largest combined group of MPs in the German parliament, said on 5 July that the so-called Gaza flotilla activists "endanger peace efforts" and their action is "part of the asymmetrical warfare against Israel." He added that their actions were "not about humanitarian help, rather a confrontation with Israel". He further stated that the activists were working against the goals of Germany and the Middle East Quartet. "I welcome that the Greek authorities have decisively intervened as some activists set sail without permission," he said.
Harvard University
literature professor Ruth Wisse
condemned the flotilla as a "kill-the-Jews flotilla", stating that its purpose was "to discredit the Israeli attempt to protect itself and to give Hamas a free hand amassing weapons to use against Israeli civilians".
Christopher Hitchens
condemned the flotilla for its cooperation with Hamas, noting Hamas' official and programmatic adoption of the antisemitic forgery The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
, its expression of outrage at the death of Osama bin Laden
, and its ties with Hezbollah, al-Qaeda
and the regimes of Syria
and Iran
. He also criticized the media for "soft-centred coverage" of the affair, suggesting that pointed questions should have been asked of the flotilla participants and that the title "activists" was an inaccurate and gratuitously positive label for the participants.
According to Paul Murphy
Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) and longtime Freedom Flotilla supporter "The aim of the Flotilla is to break that siege by delivering vital medical supplies and construction material and to highlight the ongoing blockade and impact on the population."
Four Nobel Peace Laureates, Mairead Maguire, Jody Williams
, Shirin Ebadi
, and Rigoberta Menchú Tum, wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "to urge you to use your good offices in support of the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza....by appointing a representative to inspect and seal the cargo of the boats of the Freedom Flotilla II—thus assuring the Israeli government that the boats are carrying humanitarian supplies such as toys, medical supplies, cement and educational materials."
On 7 July 2011, MIT
linguistics professor Noam Chomsky
, wrote "Today the U.S. and Israel are vigorously seeking to block the flotilla. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton virtually authorized violence, stating that 'Israelis have the right to defend themselves' if flotillas 'try to provoke action by entering into Israeli waters' – that is, the territorial waters of Gaza, as if Gaza belonged to Israel. Greece agreed to prevent the boats from leaving (that is, those boats not already sabotaged) – though, unlike Clinton, Greece referred rightly to 'the maritime area of Gaza.' In January 2009, Greece had distinguished itself by refusing to permit U.S. arms to be shipped to Israel from Greek ports during the vicious U.S.-Israeli assault in Gaza. No longer an independent country in its current financial duress, Greece evidently cannot risk such unusual integrity."
later visited Israel, where Israeli President Shimon Peres
told him: "I thank you very much for fulfilling the UN secretary general's guidelines and stopping the flotilla. Thank you for not allowing people interested in disturbing good order and international law from coming without supervision to Gaza, which is led by a terrorist group."
Joshua Mitnick of the Christian Science Monitor reported that Greece's actions were the result of a growing relationship between Israel and Greece, including an offer of "generous military assistance", that started after Israel Turkey ties were damaged by the Gaza flotilla raid.
Flotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
that planned to break the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
by Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
by sailing to Gaza on 5 July 2011. Ultimately, the sailing did not take place.
The flotilla was organized by a coalition of 22 NGOs. Its name refers to the May 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla
Gaza flotilla raid
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Their stated goal was to end the blockade of Gaza "completely and permanently". Initially, 10 ships, with 1,000 activists were set to sail for Gaza, but by 28 June 2011, the number of expected participants had decreased to fewer than 300, plus a few dozen journalists, and by 7 July all but a few dozen activists had returned home.
The flotilla was publicly opposed by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the Middle East Quartet (consisting of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, and the United States), and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
. It was publicly supported by the Hamas administration of the Gaza Strip whose leaders asked countries to support the flotilla, saying that the blockade was a crime, and that claims that the blockade had ended were wrong.
Activists on two ships, one in Greece and one in Turkey, found similar damage to their propeller shafts, and claimed that the ships had been sabotaged by Israel. It was reported that the investigation by Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
authorities on one of the ships determined that there may have been no sabotage at all, and that any damage happened before the boat arrived in Turkey, but these media reports appeared prior to the formal investigation beginning and the Turkish coastguard enquiry has yet to announce its findings. The media reports were disputed by Irish Ship to Gaza, the owner of the vessel. Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
forbade the vessels from leaving its ports, citing safety concerns, but offered to instead send any humanitarian aid to Gaza in its own vessels, under United Nations supervision. Greece's offer was supported by Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and the United Nations, but rejected by the flotilla activists. Subsequently, two flotilla ships, the Audacity of Hope and Tahrir, disobeyed Greece's orders. They were intercepted by the Greek coast guard, brought back to shore, and dozens of activists were arrested. Activists responded by occupying the Spanish embassy in Athens.
Only the French ship Dignité Al Karama managed to approach Gaza. They advised the Greek authorities that their destination was the Egyptian port of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, and then turned toward Gaza. On July 19, the ship was intercepted and boarded without incident by Israeli commandos and escorted to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
Background
After the 2007, Fatah-Hamas conflictFatah-Hamas conflict
The Fatah–Hamas conflict , also referred to as the Palestinian Civil War , and the Conflict of Brothers , i.e...
