Keep her running

from We Are Not Numbers by Mohammed Moussa 

 

Four of us 
were trapped 
in southern Gaza
on the made-up border
surrounded  by  100 snipers’  bullets
    like birds about to be snared 
     with gas bombs falling from the sky 
              like the rains of January.

Hope lunged out of the smoky darkness
     with her kufiyah wrapped around her neck;
     like a deer
     she ran,
           holding our flag 
                              below the kites flying,
                                             she came running and shouting,  
        “I’m coming for you, for the land!” 
Then handed us the flag
to put it on the fence to prove
this land is ours and
we’re returning.

We ran back with her 
 the four of us
       holding each other’s hands;
      like a chain of protection,
      we formed a human shield
      to protect her, 
our hope, but 
      the sky was our shield
            protecting us all
                    from the rain of bullets
                                 at our backs.

We ran from our grief to come,
    inhaling the gas and
    the sound of bullets
          sinking into other bodies
                 falling.

She didn’t.
We surrounded   
    our hope,
        kept her running.

 

Rogers Waters in Barcelona: Everyone with Palestine

 

Opening his European tour in Barcelona, Roger Waters will participate in the event ‘Totes amb Palestina’ (Everyone with Palestina), which will take place at the Espai Josep Bota de la Fabra i Coats, Monday 9th April.

Rania Muhareb, legal researcher with the Palestinian organization Al-Haq, will take part in the event and tell about the consequences of the latest escalation of repression in Palestine. Sandra Barrilaro, Rumbo a Gaza, Freedom Flotilla Coalition, will present Right to a Just Future for Palestine.

The Gaza Strip, Palestine, is recovering from the bloodiest episode since 2014, after the Israeli forces killed 21 people during the March 30th demonstrations near the border with Israel. Many thousands of Gaza’s residents have gathered to demand the right of the Palestinian refugees and their descendants to go back to their historical homes as part of The Great March of Return. The date to start this pacific action, supported by all Palestinian factions, was chosen as a reminder that the loss of land is a constant under the illegal Israeli occupation.

In light of this and while Roger Waters is in Barcelona, for the opening of his Us +Them tour; April 13th& 14th at the Palau Sant Jordi, various groups have organized this event ‘Totes amb Palestina’, to be held Monday April 9th in the Espai Josep Bota, at the Fabra i Coats cultural space of Sant Andreu de Palomar, Barcelona.

The founder member of Pink Floyd, a firm defender of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign (BDS) against Israel’s violations of human rights, will share the stage with Rania Muhareb, a legal researcher with Al Haq, a Palestinian human rights organization, who will speak about the increase in repression experienced by the Palestinian population at the moment; and with Sandra Barrilaro, member of Rumbo a Gaza (Freedom Flotilla Coalition), who will present Right to a Just Future for Palestine, the new mission to challenge the illegal blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip for more than a decade.

Free access subject to on-line booking using this link: http://Palestin.eventbrite.es. The event is organized by the following group: BDS, Prou Complicitat amb Israel, Rumbo a Gaza (Freedom Flotilla Coalition), Ateneu l’Harmonia, Tigre de paper edicions; and supported by the municipality of Barcelona. For more information: info@rumboagaza.org. We hope to share with you video from this event in the future, as was done with a Waters event in Vancouver last year (https://vimeo.com/243417578).

Freedom Flotilla Coaltion literary contest results.
After reviewing 29 English entries, our jurors selected a winner and a runner up in the categories of short story and poetry.   The winners are, for short story:  Mikayla Boorany (South Africa), Dan Lieberman (USA), and for poetry: Gerry Sloan (USA) and Anna Dora Antonsdottir (Iceland). Their submissions have begun appearing on our website www.sgf.freedomflotilla.org, and will continue to be published, along with winning texts in Spanish and Arabic. See our full announcement for more, including a link a collection of submissions from school-children in South Africa: sgf.freedomflotilla.org/news/winners-of-the-literary-contest-keys-to-the-future-of-palestine.

 

Our literary contest results announcement coincided with the Palestinian Land Day protests and Great March of Return, marking 70 years of the Nakba (Catastrophe). See the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's statement about the killing of civilian protestors: Massacre at Gaza’s Borders: We Will Not Be Silent – End Israeli Impunity. We will be continuing to follow these protests supporting the Palestinian Right of Return over the coming weeks. Our next flotilla, sailing for a Just Future for Palestine, will leave mid-May from Copenhagen and will make many port stops along the way before departing for Gaza mid-July from the western Mediterranean.  Please help spread the word by sharing our messages, and please follow our mission as we make our way towards ending the illegal blockade of Gaza, .


