The Freedom Flotilla Coalition mourns the tens of thousands of Palestinian people that Israel has killed in Gaza since last October. As horrific as the reported numbers are, they are gross underestimations as they only record people who have been identified and do not count the tens of thousands who remain under rubble. (See our video on this under-counting)
We condemn the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel as part of its genocidal starvation and bombing policy. But Israel is not alone. Other countries are actively supporting Israel’s crimes.
Our boat Handala left Norway on 1 May and has stopped at more than 25 ports throughout Europe during the last three and a half months. Handala, its crew and participants have generated support for Palestine across Europe and elsewhere as they supported local solidarity groups and joined with them in local educational events and protests.
Handala is now in Malta preparing for the last leg towards Gaza. She is a 1960s converted fishing vessel. We have had technical problems in the past that have affected our port schedule. As we plan to sail towards Gaza, we need to prepare Handala for the long journey to the other end of the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, due to a serious mechanical problem, we have decided to take some more time to get Handala ready for that voyage.
The Freedom Flotilla’s objectives are to break the blockade and to raise awareness of the crimes committed against Palestinians in Gaza. These objectives remain unchanged and we will return when we have news of our next departure.
In the meantime, we ask you to join us in supporting efforts to end the genocide in Gaza. We call on everyone to support the #NoHarbourforGenocide campaign which is working to stop the fuel ships coming from the US to provide aviation fuel to airplanes which kill Palestinians. We also ask you to demand the US and other countries immediately cease supplying military aid and arms to Israel as members of our Freedom Flotilla steering committee and participants are doing in Chicago at the US Democratic National Convention this week
It is time to break the siege. But it is also way past time to end the genocide.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) announces our plan to sail again to challenge Israel’s unlawful and deadly siege of Gaza. In the coming weeks, a flotilla will put to sea carrying thousands of tonnes of urgently needed humanitarian aid that will be delivered directly to Palestinians in Gaza.
After 17 years of a brutal blockade and 4 months of genocidal assault, including weaponizing basic necessities, Palestinians in Gaza are facing an unprecedented and catastrophic humanitarian crisis. On 26 January 2024 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered provisional measures to protect the Palestinians in Gaza from the plausible risk of genocide. Amongst six strongly worded measures, the ICJ ordered Israel to “take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.” This decision followed UN Security Council resolutions in November and December 2023 which called for urgent steps to immediately allow “safe, unhindered, and expanded” humanitarian access to Gaza.
Israel’s blatant noncompliance with these orders, and the failure of other governments to pressure the occupying power to comply, motivate us as civil society organisations to take action.
“It is incumbent upon us to ensure that Palestinians in Gaza receive humanitarian aid”, says Ismail Moola of Palestine Solidarity Alliance, South Africa. “We expect that the Security Council will enforce the ICJ ruling, but due to the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza we need to act immediately”.
Plans for our Save Gaza Campaign are ongoing, and the FFC calls on the government of Egypt to facilitate the delivery of life-sustaining aid through Rafah into Gaza. FFC’s mission, For the Children of Gaza, led by our boat Handala, will again set sail from Northern Europe to Gaza May 2024.
The FFC gathered in Istanbul to plan these campaigns with representatives from the following organisations: Canadian Boat to Gaza (Canada), US Boat to Gaza (USA), Kia Ora Gaza (Aotearoa, New Zealand), Free Gaza Australia (Australia), Ship to Gaza (Norway), MyCARE (Malaysia), Ship to Gaza (Sweden), Palestine Solidarity Alliance (South Africa), IHH (Türkiye), Rumbo a Gaza (Spanish State), Mavi Marmara Association (Türkiye) and the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza.
“Where our governments fail, we sail” says Karen DeVito of Canadian Boat to Gaza. “We are charting a course to the conscience of humanity, in solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
We call on civil society organisations from around the world who share our values and goals to support and join us.