, Israel and Egypt closed off their respective borders with Gaza, preventing most goods and nearly all people from going in and out.
At the end of May 2010 a flotilla of six ships left from Turkey towards the Gaza Strip. The main purpose of the flotilla, according to its organizers, was to bring humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip. On 31 May 2010 the Israeli navy raided the ships
Gaza flotilla raid
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...
some 40 kilometres away from Gaza shores. During the takeover, a violent confrontation occurred in which nine activists were killed on one of the ships and several Israeli soldiers were injured as well as dozens of passengers from several ships. At the end of the operation the ships were seized by the Israeli navy and taken to the port of Ashdod.
Following the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid, international outrage contributed to a shift in Israeli policy. Both Israel and Egypt eased their blockade, letting in more goods over land. In June 2010 Egypt decided to open the land crossings between Egypt and the Gaza Strip in order to transfer a minimal amount of supplies.
After the events of the 2011 flotilla raid, organizations from several countries declared their intention to send more ships to break the blockade on Gaza. As a result, the Israeli government announced that the any ships attempting to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip would be arrested.
Opinions on the legality of Israel's blockade of the Gaza strip, as well as on the use of force in international waters to maintain the blockade, are divided.
On 3 July 2011, the Greek government offered to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza themselves, but Greece's offer was turned down by the activists.
Name
The flotilla was named in memory of Vittorio ArrigoniVittorio Arrigoni
Vittorio Arrigoni was an Italian reporter, writer, pacifist and activist. Arrigoni worked with the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement in the Gaza Strip, from 2008 until his death...
, an Italian reporter and activist whose killing by suspected members of a Palestinian Salafist group in Gaza in April 2011 "left the Palestinian activist community stunned." His favourite expression was "Stay Human".
Ships
Originally it was thought that the Mavi MarmaraMV Mavi Marmara
MV is a Comoros-flagged passenger ship, which was formerly owned and operated by İDO Istanbul Fast Ferries Co. Inc. on the line Sarayburnu, Istanbul-Marmara Island-Avşa Island in the Sea of Marmara. Built at the Golden Gate Shipyard by Turkish Shipbuilding Co...
would lead the flotilla, but in mid-June, IHH announced that the ship would be unable to sail due to technical issues. As of 10 July 2011, the following ships had planned on sailing to reach Gaza:
| Boat | Country of origin | No. passengers |
|---|---|---|
| Dignité Al Karama | France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
6 |
The following boats did not set sail:
| Boat | Country of origin | No. passengers |
|---|---|---|
| Mavi Marmara | Comoros Comoros The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar... |
|
| MV Saoirse | Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
25 |
| Tahrir | Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
43 |
| Louise Michel | France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
|
| Stefano Chiarini | Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
|
| Gernika | Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
50 |
| The Audacity of Hope | United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
50 |
| Eleftheri Mesogeios | Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... , Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
|
| Juliano | Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
20 |
Participants
Initially, 10 ships, with 1,000 activists from 20 countries were said to be set to sail for Gaza from various European ports, with humanitarian aid, during the last days of June, or few days of July 2011. As of 28 June 2011, however, the number of expected participants had decreased to 350, plus a few dozen journalists. By 7 July, all but a few dozen activists had returned home.Organizers
The flotilla was organized by various NGOs:- Free Gaza MovementFree Gaza MovementThe Free Gaza Movement is a coalition of human rights activists and pro-Palestinian groups formed to challenge the Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip by sailing humanitarian aid ships to Gaza...
- Canadian Boat to Gaza
- European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza
- IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation
- Irish Ship to Gaza
- Rumbo a Gaza (Spain)
- Ship to Gaza Greece
- Ship to Gaza Sweden
- The International Committee to Lift the Siege on Gaza
- Un bateau français pour Gaza (France)
- US Boat to Gaza
Preparations
The IHH announced plans for the new flotilla, again led by the Mavi Marmara to depart for Gaza in June 2011. IHH President Fehmi Bulent Yıldırım said "Even if we sacrifice shahids (martyrs) for this cause, we will be on the side of justice." In June 2011, the IHH conveyed a message to the Israeli government through Turkish Jews that the organization was not interested in another clash with Israel, and a proposal that the ships be inspected in a third-party country, such as CyprusCyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, before being allowed into Gaza.
Plans for the new flotilla were met with international opposition. United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
urged Mediterranean governments to discourage the new flotilla and send aid through "legitimate crossings and established channels", the United States warned against the flotilla reportedly considered asking Turkey to host a peace summit between Israel and the Palestinian Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
provided that it stop it, and Canada warned its nationals not to participate in the flotilla and called it "provocative". Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
urged activists to reconsider the need for a flotilla in light of the newly opened Rafah crossing, but also urged Israel to act wisely and avoid past mistakes.