In solidarity,

The Canadian Boat to Gaza, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition

www.freedomflotilla.org
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalition
Twitter https://twitter.com/GazaFFlotilla
Instagram instagram.com/gazafreedomflotilla

Two Former New Democrat MPs and the Publisher of Rabble Endorsement

le texte français suit*

Two Former New Democrat MPs, and the Publisher of Rabble now endorse our 2018 campaign to end the blockade of Gaza:

 

"Ending the blockade and human suffering in Gaza is an urgent human rights issue that must concern us all. Having visited Gaza in 2009 we know first hand the impact of the blockade on civil society. The International Freedom Flotilla in 2018 strives to bring the world's attention to the deteriorating situation. We support the aims for peace and justice for the Palestinians of Gaza."
Libby Davies Former Member of Parliament, Vancouver East, 1997-2015. Former Deputy Leader, New Democratic Party.
Kim Elliott, Publisher, rabble.ca

"I would like to thank all those involved in the Canadian Boat to Gaza and to wish them well in this important mission.  It is important to continue to bring attention to this illegal blockade. It is my hope that the Israeli authorities will welcome the Freedom Flotilla mission and guarantee freedom of movement for the Palestinian people. I would also like to encourage the Government of Canada to offer support to those courageous Canadians taking part in this important endeavour."
Alex Atamanenko

Member of Parliament, B.C. Southern Interior, 2006-2015.
The Canadian Boat to Gaza campaign needs your support in order to participate in the Freedom Flotilla 2018 sailing For a Just Future for Palestine.  

You can donate online (canadaboatgaza.org/donate) or by postal mail. Make out cheque or money order to Turtle Island Humanitarian Aid and mail it to:


Canadian Boat to Gaza
PO Box 1950, London Stn. B
London, Ontario N6A 5J4
CANADA

 

(Note: like many of our sister organizations, we would prefer to move away from dependence on PayPal for online donations. At this point, we are pleased to accept e-Interac transfers from Canadian bank accounts, and we hope to announce other payment methods soon. Please e-mail us if you have questions about this)


Some (especially those who can benefit from a charitable tax receipt in the US) may wish to donate through the US Boat to Gaza page:

https://2018boatstogaza-nonviolenceinternational.nationbuilder.com/contribute
In other parts of the world, please consider donating through one our other partner campaigns in the Freedom Flotilla: 

https://sgf.freedomflotilla.org/donate

 

Whether your can donate financially or not, please help us spread the word about our campaign:

  • share our messages with your family, friends and/or work colleagues and encourage them to join our mailing list; 
  • send an endorsement message from your association, union, congregation or political party;
  • organize and attend events to raise funds and awareness for our campaign;
  • join a Freedom Flotilla campaign near you and encourage others to do so;
  • follow us on the web, Facebook, Twitter (see below), and (new!Instagram, and share our posts widely.

Twitter: @CanadaBoatGaza @GazaFFlotilla

www.facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaza        

www.facebook.com/BateauCanadienGaza 

www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalition  
 

*francais:
Deux anciens députés néodémocrates et l'éditrice de Rabble.ca soutiennent notre campagne pour mettre fin au blocus de Gaza:

 

"Mettre fin au blocus ainsi qu'à la souffrance humaine à Gaza constitue un enjeu humanitaire urgent qui doit nous concerner tous et toutes. Ayant visité Gaza en 2009, nous connaissons de nos propres yeux l'impact du blocus sur la société civile. En 2018, la Flottille de la Liberté internationale s'efforce à attirer l'attention du monde sur cette situation qui se détériore. Nous appuyons les objectifs de paix et de justice pour les Palestiniennes et le Palestiniens de Gaza." 
Libby Davies, ancienne députée, Vancouver Est, de 1997 2015. Ancienne Leader adjointe, Nouveau Parti Démocratique.
Kim Elliott, Éditrice, rabble.ca

"Je tiens à remercier tous ceux et toutes celles qui oeuvrent au sein du Bateau canadien pour Gaza, à leur souhaiter bon vent pour cette mission importante en 2018. C'est important de continuer à attirer l'attention sur ce blocus illégal. Mon souhait c'est que les autorités israéliennes accueilleront bien la mission de la Flottille de la Liberté et garantiront la liberté de mouvement pour le peuple palestinien. J'aimerais aussi encourager le gouvernement canadien à offrir leur appui aux personnes courageuses du Canada qui participent à cet effort important."
Alex Atamanenko

Ancien député (NPD), C.-B. Southern Interior, 2006-2015.

 

La campagne du Bateau canadien pour Gaza a besoin de votre soutien afin de participer dans la Flottille de la Liberté 2018, quand on naviguera pour un Avenir Juste pour la Palestine.

Vous pouvez faire un don en ligne, (canadaboatgaza.org/donate) ou par chèque à la poste. Il faut libeller votre chèque ou mandat postal au nom de: Aide humanitaire Île de la Tortue et l'envoyer à:

 


Bateau canadien pour Gaza
PO Box 1950, London Stn. B
London, Ontario N6A 5J4
CANADA

 

(Nota bene: comme beaucoup de nos alliés, nous aimerions réduire notre dépendance sur PayPal pour les dons en ligne. En ce moment, nous sommes heureux d'accepter les virements par e-Interac à partir des comptes bancaires canadiens, et nous espérons annoncer bientôt d'autres méthodes pour effectuer les paiements. Veuillez nous contacter par courriel si vous avez des questions à cet égard).  