To support our work to end the blockade of Gaza, you can donate online (canadaboatgaza.org/donate) or by postal mail. (Note: like many of our sister organizations, we would prefer to move away from 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 electronic payment methods soon. Please e-mail us if you have questions about this). Elsewhere in the world, please consider donating through one of our sister campaigns in the Freedom Flotilla. Whether you 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 share our posts widely.Twitter: @CanadaBoatGaza @GazaFFlotilla www.facebook.com/CanadaBoatGaza www.facebook.com/BateauCanadienGaza www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalitionTogether, we can help end the blockade!
*La Coalition de la Flottille de la Liberté est prête à prendre la mer pour briser le siège de Gaza
La Coalition de la Flottille de la Liberté pour Gaza (FFC) annonce son intention de reprendre la mer pour contester le siège illégal et meurtrier de Gaza par Israël. Dans les semaines à venir, une flottille prendra la mer avec à son bord des milliers de tonnes d’aide humanitaire d’urgence qui seront livrées directement aux Palestiniennes et Palestiniens de Gaza.
Après 17 ans d’un blocus brutal et 4 mois d’un assaut génocidaire, y compris l’utilisation à fins militaires des produits de première nécessité, les Palestiniens de Gaza sont confrontés à une crise humanitaire catastrophique sans précédent. Le 26 janvier 2024, la Cour internationale de justice (CIJ) a ordonné des mesures provisoires pour protéger les Palestinien.nes de Gaza contre le risque plausible de génocide. Parmi les six mesures expressément formulées, la CIJ a ordonné à Israël de “prendre des mesures immédiates et efficaces pour permettre la fourniture des services de base et de l’assistance humanitaire dont les Palestiniennes et les Palestiniens de la bande de Gaza ont un besoin urgent, afin de remédier aux conditions de vie néfastes auxquelles elles et ils sont confrontés”. Cette décision fait suite aux résolutions du Conseil de Sécurité de l’ONU de novembre et décembre 2023 qui appelaient à des mesures urgentes pour permettre immédiatement un accès humanitaire “sûr, sans entrave et élargi” à Gaza.
Le non-respect flagrant de ces ordres par Israël et l’incapacité des autres gouvernements à faire pression sur la puissance occupante pour qu’elle s’y conforme nous motivent, en tant qu’organisations de la société civile, à agir.
“Il nous incombe de veiller à ce que le peuple palestinien de Gaza reçoivent une aide humanitaire”, déclare Ismail Moola, de l’Alliance de Solidarité avec la Palestine (Afrique du Sud). “Nous espérons que le Conseil de sécurité appliquera la décision de la CIJ, mais en raison de la grave crise humanitaire qui sévit à Gaza, nous devons agir immédiatement”.
Les plans de notre campagne “Sauver Gaza” sont en cours, et la Flottille de la Liberté appelle le gouvernement égyptien à faciliter l’acheminement de l’aide vitale à Gaza via Rafah. La mission de la Flottille, “Pour les enfants de Gaza”, menée par notre bateau Handala, partira à nouveau d’Europe du Nord pour se rendre à Gaza en mai 2024.
La Coalition de la Flottille pour Gaza s’est réunie à Istanbul pour planifier ces campagnes avec des représentants des organisations suivantes : Canadian Boat to Gaza (Canada), US Boat to Gaza (États-Unis), Kia Ora Gaza (Aotearoa, Nouvelle-Zélande), Free Gaza Australia (Australie), Ship to Gaza (Norvège), MyCARE (Malaisie), Ship to Gaza (Suède), Palestine Solidarity Alliance (Afrique du Sud), IHH (Turquie), Rumbo a Gaza (État espagnol), Mavi Marmara Association (Turquie) et le Comité international pour la levée du siège de Gaza.
“Là où nos gouvernements échouent, nous naviguons”, déclare Karen DeVito, de Canadian Boat to Gaza. “Nous mettons le cap sur la conscience de l’humanité, en solidarité avec le peuple palestinien”.
Nous appelons les organisations de la société civile du monde entier qui partagent nos valeurs et nos objectifs à nous soutenir et à nous rejoindre.