Several Dutch journalists who were due to travel in the flotilla backed out in late June, accusing the organizers of non-transparency, particularly with regard to their relations with Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
, restrictiveness, dishonesty and "shocking" gullibility. Journalist Eric Beauchemin said, "never have I seen a more closed organization. When we would ask critical questions they would accuse us of being unprofessional. Restrictions were imposed on us that hadn't been agreed upon beforehand."
In France, a ship purchased for the flotilla was prevented from sailing after being denied permission to dock in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
. The move followed intense political pressure by the Jewish community on members of Parliament
Parliament of France
The French Parliament is the bicameral legislature of the French Republic, consisting of the Senate and the National Assembly . Each assembly conducts legislative sessions at a separate location in Paris: the Palais du Luxembourg for the Senate, the Palais Bourbon for the National Assembly.Each...
, political parties, and organizations, which in turn pressured insurance companies and authorities. A day before, the IHH had announced that was rethinking its participation in the flotilla and might withdraw from the initiative. On 17 June, İHH announced that they are still part of the flotilla movement, though the Mavi Marmara pulled out from the flotilla because, according to Yildirim, president of IHH, "after the damage caused to the Mavi Marmara [last year], we are not in a position to go to sea".•
Initial leg
Two of the vessels taking part in the flotilla set sail from the French island of CorsicaCorsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
to Greece, to meet up with the other vessels. The vessels docked in Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
. However, the French vessel Dignité – Al Karama did not dock, and proceeded directly towards the Gaza Strip.
Vessels damaged
On 27 June 2011, activists announced that they had discovered damage to two of the vessels, the Juliano and MV Saoirse. Both the vessels had their propellers and pipes leading to their engines damaged. According to Flotilla spokesman Dror FeilerDror Feiler
Dror Elimelech Feiler is a Swedish-Israeli musician, artist and leftist activist. He has been living in Stockholm, Sweden since 1973. He is married to the artist Gunilla Sköld-Feiler...
, there was no direct evidence Israel was involved, and he estimated the damage would take several days to repair. Other flotilla organizers suspected that the damage was the result of a sabotage operation by Israeli naval divers, and demanded that the Greek police and port authorities provide security for the vessels. Some activists announced that they themselves planned to guard the vessels. On 29 June, the MV Saoirse sustained damage while docked in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Activists claimed that the damage was caused by Israeli divers, who were able to avoid detection by guards stationed on the vessel.
A number of passengers on the flotilla said they had been mugged on the streets near the port and had mobile phones stolen, and that suspicious "fishermen" had been sighted near the ships, loitering without bait or buckets, by waters that are known to be contaminated.
Israel flatly rejected the accusations as "paranoid" and accused the activists of "living in a James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film."
Selcuk Unal, a spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry, said that an investigation by Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
authorities determined that there was no act of sabotage on the Irish ship, which had been docked in the Turkish port of Gocek. These claims have been disputed by Activists who called for an independent investigation into how the MV Saoirse was damaged.
Due to the damage, the MV Saoirse's plans to join the flotilla were cancelled but several Irish activists went to Corfu to join the Italian/Dutch ship, the MV Stefano Chiarini.
Greek travel ban
Greece announced that any vessels bound for Gaza are forbidden from leaving their ports. Greece emphasized safety concerns and noted that the Secretary General of the United Nations, the European Council, the Middle East Quartet and Greece itself had already urged against participation in the flotilla.Greece offered to transfer the cargo onto Greek ships, and transport humanitarian aid through established aid channels, as requested by the UN Secretary General. The offer was supported by Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations, but rejected by the flotilla activists.
Violations
On 1 July, the American-manned flotilla boat Audacity of Hope, which was not carrying any aid, sailed from PeramaPerama
Perama is a port city and a suburb of Piraeus that lies on the southwest edge of the Aegaleo mountains. It creates the western terminus of the Port of Piraeus and there is also a port that provides ferry services to Salamis. The town has only one main road connecting Lambrakis and Ralli Avenues,...
in violation of this Greek ban. It was intercepted after about ten minutes by an armed Hellenic Coast Guard
Hellenic Coast Guard
The Hellenic Coast Guard is the national coast guard of Greece. Like most other coast guards, it is a paramilitary organization that can support the Hellenic Navy in wartime, but resides under separate civilian control in times of peace...
boat and two Zodiac speedboats. An hours-long standoff ensued, with the coast guard initially trying to persuade the boat to turn back. Eventually, the boat was boarded by armed coast guard personnel and escorted to a Greek naval facility. Greek authorities arrested the American captain of the boat, John Klusmire, and held him on charges of endangering the lives of the boat's passengers, which is a felony, and of trying to leave port without permission. Activists responded by launching a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
. Klusmire was released from custody on 5 July, but the charges against him were not dropped. "Only a fool thought we'd get to Gaza given what happened last year. We knew we'd be stopped," said Henry Norr, an activist on the boat.