Certaines personnes (en particulier celles qui peuvent bénéficier d'un reçu d'impôt aux É-U, pourraient vouloir faire un don par le biais de cette campagne-là:

https://2018boatstogaza-nonviolenceinternational.nationbuilder.com/contribute
Depuis d'autres parties du monde, vous pouvez faire un don par le biais des sites de nos partenaires: 

https://sgf.freedomflotilla.org/donate


Que vous puissiez ou pas nous soutenir financièrement, veuillez nous aider à diffuser notre campagne:

  • partagez nos messages avec votre famille, vos amis, et/ ou vos collègues de travail, et encouragez-les à s'abonner à notre liste de courriel; 
  • envoyez un message de soutien de la part de votre association, votre syndicat, votre congrégation ou votre parti politique. 
  • organisez et assistez à des événements afin de lever des fond et de conscientiser les gens aux objectifs de notre campagne;
  • inscrivez-vous à une campagne de la Freedom Flotilla à proximité de vous, et encouragez les autres à encouragez d'autres personnes à le faire aussi; et
  • suivez-nous sur le web, sur Facebook, Twitter (voir ci-après), et (nouveau!Instagram, et partager nos billets largement.

Twitter: @CanadaBoatGaza @GazaFFlotilla

www.facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaza        
www.facebook.com/BateauCanadienGaza 
www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalition  

 

— 

Canadian Boat to Gaza: www.canadaboatgaza.org email: canadaboatgaza@gmail.com

Bateau canadien pour GAZA: www.canadaboatgaza.org courriel: canadaboatgaza@gmail.com

Lia Tarachansky, Israeli-Canadian film-maker, supports Freedom Flotilla & Canadian Boat to Gaza

 

Dear friends,

It was the middle of the night on May 31st, 2010. I was staring at a google map on my laptop. On it, a dot was slowly inching across the Mediterranean Sea. At 4:00 in the morning, the dot stopped moving.  That dot was tracking a convoy of ships staffed with hundreds of volunteers from Cyprus to Gaza, in an attempt to break the Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the Gaza Strip. It wasn’t the first convoy but it was the biggest one to attempt to do so. Its intention was clear — to reach the oft-forgotten Palestinian territory under Israel’s occupation and break the inhumane blockade imposed on it by land, sea, and air.
 
I remember those anxious hours, waiting for news, any news on why the dot stopped moving. In previous attempts to break the blockade, the Israeli navy stopped the ships and arrested those on board, deporting them after interrogation and confiscating or destroying their boats and supplies. This time I had a bad feeling. At 8:00 in the morning a message finally came through. The Israeli navy intercepted the boats, invaded, and attacked. All in international waters, all against international law. Nine people were killed (a tenth died later from wounds) and dozens injured.
 
Working as a journalist in Israel/Palestine I’ve frequently covered Israeli army attacks, but rarely have the victims been international activists. That attack led to international pressure, media attention, and a chain of events that had further complicated Israel’s fraught relationships with Turkey and Egypt. It had direct consequences on the ten families who lost loved ones, on thousands of activists, and on millions of Palestinians who saw that international civil society has not abandoned them in their struggle for basic freedoms. It also had an impact on millions of Israelis for whom Gaza is not a real place where people struggle to live normal lives but a conversation piece, a hellish fantasy behind huge walls, tucked away only to be periodically invaded as "punishment" for rocket attacks. In Hebrew “go to Gaza” is a slang insult, akin to “go to hell.” By noon of that day in May 2010, hundreds of Israelis gathered on the streets and chanted horrible hate-filled slogans aimed at the activists and Palestinians at large. The incident highlighted not only that the Occupation must end but also the extent of dehumanization and collective denial that would need to be overcome if we as Israelis are to live as equal citizens to Palestinians, in an open Middle East. Since then, year after year activists continue to fundraise for more convoys, for more ships, to collect donations of humanitarian aid, and to risk their lives against the Israeli Navy.
 
I don’t know what will be the straw that will break the camel’s back and that will finally bring to an end the brutal military occupation of the Palestinian Territories. It’s been seventy years since two-thirds of the Palestinian people were displaced from their lands and fifty years since the Israeli army imposed martial law on those remaining in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. So long has the Occupation continued that its very existence has become a violation of international law. 
 
No one can know the cumulative effect of thousands of steps taken collectively towards the end of injustice. As someone born in the repressive, insulated regime of the Soviet Union I do know that these steps make an impact. In 1989, against all predictions, the Berlin Wall came tumbling down. In 1990, against all predictions, I was one of over a million Jews freed to leave to Israel, escaping Soviet anti-Semitism. In 1993, again against all predictions, Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin shook hands on the lawn of the White House, starting the tumultuous and yet-unfulfilled peace process. I know that change can come, that it can be within our lifetimes, and I thank wholeheartedly the courageous volunteers of the Canadian Boat to Gaza and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition as they risk their lives for change to manifest.
 