Pour plus d’informations, contactez nos porte-parole ici: https://freedomflotilla.org/media-contacts/Pour appuyer notre travail contre le blocus de Gaza, vous pouvez faire un don en ligne (canadaboatgaza.org/donate) ou par chèque ou mandat à la poste. (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 électroniques. Veuillez nous contacter par courriel si vous avez des questions à cet égard). Ailleurs dans le monde, nous vous encourageons à appuyer une des autres campagnes de la Coalition de la Flottille de la Liberté si vous pouvez. 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 d’autres personnes à le faire aussi; et
suivez-nous en web, sur Facebook, Twitter (voir ci-après), et partager nos billets largement.
TAKE ACTION NOW: support South Africa’s genocide application at the ICJ today!
Please consider sending messages to Canadian parliamentary leaders calling for support of the SA case, here and here. Please also go here to send messages to selected international representatives at the UN calling on them to intervene in support of South Africa’s application this week.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition to sail in 2024
Representatives from the International Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) met in Istanbul at the beginning of November and agreed to increase their efforts to challenge the inhumane and illegal blockade of Gaza, with more urgency than ever. “We will send as many boats as we can with whatever humanitarian medical aid we can gather, as early as possible in 2024.” explains Torstein Dahle of Ship to Gaza Norway. “We know the needs of the Palestinians in Gaza are enormous, and the challenge to rebuild destroyed homes and infrastructure will also be enormous.”
While the total number of boats and the amounts of aid are not yet confirmed, the FFC aims to sail between two and five vessels of different types. December had been projected for a possible departure, but the renewed bombing attacks by Israel along with other factors have pushed the departure date back.
“We call on the Israeli Occupation Forces and their U.S. sponsors to guarantee safe passage through international waters to internationally recognized Palestinian waters off Gaza,” adds Colonel (retired) Ann Wright of US Boats to Gaza. “We have no intention of putting our people or the humanitarian cargo in harm’s way. We will sail as soon as it is safe to do so.”
In response to unfounded rumours that have been reported (in various media), we clarify that there will not be “1000 boats” with 4500 people from 40 countries, including 12 from Türkiye. “The Freedom Flotilla Coalition and the Mavi Marmara Association are not working with Volkan Okçu, as reported on the Turkish news site, Haber7.” states MMA representative, Ismail Behesti. “The FFC has been sailing missions against the blockade of Gaza since 2010, and we have never made such exaggerated claims, which can only harm the credibility of this serious undertaking.”
The FFC boat Handala, which visited northern European ports in 2023, will continue in 2024 on its voyage to challenge the blockade. Updates from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition can be found here, while the new initiative that is drawing in participation from even more countries can be found at the Save Gaza website.
Please follow us on the web, Facebook, Twitter (see below), and Instagram, and share our posts.
*Passez à l’action: Soutenez la requête en génocide de l’Afrique du Sud auprès de la CIJ dès aujourd’hui ! Envoyez des messages aux leaders parlementaires canadiens pour leur demander de soutenir la requête de l’Afrique du Sud ici et ici. Vous pouvez également envoyer des messages ici à certains consulats internationaux à l’ONU pour leur demander d’intervenir en faveur de l’action de l’Afrique du Sud cette semaine.
La Coalition de la Flottille de la Liberté pour Gaza prendra la mer en 2024.