On 4 July, the mainly Canadian-manned Tahrir sailed from Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
in violation of the ban. It did so without its original Greek crew on board, and instead with "international volunteers" piloting the boat. Canadian Soha Kneen and Australian Michael Coleman were arrested after they used kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
s to surround a Greek coast guard vessel pursuing the boat. The coast guard vessel caught up to the Tahrir after about 15 minutes. Passengers attempted to protect the wheelhouse by draping it with netting and blocking doorways by sitting in front of them and linking arms. The Tahrir was sprayed with water cannons, boarded by armed officers, and towed back to port. One activist claimed that two officers boarded the boat, and one had a pistol drawn as he approached the boat's wheelhouse to take control. Canadian citizen Sandra Ruch, who was responsible for the boat, was arrested on charges of illegally sailing without permission. Fifty other passengers were detained by the Greek coastal authority. Activists claimed that the coast guard vessel rammed the boat against a cement pier and demanded that it be fixed immediately at Greece's expense. Activists Soha Kneen and Michael Coleman were tried and found guilty of obstructing the interception of the Tahrir, and were sentenced to 30 days in prison. Both had their sentences suspended and were released, but were fined 246 Euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s in court costs.
In the early morning of 5 July, the French yacht Dignité – Al Karama, carrying eight passengers, evaded the Greek coast guard and left a port near Athens, but turned back on its own after several hours. Reportedly, the activists aboard aboard the vessel did not want to be the only ones sailing to the Gaza Strip. Later, the vessel attempted to depart again in defiance of the Greek ban, but was stopped and taken to the port of Sitia
Sitia
Sitia refers both to the port town, with 8,900 inhabitants and to the municipality with 19,209 inhabitants in Lasithi, Crete . It lies to the east of Agios Nikolaos and to the northeast of Ierapetra. Sitia port is on the Sea of Crete, which is a part of the Aegean Sea and is one of the economic...
on the island of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. Greek authorities said that during these events the yacht collided with a Greek coast guard vessel and damaged it.
On 5 July, about 20 Spanish activists from the ship Guernica occupied the Spanish embassy in Athens to protest the Greek travel ban.
Activist withdrawal
On 7 July 2011 most of the activists withdrew from the initiative and left Greece for home. Only a few dozen remained to try to convince the Greek government to end its travel ban.Journey of the Dignité Al Karama
On 16 July, the French yacht Dignité Al Karama left the Greek island of Kastellorizo after informing Greek authorities that its destination was the EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian port of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. Instead, the vessel headed for Gaza. Aboard the yacht were 16 people, including three crew members and journalists from Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
, as well as Amira Hass
Amira Hass
Amira Hass is a prominent left-wing Israeli journalist and author, mostly known for her columns in the daily newspaper Ha'aretz. She is particularly recognized for her reporting on Palestinian affairs in the West Bank and Gaza, where she has also lived for a number of years.-Life:The daughter of...
, an Israeli journalist from Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
.
Dignité Al Karama was stopped by the Israeli Navy about 65 kilometers off the coast of Gaza, in international waters, after ignoring warnings that it was approaching the Gaza blockade line and must change course for either Ashdod or Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. The yacht was surrounded by at least three Israeli warships and boarded by Shayetet 13
Shayetet 13
Shayetet 13 is the elite naval commando unit of the Israeli Navy. The unit is considered one of the primary Special Forces units of the Israel Defense Forces . S'13 specializes in sea-to-land incursions, counter-terrorism, sabotage, maritime intelligence gathering, maritime hostage rescue, and...
naval commandos, who took over the vessel, arrested the passengers, and transferred them to a warship. The operation was conducted without any resistance from the passengers or use of violence by the commandos. The vessel was towed to Ashdod port and searched. No weapons or humanitarian aid were found on board. The passengers were taken to Ashdod, where Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
journalist Amira Hass
Amira Hass
Amira Hass is a prominent left-wing Israeli journalist and author, mostly known for her columns in the daily newspaper Ha'aretz. She is particularly recognized for her reporting on Palestinian affairs in the West Bank and Gaza, where she has also lived for a number of years.-Life:The daughter of...
was released. The remaining 15 passengers were transferred to Holon, where they were interviewed by Immigration Authority personnel and signed documents stipulating that they would leave the country within 72 hours, before being deported.
The Paris-based organisers described the Israeli naval interception as "an act of violence and an illegal act," and as "a new act of piracy against harmless people".
Israel
Israeli officials stated that the flotilla's main purpose was to cause a provocation which was designed to serve Hamas's military objectives.Israeli authorities said that they wish to avoid clashes with the activists, and promised flotilla organizers that if they dock at the Israeli port of Ashdod, humanitarian aid would be delivered by Israel directly to Gaza. It warned the flotilla organizers that if they were to attempt to break the blockade, it would intercept the ships and that Israeli forces would defend themselves if they were attacked. To deal with any casualties that could result from a naval interception from the flotilla, the Israeli Navy converted the mess halls on two vessels into operating rooms fully equipped for surgery, and planned for them to feature a full medical staff, including surgeons and anesthesiologists. Medevac
MEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
helicopters were also planned be at hand in case any of the injured needed to be evacuated to hospitalized in Israel, and Medical Corps personnel were to be deployed at the port of Ashdod.