Lia Tarachansky, Israeli-Canadian journalist & filmmaker

You can donate to Canadian Boat to Gaza online (canadaboatgaza.org/donate) or by postal mail. Make out cheque or money order to Turtle Island Humanitarian Aid and mail it to:

Canadian Boat to Gaza
PO Box 1950, London Stn. B
London, Ontario N6A 5J4
CANADA

 

(Note: like many of our sister organizations, we would prefer to move away from dependence on PayPal for online donations. At this point, we are pleased to accept e-Interac transfers from Canadian bank accounts, and we hope to announce other payment methods soon. Please e-mail us if you have questions about this)


Some (especially those who can benefit from a charitable tax receipt in the US) may wish to donate through the US Boat to Gaza page:

https://2018boatstogaza-nonviolenceinternational.nationbuilder.com/contribute
In other parts of the world, please consider donating through one our other partner campaigns in the Freedom Flotilla: Coalition:  https://sgf.freedom flotilla.org/donate

 

Whether your can donate financially or not, please help us spread the word about our campaign:

  • share our messages with your family, friends and/or work colleagues and encourage them to join our mailing list; 
  • send an endorsement message from your association, union, congregation or political party;
  • organize and attend events to raise funds and awareness for our campaign;
  • join a Freedom Flotilla campaign near you and encourage others to do so;
  • follow us on the web, Facebook, Twitter (see below), and (new!Instagram, and share our posts widely.

Twitter: @CanadaBoatGaza @GazaFFlotilla

www.facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaza        
www.facebook.com/BateauCanadienGaza 
www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalition  

 

Message from Rifat Audeh, Mavi Marmara survivor & Palestinian-Canadian film-maker

In late 2009, I joined a lifeline land convoy heading towards Gaza to break the illegal blockade that Israel imposed on Gaza’s Palestinian civilian population, now numbering over 2 million people. I was unable to continue with the convoy, and so in 2010, I joined the Freedom Flotilla which attempted to break the blockade by sea.

At the time, I had my camera in hand and was seeking to create a documentary film about the Freedom Flotilla event, which I hoped would culminate in our arrival in Gaza with our humanitarian aid and would put an end to the blockade. Instead, the Israeli military attacked our flotilla in international waters, killing 10 of our brothers, and wounding and imprisoning the hundreds of us who survived. I created a documentary film about this instead.
   
However, that attack and others have not deterred people of conscience globally from continuing in their attempts to break this illegal blockade, and alleviate the dire situation of the people of Gaza and restore their human rights. It behooves us to stand in support and solidarity with these brave souls (freedomflotilla.org), who risk putting their lives on the line, for fellow human beings in a faraway land.

Accordingly, I unequivocally support the efforts of the Canadian Boat to Gaza and endorse it, and invite you to do the same. I invite you to follow their news, promote their actions and bolster their work financially through donations (canadaboatgaza.org/donate) , to help fulfil their noble cause. Let us stand up and end this, since our governments will not.

In solidarity,
Rifat Audeh
Director – The Truth: Lost at Sea  https://truthlostatsea.com/

Those who can benefit from a charitable tax receipt in the US  may wish to donate through the US Boat to Gaza page:
https://2018boatstogaza-nonviolenceinternational.natio nbuilder.com/contribute
In other parts of the world, please consider donating through one our other partner campaigns in the Freedom Flotilla:  https://sgf.freedom flotilla.org/donate

Please share our messages and forward them; Merci de partager et de faire suivre nos messages.

Twitter: @CanadaBoatGaza @GazaFFlotilla
www.facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaz a/                      www.facebook.com/BateauCanadi enGaza/
www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotil laCoalition/  

Donate to Canadian Boat to Gaza online (canadaboatgaza.org/donate) or by postal mail. Make out cheque or money order to Turtle Island Humanitarian Aid and mail it to:

Canadian Boat to Gaza
PO Box 1950, London Stn. B
London, Ontario N6A 5J4
CANADA

 

Invitation to support the Canadian Boat to Gaza, from Rabbi Lucia Pizarro

Dear friends,

As a Jew, I am all too aware that history has been painted with the blood of individuals whose only crime was being born Jewish. The stigma of living life as a minority has forever shaped Jewish history and the histories of many other peoples. Therefore, I am always taken aback when I see any group of people who face discrimination not for their actions, but simply for being alive.

I know that Jewish leadership has made sure that any assertion of commonality between Jew and Palestinian is denied. But throughout history, from Poland to Iraq, from Argentina to South Africa, from Brooklyn to Mississippi, Jews have taken up their quest for justice, and their desire for a more just world, by joining with others in collective struggles. Jews have participated prominently in the workers’ struggle of the Depression era, in the civil rights movement, in the struggle against South African Apartheid, in the struggle against fascism in Europe, and in many other movements for social and political change.

Obviously the State of Israel’s historic and ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people contradicts and betrays these long histories of Jewish participation in collective liberation struggles.

Thus, I invite you to join me in my support for the Canadian Boat to Gaza, and its insistence on ending the illegal and immoral blockade imposed by the Israeli State on over 2 million Palestinian civilians living in the Gaza Strip.

  • Let's challenge the legality of the inhumane blockade of Gaza’s 2 million inhabitants, most of whom are refugees and children.
  • Let's expose the Canadian government’s complicity in this act of collective punishment of defenceless civilians.
  • Let's demonstrate to the people living under the blockade that the world has not forgotten them.
  • Let's stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
  • Let's support the Canadian Boat to Gaza right now!

You can find different ways to donate at https://canadaboatgaza.org/d onate

In solidarity,
Rabbi Lucia Pizarro, Founding Spiritual Director

 

Those who can benefit from a charitable tax receipt in the US  may wish to donate through the US Boat to Gaza page: https://2018boatstogaza- nonviolenceinternational.natio nbuilder.com/contribute

In other parts of the world, please consider donating through one our other partner campaigns in the Freedom Flotilla:  https://sgf.freedom flotilla.org/donate

Please share our messages and forward them; Merci de partager et de faire suivre nos messages.

