Free Gaza Movement Calls for
Wide International Participation
to Break the Siege of Gaza
The Free Gaza Movement calls upon the international community to join the Movement’s efforts to help end the human suffering created by Israeli’s strangulation of Gaza.
On August 23, 2008, 44 ordinary people from 17 countries sailed from Cyprus to Gaza on two small wooden boats, the SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty. The Free Gaza Movement did what our governments would not do – take action to defend the health, lives, and dignity of 1.5 million Palestinians under siege in the Gaza Strip. We proved that Israel cannot sustain its illegal blockade in the face of widely reported humanitarian efforts by non-violent activists acting in accordance with international law.
Today we call for a much broader effort; specifically, we are calling on other members of the international community – governments, non-governmental organizations, and others dedicated to protecting human rights – to join us by providing their own ships, humanitarian goods, and human capital to throw open wide the sea link to Gaza.
Despite its high profile pullout of illegal settlements and military presence from Gaza in August and September 2005, Israel maintains “effective control” over the Gaza Strip and therefore remains an occupying force with certain obligations.
Among Israel’s most fundamental obligations as an occupying power is to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the Palestinian civilian population. An occupying force has a duty to ensure the food and medical supplies of the population, as well as maintain hospitals and other medical services, “to the fullest extent of the means available to it” (Fourth Geneva Convention, arts. 55, 56).
This includes protecting civilian hospitals, medical personnel, and the wounded and sick. In addition, a fundamental principle of International Humanitarian Law, as well as of the domestic laws of civilized nations, is that collective punishment against a civilian population is forbidden (Fourth Geneva Convention, art. 33).
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We are getting ready to leave again for the second trip to Gaza. This time, we have two Palestinian parliamentarians on board and four physicians who are going to assess the state of the healthcare system in Gaza. As the first trip, there are glitches and stumbles and promises that have been broken unintentionally. We are, after all, not seasoned boat buyers, boat passengers or even boat attorneys. But, we have learned much over the past few months.
We have become seasoned bargainers, looking at boats with a careful eye to how much they cost and how much the fuel will cost and how much the crew will cost. We knew none of these things six months ago. One of us has become a better attorney than many attorneys, as she travels the complex maze of maritime law. Several of us now know the difference between fore and aft, between port and starboard, but many still got seasick. We have learned that we have succeeded in spite of ourselves some times, and because of ourselves as well.
The naysayers said it couldn't be done, but we paid little attention, because we were determined. This trip, carrying 22 people to Gaza is filled with Palestinians who want to go back to Palestine. They are doctors and lawyers and members of parliament and businessmen. And, of course, that is one of the primary objectives to breaking the back of the blockade. Palestinians should have the right to go home, to visit their relatives, to enjoy the same courtesy that is given to most of us.
The 35-mile coast of Gaza is the only piece of the Mediterranean under occupation by a foreign military force except for the Northern coast of Cyprus, which has been occupied by Turkey since 1974. It's why the Cypriots are so helpful for this project, and it could never have been accomplished without them. They understand military occupation. On a hillside overlooking Nicosia is a huge sign that says, "Isn't it great to be a Turk!" You can see the sign for miles, larger than the Hollywood sign.
Like the sickening sign on the checkpoint outside Bethlehem that says, "Peace be with you" in three languages, these signs are finger-in-your-eye jeers from an occupier. And so, like any occupier, the thugs that follow them decide to threaten the people who challenge. The phone call today will be one of many. We got them the last time, threatening to kill us, telling us that mines were planted outside of Gaza, saying that the boats would be sabotaged.
But, like the last time, we will still go. And we will put Israel on notice that any harm that comes to the 22 people who are on this boat, the boat itself, or the people waiting for us will be because Israel doesn't know how to confront peaceful protest with anything except intimidation.