A top Israeli naval officer warned that Israel would prevent the ships from breaking its blockade on Gaza at all costs, and that Israel would again use force if required, including boarding the ships and confronting the activists. Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai added, "There is an unequivocal directive from the government to enforce the naval blockade that is recognized by international law, and we will not allow it to be broken." The Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF) began training personnel for future flotillas. In addition to Shayetet 13
Shayetet 13
Shayetet 13 is the elite naval commando unit of the Israeli Navy. The unit is considered one of the primary Special Forces units of the Israel Defense Forces . S'13 specializes in sea-to-land incursions, counter-terrorism, sabotage, maritime intelligence gathering, maritime hostage rescue, and...
commandos, other naval and special forces units were also drilled to participate. IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi
Gabi Ashkenazi
Gavriel "Gabi" Ashkenazi , was the Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defence Forces from 2007 to 2011.- Background and early life :...
announced that Israel may deploy snipers to minimize troop casualties on the next flotilla. The IDF also announced that attack dogs from Unit Oketz
Unit Oketz
The Oketz Unit , is the independent canine special forces unit of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded in 1939 as part of Haganah. The unit specializes in training and handling dogs for military applications. Originally, Oketz trained dogs to attack kidnappers, but training has since become...
would be deployed before soldiers to neutralize threats. In June 2011, the IDF released a video showing naval forces practicing an interception of the flotilla. The footage showed the use of high-powered water cannons aimed at vessels simulating flotilla ships, along with other means.
In 19 June 2011, Eli Marom
Eli Marom
Aluf Eliezer "Eli" Marom was the Commander of the Israeli Navy in the years 2007-2011.-Biography:Marom's parents met in China, where his German-born father was living as a refugee during World War II. His maternal grandmother was a Russian-born Jew who had emigrated to China, and his maternal...
, Commander of the Israeli Navy, was quoted as calling the flotilla a "hate flotilla".
Israeli military sources told Israeli newspapers on 27 June 2011 that some radical elements among flotilla members intended to kill soldiers who tried to board their vessels, and had equipped themselves with bags of sulfur to throw at soldiers. Multiple newspapers reported the statements. Alex Fishman, dean of Israeli military correspondents, criticized these claims and said "There isn't a shred of substance to the report that extremist elements will put up violent resistance to IDF soldiers aboard the flotilla. Neither is there any clear information regarding deadly weapons on any of the ships". He said that it can be assumed that this is considered a possibility by defense forces, along with many other scenarios, but was improperly turned into a definitive fact. This article also reports that Israel's most widely-read newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth
Yedioth Ahronoth
Yedioth Ahronoth is a daily newspaper published in Tel Aviv, Israel. Since the 1970s, it has been the most widely circulated paper in Israel. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Yedioth Ahronoth retained the title of most widely read newspaper in Israel...
, wrote ( in Hebrew ) of the claim, "There isn't a shred of substance to the report that extremist elements will put up violent resistance to IDF soldiers aboard the flotilla. Neither is there any clear information regarding deadly weapons on any of the ships. It can be assumed that this is considered a possibility – along with many other scenarios and possibilities that come up in brainstorming sessions among military and intelligence officials preparing for the flotilla. But when a possibility such as this gets turned into a fact within the context of the Israeli hasbara campaign – this can boomerang and show Israel to be lacking in credibility." Anonymous Israeli cabinet members described this information as "political spin", saying that information concerning violent resistance had not been presented to them. However, Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon
Moshe Ya'alon
Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon is an Israeli politician and former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. He currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Likud, as well as the country's Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs.-Early life:...
later said that reports from army sources that flotilla participants were planning lethal violence were accurate. Similarly, Israel's Prime Minister's Office replied that the materials issued by the IDF spokesman are based on reliable intelligence assessments..
On the same day, Israel's Government Press Office issued a letter to foreign journalists, warning them that participating in the upcoming flotilla sailing to Gaza could result in them being barred from Israel for up to 10 years. The letter was signed by GPO director Oren Helman. The decision was rescinded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
the following day, along with a statement that journalists would be invited onto Israeli naval vessels. The Foreign Press Association welcomed the reversal.
On 27 June Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that flotilla participants are "terror activists, seeking to create provocation and looking for blood", and that Israel plans to "deal with the flotilla properly". He added that the majority of those who had planned to join the flotilla now understand that those who wish to help can do this through legal means.
On 28 June, a Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video of a man called "Marc" who claims to be an activist denied from boarding the flotilla on account of his homosexuality was exposed to be a hoax. The man in the video was discovered to be Omer Gershon, an Israeli entrepreneur and public relations expert. The video was tweeted by an intern in Prime Minister Netanyahu's office. The intern said he did not know that the video was a hoax, and that he posted the video on his own private Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account, not on behalf of the government.