Donations / dons: canadaboatgaza.org/donate/ / sgf.freedomflotilla.org/donate

Canadian Boat to Gaza: www.canadaboatgaza.org email: canadaboatgaza@gmail.com
Bateau canadien pour GAZA: www.canadaboatgaza.org courriel: canadaboatgaza@gmail.com

 

Six Miles out: a day in the life of Gaza fishers

Le texte français suit*

On the windy evening of January 4, 2017, 33-year-old Muhammad al-Hissi of Gaza set out with 13 of his brothers, cousins and uncles to make a living the only way they know how: fishing. But he never came home.

 

The family was spread out in three different boats, with the waves choppy and stiff, when the Israeli Navy appeared on the scene. The 60-ton ship rammed into Muhammad's wooden boat and crushed it like a rock on an egg. Palestinian fishermen and the Israeli navy searched for Muhammad for three days, but his body was never found. The boat's electric generator may have dismembered his body.

 

Muhammad was one of two Palestinian fishermen killed by the Israeli navy in 2017. Four others were injured, 14 were detained and five boats were seized. However, shootings at Gaza fishermen by the Israeli navy are daily occurrences, terrorizing and forcing many to abandon the sea. This pattern is set to continue into the new year, with the recent decision by Israeli officials to restrict Gaza fishermen to 6 nautical miles instead of the recently allowed 9 (only in the southern coast).

 

Help us shine a light on this violation of the right to earn a living. new, short documentary, “Six Miles Out,”—produced by the We Are Not Numbers team in Gaza, with funds from the Solidarity with Gaza Fishers project of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition—features al-Hissi’s brother and cousin, who take us with them for a night of fishing. You will see for yourself just what it’s like when Israeli “hornets” suddenly appear on the scene. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r113lDH2VDY

 

Please share this 11-minute film on social media with a personalized observation. Send a link to your followers via email (this is actually the most effective). The film is subtitled in French, Spanish and Greek (use the the Youtube "gear" icon near the bottom left to turn on different languages). What can viewers do to help? They can donate to We Are Not Numbers, a Gaza-based youth storytelling project, to keep its work going. They also can visit the Freedom Flotilla website to find out how to support the 2018 sailing to challenge the blockade of Gaza’s seaport.

 

 

Read more here: http://canadaboatgaza.org/2017/11/03/freedom-flotilla-to-sail-again-for-freedom-of-movement-and-a-decent-future-for-all-palestinians/#more-1313 

 

*texte français:                                                                                          

Sortir six miles au large: une journée dans la vie des pêcheurs de Gaza

Ce soir du 4 janvier 2017, il faisait du vent quand  Muhammad al-Hissi de Gaza, 34 ans, a pris la mer avec 13 de ses frères, cousins et oncles, pour gagner sa vie de la seule façon qu'ils connaissent : en pêchant. Mais il n'est jamais revenu.

 

La famille était répartie sur trois bateaux et la mer était agitée,  avec des vagues courtes, quand la marine israélienne est apparue sur les lieux. Le navire de 60 tonnes a éperonné le bateau en bois de Muhammad et l'a écrasé comme une pierre aplatirait un œuf.

 

Les pêcheurs palestiniens et la marine israélienne ont cherché le corps de Muhammad pendant trois jours mais il ne fut jamais retrouvé. Il est possible que le moteur ait déchiré son corps en morceaux. 

 

Muhammad est l'un des deux pêcheurs tués par la marine israélienne en 2017. Quatre autres furent blessés, quatorze arrêtés et cinq bateaux furent confisqués.

 

Mais les tirs de la marine israélienne sur les pêcheurs de Gaza se produisent tous les jours. Ils terrorisent les pêcheurs et contraignent nombre d'entre eux à renoncer à la mer.

 

Et ce schéma va continuer en cette année nouvelle puisque les responsables israéliens ont décidé récemment de restreindre les pêcheurs de Gaza à une zone de 6 miles nautiques au lieu des 9 miles récemment autorisés -seulement  dans le sud.

 

Aidez nous à mettre en évidence cette violation du droit de gagner sa vie. Un nouveau documentaire court, “Sortir six miles au large”—produit par l'équipe de  We Are Not Numbers à Gaza, financé par le projet Solidarité avec les pêcheurs de Gaza porté par la Coalition de la Flottille de la Liberté—présente le frère et le cousin de al-Hissi, qui nous amènent à bord pour une nuit de pêche.  Vous verrez par vous mêmes ce qu'il en est quand les « frelons » israéliens apparaissent brusquement . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r113lDH2VDY

 

Partagez s'il vous plaît ce film de 11 minutes sur les réseaux sociaux avec un commentaire personnel. Envoyez un lien à vos « followers » via e-mail (c'est ce qui est le plus efficace). Le film est sous-titré en français, espagnol et grec (utilisez l'icône “engrenage” en bas à gauche sur Youtube pour choisir la langue ). 

 

Que peuvent faire ceux qui vont visionner le film ?  Ils peuvent envoyer un don à We Are Not Numbers, un projet pour raconter des histoires mené par des jeunes basés à Gaza , afin de leur permettre de continuer.