Other governments
: Foreign Affairs Minister John BairdJohn Baird
John Baird may refer to:*John Baird , Canadian politician*John Baird *John Baird, 1st Viscount Stonehaven , eighth Governor-General of Australia...
said, "I strongly urge those wishing to deliver humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip to do so through established channels. Unauthorized efforts to deliver aid are provocative and, ultimately, unhelpful to the people of Gaza." He added that Canadians should instead donate to the Red Cross/Red Crescent in the Gaza Strip. The department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said: "The border around the Gaza Strip is under the control of Israeli and Egyptian authorities. Canadians who break the laws of another country are subject to the judicial system of that country. DFAIT can neither offer protection from the consequences of such actions nor override the decisions of local authorities.": Egypt offered to allow the flotilla to dock at the Egyptian port of El Arish. The cargo would then be transferred overland to Gaza after it has been searched.: The Foreign Ministry of France strongly denounced the flotilla, calling it a "bad idea that is expected only to increase tension and be a source of conflict". "Last year's events showed that there is a danger that confrontation will result from these initiatives," it said in a statement. The French Ambassador to Israel told Israeli authorities that France expected them to "act with a sense of responsibility and moderation". France indicated that it was prepared to provide consular protection to its nationals, and reiterated its position that the Gaza blockade should be lifted.: On 24 June 2011 Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniya
Ismail Haniyeh ; is a senior political leader of Hamas and one of two disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority, the matter being under political and legal dispute. He became Prime Minister after the legislative elections of 2006 which Hamas won...
, the Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority, was interviewed as saying "The United Nations and all international law organizations should provide protection to the second flotilla that is preparing to sail to the Gaza Strip. The world must stop Israel from intercepting the ships, We believe that it is the right of the foreign activists to arrive in the Gaza Strip, and we condemn any Israeli threats against them. It is obvious that the Israeli occupation is preparing for another crime against them". The Hamas government secretary Mohammad Awad has called other countries to support the flotilla, stating that it was a crime to continue imposing the blockade against the Gaza Strip, and that the claims that the blockade has ended are wrong.: The Greek foreign ministry stated that "Greece's positions on the need to lift the Gaza blockade and improve the humanitarian situation in the region are well known", but added that the flotilla "does not deal with the substance of the humanitarian problem in Gaza", and urged Greek citizens as well as Greek-registered vessels not to participate in it. The Greek government later made it illegal for ships to sail from Greece to the Gaza Strip, citing safety concerns (see above).: The Tánaiste
Tánaiste
The Tánaiste is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. The current Tánaiste is Eamon Gilmore, TD who was appointed on 9 March 2011.- Origins and etymology :...
and Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ireland)
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the Government of Ireland. Its headquarters are at Iveagh House, on St Stephen's Green in Dublin; "Iveagh House" is often used as a metonym for the department as a whole.The current...
, Eamon Gilmore
Eamon Gilmore
Eamon Gilmore is an Irish Labour Party politician and the current Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has been the Leader of the Labour Party since September 2007, and a Teachta Dála for the Dún Laoghaire constituency since 1989, first with the Workers' Party of Ireland, and...
, urged Israel to show restraint and emphasised to the Israeli ambassador that "if the flotilla does sail next week, then Israel must exercise all possible restraint and avoid any use of military force if attempting to uphold their naval blockade. In particular, I would expect that any interception of ships is conducted in a peaceful manner and does not endanger the safety of our citizens or other participants." He also urged ambassador Modai to forward this message to Israeli authorities to avoid any repetition of the violence which marked last year's flotilla. The meeting with the Israeli ambassador was conducted on 23 June. The Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
, Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
, speaking in Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
, echoed the same call.: Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal
Uri Rosenthal
Uriël "Uri" Rosenthal is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He is the Minister of Foreign Affairs since October 14, 2010 in the Cabinet Rutte. He served as a Member of the Senate from June 8, 1999 until October 14, 2010. And the Parliamentary leader in the Senate...
wrote a letter to the parliament calling on Dutch NGOs not to join the international flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip. He wrote that the cabinet believes that the flotilla will "not make the least contribution to a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict".: Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
, President of the Palestinian National Authority and Chairman of the PLO, described Greece's plan to transfer humanitarian aid through established channels as positive, and expressed his support for it.: On 29 June 2011, British deputy Foreign Minister, Alistair Burt
Alistair Burt
Alistair James Hendrie Burt is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Bedfordshire...
stressed that while the UK was very concerned about the situation in Gaza, it did not think the delivery of aid via such a provocative route was appropriate.: The U.S. State Department warned Americans taking part in the flotilla that they may violate U.S. civil and criminal statue against delivering material support to terrorist organizations, and may face prosecution. In a travel warning, the State Department further advised U.S. citizens that they could face arrest, prosecution and deportation by Israel if they join the flotilla. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said "Groups that seek to break Israel's maritime blockade of Gaza are taking irresponsible and provocative actions that risk the safety of their passengers. We urge all those seeking to provide such assistance to the people of Gaza...not to participate in actions like the planned flotilla." The U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, said that "there are distinct mechanisms to deliver goods to Gaza and there are no justifications to sail directly to Gaza." Texas Governor Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
showed his concern regarding the flotilla by asking the U.S. attorney general to "aggressively pursue all available legal remedies to enjoin and prevent these illegal actions, and to prosecute any who may elect to engage in them in spite of your pre-emptive efforts" referring to any Americans who participate.