Ils peuvent aussi se rendre sur le site de la Flottille de la Liberté pour chercher comment soutenir l'action de la Flottille en 2018 qui entend briser le blocus du port de Gaza.

 

 

Freedom Flotilla to Sail Again, for Freedom of Movement and a Decent Future for all Palestinians

In 2018, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition will sail once more against the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza, for freedom of movement and the right to a decent future for all Palestinians.

Israel has maintained an inhumane and destructive blockade of Gaza for over a decade. The United Nations now says that Gaza will become uninhabitable by the year 2020 because of the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

Children and minors, who make up more than half of the Gaza population of over 2 million, are victims of the ongoing blockade, which has robbed them of their childhood; their rights to safety, education, and health; and their prospects for a decent future.

Al Shati (Beach refugee camp), Gaza. Photo by Sandra Barrilaro, RumboAGaza.org
Al Shati (Beach refugee camp), Gaza. Photo by Sandra Barrilaro, RumboAGaza.org
Al Shati (Beach refugee camp), Gaza. Photo by Sandra Barrilaro, RumboAGaza.org[/caption]Al Shati (Beach refugee camp), Gaza. Photo by Sandra Barrilaro[/caption]Al Shati (Beach refugee camp), Gaza. Photo by Sandra Barrilaro[/caption]Al Shati (Beach refugee camp), Gaza. Photo by Sandra Barrilaro[/caption]

In response to the brutal Israeli blockade, for seven years, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition has carried out non-violent direct actions aimed at raising international awareness and putting pressure on the international community to end.

We will continue to put pressure on our governments and protest their complicity with Israel's crimes against humanity. We will sail again – in 2018 – to stand with the Palestinians of Gaza, as they demand their freedom of movement and their right to a decent future in their land.

100 years ago, the Balfour Declaration wrongly claimed the right to “give away” the Palestinian homeland, and since then the rights of native Palestinians have been eroded and ignored with the complicity of governments around the world, including our own. We call on all humanity to help end the Israeli blockade of Gaza and make this mission a powerful display of solidarity with the beleaguered but proud Palestinians of Gaza.

Support our campaign to sail in 2018 to break the brutal and illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza! 

Continue reading Freedom Flotilla to Sail Again, for Freedom of Movement and a Decent Future for all Palestinians

La Flottille de la Liberté va remettre les voiles, pour la liberté de mouvement et un avenir digne pour tous les Palestiniens

En 2018, la Coalition de la Flottille de la Liberté va reprendre la mer contre le blocus illégal imposé à Gaza par Israël, pour la liberté de mouvement et le droit à un avenir digne pour tous les Palestiniens

Cela fait plus de 10 ans qu'Israël maintient Gaza sous un blocus inhumain et destructeur. Les Nations unies déclarent désormais que la bande de Gaza deviendra invivable en 2020 à cause du blocus israélien.

Les enfants et la jeunesse qui composent plus de la moitié de la population de Gaza (plus de 2 millions d'habitants) sont victimes du blocus continu qui les prive de leur enfance, du droit à la sécurité, à l'éducation et à la santé et de toute perspective d'un avenir décent.

Al Shati (Camp de refugiés de la Plage), Gaza. Photo de Sandra Barrilaro
Al Shati (Camp de refugiés de la Plage), Gaza. Photo de Sandra Barrilaro

En réponse à ce blocus israélien brutal, la Flottille de la Liberté a, pendant 7 ans, mené des actions directes non violentes dans le but de susciter une prise de conscience internationale et de faire pression sur la communauté internationale afin qu'elle y mette un terme.

Nous continuerons à faire pression sur nos gouvernements et à dénoncer leur complicité dans les crimes contre l'humanité que commet Israël. Nous reprendrons la mer en 2018, pour nous tenir aux côtés des Palestiniens de Gaza qui exigent la liberté de se déplacer et le droit à un avenir digne sur leur terre.

Il y a cent ans, la Déclaration Balfour s'est prévalu à tort du droit de “donner” la patrie des Palestiniens et depuis lors les droits des Palestiniens autochtones ont été rognés et ignorés avec la complicité des gouvernements du monde entier, y compris le nôtre. Nous demandons à l'humanité entière de contribuer à mettre fin au blocus qu'Israël impose à la bande de Gaza et à faire de cette mission une puissante manifestation de solidarité avec le peuple palestinien de Gaza, assiégé mais fier.

Soutenez notre campagne: nous prendrons la mer en 2018 pour briser le blocus israélien brutal et illégal de Gaza!

Contexte

Depuis notre dernière mission maritime en 2016, le Bateau des Femmes pour Gaza (the Women’s Boat to Gaza wbg.freedomflotilla.org), la Coalition de la Flottille de la Liberté s'est focalisée sur la terrible situation des pêcheurs de la bande de Gaza. Israël leur interdit de dépasser la limite des 6 miles marins mais même dans cette zone ils sont souvent attaqués par les forces d'occupation israéliennes.

La pêche a de tous temps été l'une des industries les plus prospères de Gaza et malgré des années de déclin dû au blocus, il reste plus de 35 000 personnes dont la subsistance dépend de la pêche.