Supranational organizations
- The Middle East Quartet, consisting of the European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, said it "urges restraint and calls on all Governments concerned to use their influence to discourage additional flotillas, which risk the safety of their participants and carry the potential for escalation. It urged those wishing to deliver goods to Gaza to do so through "established channels," which include Israeli and Egyptian crossings.: On 27 May 2011, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon asked for all governments to seek to discourage such flotillas. He also said that aid should go through legitimate and established channels, and called on all parties to 'act responsibly' such to avoid another violent incident.
Non-governmental organizations
Shurat HaDinShurat HaDin
Shurat HaDin, Israel Law Center , founded in 2003, is a Tel Aviv-based NGO focused on using litigation to fight against terrorism.-History:...
, an NGO based in Israel, delayed or blocked several of the vessels by legal methods, including warning insurance companies that insuring the flotilla boats might leave the companies open to prosecution for aiding a terrorist organization. In addition, Shurat HaDin sent a letter warning Inmarsat
Inmarsat
Inmarsat plc is a British satellite telecommunications company, offering global, mobile services. It provides telephony and data services to users worldwide, via portable or mobile terminals which communicate to ground stations through eleven geostationary telecommunications satellites...
, a satellite navigation company, that it could be open to legal charges for providing communications and navigation services to ships that are part of the flotilla.
Gisha, an Israeli not-for-profit organization whose stated goal is "to protect the freedom of movement of Palestinians, especially Gaza residents," criticized the focus on humanitarian aid by flotilla organizers and the Israeli government. Sari B ashi, Executive Director of Gisha, said "residents of Gaza are being deliberately reduced to recipients of humanitarian aid" and that there is "no shortage of food in Gaza, but economic recovery is blocked by sweeping restrictions on the movement of goods and people".•
Journalists
Award-winning Israeli-Arab journalist Khaled Abu ToamehKhaled Abu Toameh
Khaled Abu Toameh is a Israeli Arab journalist and documentary filmmaker. Abu Toameh is the West Bank and Gaza correspondent for the Jerusalem Post and U.S. News and World Report, and has been the Palestinian affairs producer for NBC News since 1988...
noted that "according to Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, there is no shortage of basic foods", and that "periodic shortage of medical supplies is often attributed to the ongoing power struggle between Hamas and Fatah, whose representatives in the West Bank are sometimes accused of withholding medicine as a way of punishing the Hamas government." Abu Toameh questioned why, given this situation, the flotilla organizers did not plan to help Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n refugees, whose situation was worse, or to express solidarity with Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n women who are being arrested for driving cars.
Canada's National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
editorialized against the flotilla, calling it a "charade". It concluded that
the real intention of the flotilla is to break the blockade and end Hamas' political isolation. There can be only one reason why anyone would consider such an outcome desirable: The absence of a blockade would allow the free passage of arms to the terror-embracing Hamas government, which has frequently demonstrated its goal of ending Israel's existence as a nation. Israel's blockade of Gaza is a direct consequence of attacks launched from within the territory. If flotilla participants really want to ease Gazans' isolation, they should encourage Hamas to acknowledge Israel's right to exist and to forswear terrorism.
Pravda
Pravda
Pravda was a leading newspaper of the Soviet Union and an official organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party between 1912 and 1991....
argued in favour of the flotilla, stating
And so the world was forgetting Gaza. It forgot that the blockade was deemed illegal by the UN. They paid little attention to the complaints of people like Ilan Pappé, former professor of history at the University of Haifa, "Israel uses genocidal policies in Gaza." The lack of UN action was left to pass blankly, whose commission investigating the massacre of Freedom Flotilla I was paralyzed (as though we do not know why). It is because of this forgetfulness that Freedom Flotilla 2 was ready to sail. Remember the tragedy in Gaza is far from over. The people there are still suffering a totally illegal and unjust blockade that has lasted five years. Humanity cannot continue allowing a city to be slowly strangled.
Other
Businessmen from the Gaza Strip interviewed by YnetYnet
Ynet is the most popular Israeli news and general content website. It is owned by the same conglomerate that operates Yediot Ahronot, the country's secondleading daily newspaper...
said regarding the flotilla that the main problem wasn't importing goods into Gaza, as there was "no shortage of stock" in the territory, but the difficulty of exporting goods. However, they stressed that they were not opposed to the flotilla.
Author Alice Walker
Alice Walker
Alice Malsenior Walker is an American author, poet, and activist. She has written both fiction and essays about race and gender...
announced that she will join the flotilla and published a letter in support of the Flotilla. The letter puts the flotilla in the context of the "followers of Gandhi," and the "Jewish civil rights activists" who stood side by side with blacks in America's South. In the letter, she also rebukes Benjamin Netanyahu policies, and those in the US who back them. Fellow author Howard Jacobson
Howard Jacobson
Howard Jacobson is a Man Booker Prize-winning British Jewish author and journalist. He is best known for writing comic novels that often revolve around the dilemmas of British Jewish characters.-Background:...
criticized Walker saying that her concern for setting the children of Gaza over the children of Israel does not justify the flotilla, and that she gives no convincing reason for partaking.
Philip Missfelder, foreign policy spokesman of the Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union may refer to:* Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union * Christian Democratic Union...
(CDU) and Christian Social Union
Christian Social Union
Christian Social Union may refer to:*Christian Social Union of Bavaria, a political party in Bavaria, Germany*Christian Social Union , a nineteenth and early twentieth-century organization within the Church of England...
(CSU) parties, the largest combined group of MPs in the German parliament, said on 5 July that the so-called Gaza flotilla activists "endanger peace efforts" and their action is "part of the asymmetrical warfare against Israel." He added that their actions were "not about humanitarian help, rather a confrontation with Israel". He further stated that the activists were working against the goals of Germany and the Middle East Quartet. "I welcome that the Greek authorities have decisively intervened as some activists set sail without permission," he said.
Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
literature professor Ruth Wisse
Ruth Wisse
Ruth R. Wisse is the Martin Peretz Professor of Yiddish Literature and Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard University.She is the sister of David Roskies, professor of Yiddish and Jewish literature at the Jewish Theological Seminary.-Career:...
condemned the flotilla as a "kill-the-Jews flotilla", stating that its purpose was "to discredit the Israeli attempt to protect itself and to give Hamas a free hand amassing weapons to use against Israeli civilians".
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Eric Hitchens is an Anglo-American author and journalist whose books, essays, and journalistic career span more than four decades. He has been a columnist and literary critic at The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Slate, World Affairs, The Nation, Free Inquiry, and became a media fellow at the...
condemned the flotilla for its cooperation with Hamas, noting Hamas' official and programmatic adoption of the antisemitic forgery The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is a fraudulent, antisemitic text purporting to describe a Jewish plan for achieving global domination. It was first published in Russia in 1903, translated into multiple languages, and disseminated internationally in the early part of the twentieth century...
, its expression of outrage at the death of Osama bin Laden
Death of Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden, then head of the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda, was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011, shortly after 1 a.m. local time by a United States special forces military unit....
, and its ties with Hezbollah, al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
and the regimes of Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. He also criticized the media for "soft-centred coverage" of the affair, suggesting that pointed questions should have been asked of the flotilla participants and that the title "activists" was an inaccurate and gratuitously positive label for the participants.
According to Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy (Irish politician)
Paul Murphy is an Irish Member of the European Parliament for the Dublin constituency, representing the Socialist Party/United Left Alliance .-Early life:...
Member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
(MEP) and longtime Freedom Flotilla supporter "The aim of the Flotilla is to break that siege by delivering vital medical supplies and construction material and to highlight the ongoing blockade and impact on the population."
Four Nobel Peace Laureates, Mairead Maguire, Jody Williams
Jody Williams
Jody Williams is an American teacher and aid worker who received the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the campaign she worked for, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines...
, Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's,...
, and Rigoberta Menchú Tum, wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "to urge you to use your good offices in support of the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza....by appointing a representative to inspect and seal the cargo of the boats of the Freedom Flotilla II—thus assuring the Israeli government that the boats are carrying humanitarian supplies such as toys, medical supplies, cement and educational materials."
On 7 July 2011, MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
linguistics professor Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
, wrote "Today the U.S. and Israel are vigorously seeking to block the flotilla. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton virtually authorized violence, stating that 'Israelis have the right to defend themselves' if flotillas 'try to provoke action by entering into Israeli waters' – that is, the territorial waters of Gaza, as if Gaza belonged to Israel. Greece agreed to prevent the boats from leaving (that is, those boats not already sabotaged) – though, unlike Clinton, Greece referred rightly to 'the maritime area of Gaza.' In January 2009, Greece had distinguished itself by refusing to permit U.S. arms to be shipped to Israel from Greek ports during the vicious U.S.-Israeli assault in Gaza. No longer an independent country in its current financial duress, Greece evidently cannot risk such unusual integrity."
Reactions to Greek ban
Greek President Karolos PapouliasKarolos Papoulias
-Honours:*Knight Grand Cross with Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic *Knight Grand Cross of the Grand Order of King Tomislav *Knight of the Order of the Elephant- External links :*...
later visited Israel, where Israeli President Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
told him: "I thank you very much for fulfilling the UN secretary general's guidelines and stopping the flotilla. Thank you for not allowing people interested in disturbing good order and international law from coming without supervision to Gaza, which is led by a terrorist group."
Joshua Mitnick of the Christian Science Monitor reported that Greece's actions were the result of a growing relationship between Israel and Greece, including an offer of "generous military assistance", that started after Israel Turkey ties were damaged by the Gaza flotilla raid.
External links
- Free Gaza MovementFree Gaza MovementThe Free Gaza Movement is a coalition of human rights activists and pro-Palestinian groups formed to challenge the Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip by sailing humanitarian aid ships to Gaza...
: freegaza.org - European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza: savegaza.eu
- IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation: ihh.org.tr
- Canadian Boat to Gaza: tahrir.ca
- U.S. Boat to Gaza: ustogaza.org
- Ship to Gaza Greece: shiptogaza.gr
- Ship to Gaza Sweden: shiptogaza.se
- Irish Ship to Gaza: irishshiptogaza.org