Les sardines, par exemple, sont une importante source de fer qui permet de prévenir l'anémie. C'était une part importante de la nourriture des Gazaouis, mais les sardines se trouvent essentiellement à l'extérieur de la zone des 6 miles, ce qui appauvrit plus encore une alimentation ui est déjà mauvaise. 45 % des femmes de Gaza sont anémiées [http://www.mecaforpeace.org/blog/gaza-women-suffering-struggling] et le déficit en fer pendant la grossesse a entraîné une augmentation de l'anémie infantile.

A cause de ces attaques et ces destructions les pêcheurs attrappent moins de poissons, et de plus petite taille. Ceci amène la population locale à dépendre des importations de poisson, pour le bénéfice de l'occupant israélien.

Al Shati (Camp de refugiés de la Plage), Gaza. Photo de Sandra Barrilaro
Al Shati (Camp de refugiés de la Plage), Gaza. Photo de Sandra Barrilaro

Tous les enfants et jeunes de Gaza -pas seulement les enfants de pêcheurs-sont victimes du blocus continu qui les prive de leur enfance, du droit à la sécurité, à l'éducation et à la santé et de toute perspective d'un avenir décent. Les enfants âgés de 10 ans ont subi 3 attaques militaires de grande envergure — en 2008-2009, 2012 et 2014. Certains ont perdu leurs parents ou d'autres membres de leur famille, d'autres ont été blessés et beaucoup gardent des handicaps dûs aux blessures.

De nombreux Gazaouis vivent encore dans des décombres car la communauté internationale a échoué à tenir sa promesse de financer et assurer la reconstruction. Le blocus empêche l'importation des matériaux nécessaires.

Beaucoup de gens souffrent de traumatisme psychologique tandis que tout le monde subit le manque d'électricité et d'eau potable, le traitement insuffisant des eaux usées et l'absence d'infrastructures éducatives. Mais surtout, les Palestiniens de Gaza souffrent de l'absence de toute perspective d'un avenir décent.

La bande de Gaza est l'une des zones les plus densément peuplées du monde, plus de 2 millions de personnes y vivent sur 360 km². Selon l'UNWRA 70 % des habitants sont des réfugiés qui vivent dans 8 camps [https://www.unrwa.org/where-we-work/gaza-strip].

2018 marque le 70 ième anniveraire de la Nakba (le désastre, ou la catatrophe) l'éviction des Palestiniens autochtones de ce qui devint Israël. Le blocus de la bande deGaza et les conditions insupportables infligées aux femmes, aux hommes et aux enfants ne sont pas des désastres naturels. Il faut les mettre en contexte. La communauté internationale est responsable de la situation des réfugiés (voir la résolution 194 des Nations unies, de1948); responsable de 50 ans d'occupation militaire en Cisjordanie, dont Jérusalem-Est, à Gaza et dans le Golan ; responsable de violations flagrantes des droits individuels et collectifs du peuple palestinien, perpétrées par l'Etat d'Israël.

Afin de continuer à faire pression sur nos gouvernements et de dénoncer leur complicité avec les crimes contre l'humanité que commet Israël, nous reprendrons la mer en 2018 en solidarité avec les pêcheurs, les enfants, la jeunesse, avec tous les Palestiniens de de Gaza qui exigent la liberté de se déplacer et le droit à un avenir digne sur leur terre.

Nous demandons à l'humanité entière de faire de cette mission une puissante manifestation de solidarité. Que ce message d'espoir atteigne le rivage de Gaza et toute la Palestine et que l'on mettre fin au blocus !

Open letter to UN secretary general António Guterres

To: António Guterres, Secretary-General United Nations
United Nations
New York

October 4, 2017

Dear Secretary General,

On your recent visit to Gaza, you saw with your own eyes some of the deplorable and inhumane conditions suffered by the Palestinians living in Gaza. You called it “one of the most dramatic humanitarian crises” that you had seen. We hope that, backed by the strength of the United Nations, this experience encourages you to bring maximum pressure on the State of Israel to lift the illegal and inhumane blockade the people of Gaza have been living under for ten years.

We want to remind you that there are many civil society and religious groups around the world who are watching the worsening situation in horror. We are depending on the United Nations, under your leadership, to work at the international level to increase the pressure from all nation states to use every economic and political measure to remind the State of Israel of the standards expected of the civilized nations of the world.

 

We are also pleased that you noticed specifically that the blockade on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt is upheld by that Arab state in defiance of both international resolutions and a sense of solidarity with a fellow Arab people. Israel is imposing the blockade not only by land, but also by air. They have destroyed Gaza airport, which was financed with international aid (including from Spain). At sea, Israeli forces attack Palestinian fishers from Gaza on a daily basis. They also illegally attack international vessels that challenge the blockade non-violently in the Freedom Flotilla missions that have taken place since 2010.

There are political reasons that make a resolution to the crisis of Gaza imperative at the international level. But even more important are the humanitarian reasons to release an entire people from the appalling situation in which they are currently forced to live.

Your own officers and researchers have concluded that Gaza will be uninhabitable by 2020. Many other reports, including those by the UN, have documented the many threats to the health and even the survival of people in Gaza. The UN has drawn particular attention to the power deficit. Since April 2017 access to electricity is often for four hours or less per day and always unpredictable. Power cuts make sewage treatment impossible leading to pollution of the beaches. Attacks on inshore fishers deprive the people of access to the nutritional value of fish. Your own research has shown up to 57% of Gaza people are ‘food insecure’. Not only is the Gaza economy paralyzed by the blockade, but restrictions on entry of building materials makes it very difficult to reconstruct bombed schools, for example.  The blockade also restricts entry of school supplies and other goods that pose no threat to Israel whatsoever. This entire generation of children and young people in Gaza are growing up without the minimum to develop into educated and well-nourished adults.

The situation is so serious that you have announced an emergency grant of $4 million. But the Palestinians of Gaza do not want to have to take emergency payouts; they want – and need – a cessation of Israeli aggression and real international peace-keeping to prevent further aggression. The so-called “Middle East Quartet” has been a disaster, accomplishing nothing and whitewashing Israeli violation of international law and the breaking of numerous agreements. The State of Israel has also ignored countless UN resolutions aimed at curtailing its activities, as well as continuing the illegal blockade of Gaza and the harassment of its fishing fleets.

In other words, despite its good intentions, the UN has a deplorable record in effectively safeguarding the Palestinians of Gaza and in promoting their security and independence.

We call on you to immediately:

  • Demand that the State of Israel complies with all UN resolutions, with the threat of sanctions if it does not do so.
  • Disband the Middle East Quartet and replace it with an effective oversight body.
  • Resume real peace keeping and effective protection of the civil population of Gaza.
  • Insist that the State of Israel respects and conforms with all UN resolutions that relate to its relations with Gaza.
  • Ensure that the world knows that the blockade is illegal and should demand that it be removed immediately.

Sincerely and persistently,

Freedom Flotilla Coalition Members and Partners
Canadian Boat to Gaza
Freedom Flotilla Italy
Kia Ora Gaza [New Zealand / Aotearoa]
MyCARE Malaysia
Palestine Solidarity Alliance [South Africa]
Rumbo a Gaza [Spain]
Ship to Gaza Norway
Ship to Gaza Sweden
International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza
US Boat to Gaza
Miles of Smiles
Free Gaza Australia 

Other Organizations

Gaza Action Ireland
Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign
ShannonWatch (Ireland)
Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine
Council of Canadians / Conseil des Canadiens
Bestemødre For Fred (Grandmothers For Peace, Norway)
Veterans for Peace (US)
CODEPINK: Women for Peace (US)
Voice of Women for Peace (Canada)
Collectif Judéo Arabe et Citoyen pour la Palestine (France)
Palestina Solidariteit (Belgium)
Association France Palestine Solidarité
Cultura e libertà (Italy)
Alternative refugee Center (Switzerland)
Badil resource center for Palestinian residency and refugee rights
Women for development (Switzerland)
Union Juive Française pour la Paix (France)
Deutsch-Palästinensische Gesellschaft (Germany)
Frauen in Schwarz, Wien (Austria)
Netherlands Palestine Committee
Palestijnse Gemeenschap in Nederland
Nederlands Arabische Stichting
TIYE International (Netherlands)
Diensten en Onderzoek Centrum Palestina (Netherlands)
Stop Represión Málaga, Voces Alternativas, Kontrapunto (Spain)
Breed Platform Palestina (Haarlem, Netherlands)
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (Gaza, Palestine)
Asociación de la Comunidad Hispano-Palestina “Jerusalén” (Spain)
Asociación Medica Hispano Palestina (Spain)
Asociación Pablo de la Torriente Brau
El movimiento de mujeres palestinas Alkarama
RESCOP – Network of Solidarity against the occupation of Palestine (with 49 member organizations in Spain)
Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia (Malaysia)
Viva Palestina Malaysia 
BDS Malaysia
Persatuan Ulama Malaysia
Al-Quds Foundation Malaysia
Association of Norwegian NGOs for Palestine
Asociación Española para el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos
Parallelo Palestina (Italy)
Canadian BDS Coalition
Palestine Solidarity Network  (Edmonton, Canada)
People for Peace (London, Canada)
United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (Canada)
Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR), Canada
Boundary Peace Initiative
Mid-Islanders for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
Palestine Solidarity Working Group (Sudbury, Canada)
B.C. Southern Interior Peace Coalition (Canada)
Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (Victoria, Canada)
Hawai’i Peace and Justice
Hawai’i Coalition for Justice in Palestine
Malu ‘Aina Center for Nonviolence Education
Break the Maritime Blockade of Gaza (BMBG)
EBN – End Blockade Now
Association des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine (France)
Collectif inter-universitaire pour la coopération avec les universités palestiniennes (France)
Comité de Vigilance pour une Paix Réelle au Proche-Orient
Comité La Courneuve-Palestine (France)
Zambra Málaga (Spain)
Confederación General de Trabajadores: Huelva, Málaga, Osuna
Christian Peacemaker Teams (Palestine)
Independent Jewish Voices / Voix juives indépendantes (Canada)
Palestinian Forum in Britain PFB
Europal Forum (UK)
BDS Colombia
BDS Slovenia
New Zealand Palestine Solidarity Network (Aotearoa / NZ)
New Zealand Palestine Human Rights Campaign (Aotearoa / NZ)