Des personnes représentant la Coalition internationale de la Flottille de la Liberté (FFC) se sont réunies à Istanbul au début du mois de novembre et ont décidé d’intensifier leurs efforts pour lutter contre le blocus inhumain et illégal de Gaza, avec plus d’urgence que jamais. “Nous enverrons autant de bateaux que possible avec toute l’aide médicale humanitaire que nous pourrons rassembler, dès que possible en 2024”, explique Torstein Dahle, de Ship to Gaza Norway (bateau pour Gaza Norvège). “Nous savons que les besoins des Palestiniens de Gaza sont énormes et que le défi de reconstruire les maisons et les infrastructures détruites sera également énorme. Bien que le nombre total de bateaux et les quantités d’aide ne soient pas encore confirmés, la FFC vise à faire naviguer entre deux et cinq navires de différents types. Le mois de décembre avait été prévu pour un éventuel départ, mais les nouveaux bombardements israéliens et d’autres facteurs ont repoussé la date de départ. “Nous demandons aux forces d’occupation israéliennes et à leurs sponsors américains de garantir un passage sûr dans les eaux internationales vers les eaux palestiniennes internationalement reconnues au large de Gaza,” ajoute le colonel (à la retraite) Ann Wright, de US Boat to Gaza (bateau pour Gaza Etats-Unis). “Nous partirons dès que nous pourrons le faire en toute sécurité. Nous n’avons pas l’intention de mettre en danger notre personnel ou la cargaison humanitaire.” En réponse aux rumeurs infondées qui ont été rapportées (dans différents médias), nous précisons qu’il n’y aura pas “1000 bateaux” avec 4500 personnes à bord de 40 pays, dont 12 de Turquie. “La Coalition pour la Flottille de la Liberté et l’Association Mavi Marmara (MMA) ne travaillent pas avec Volkan Okçu, comme l’a rapporté le site d’information turc Haber7”, a déclaré un représentant du MMA, Ismail Behesti. “La FFC effectue des missions contre le blocus de Gaza depuis 2010, et nous n’avons jamais fait de telles déclarations exagérées, qui ne peuvent que nuire à la crédibilité de cette entreprise sérieuse”. Le bateau Handala de la FFC, qui a visité des ports d’Europe du Nord en 2023, poursuivra en 2024 son voyage pour défier le blocus. Les mises à jour de la Coalition de la Flottille de la Liberté pour Gaza sont disponibles ici, tandis que la nouvelle initiative qui attire la participation d’un nombre encore plus grand de pays est disponible sur le site web de Save Gaza.
SVP suivez-nous en web, sur Facebook, Twitter (voir ci-après), et Instagram, et partagez nos billets largement.
People in Canada are watching in horror as the violence in Israel-Palestine has escalated towards an all-out war.
On Tuesday, the bombing of the Anglican Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City killed hundreds of people, most of them children. Over 5,000 people had been sheltering inside. This is a war crime.
Since October 7, thousands have been killed following Hamas’ attack and the Israeli government’s response.
We unequivocally condemn the targeting of innocent Palestinian and Israeli civilians.
As representatives of leading pan-Canadian labour, faith, Arab, Jewish, and civil society organizations, we are calling on the Government of Canada to take these steps:
Call for an immediate ceasefire of all hostilities in Israel-Palestine
Call for an end to the blockade of Gaza and for the restoration of humanitarian aid and access to the basic necessities of life
We endorse the Canadian government’s call for humanitarian aid to Gaza and the safe return of hostages. These demands cannot be meaningfully addressed without an immediate ceasefire and while Israel’s blockade of Gaza continues.
Gaza is facing a “complete siege” as food, water, electricity, and fuel have been cut off. Gaza’s last functioning seawater desalination plant shut down on Sunday after running out of fuel. Water and sanitation services have collapsed in the wake of widespread bombing.
UN shelters have also run out of water and hospital workers are warning that thousands more civilians could die if access to water, fuel, and medicine is not restored.
The already dire humanitarian crisis is rapidly deteriorating.
The Israeli government’s order to a million Gazans to evacuate to the south–an impossible feat in 24 hours–suggests that a ground war and intensifying bombing are imminent.
Our most urgent task is preventing the further loss of life and an even greater humanitarian disaster than what we have already witnessed in Gaza. An all-out war would bring catastrophe to the entire region.
As hostilities escalate, they are fuelling a rise of Anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism in Canada–which we also unequivocally condemn.
Beyond these immediate steps, the world must support efforts for a just and lasting peace in Israel-Palestine and address the root cause of the violence: Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territory.
Palestinians, Israelis, and all people in the region deserve to live in peace and security and with justice for all.
Signatories:
Alternatives
Arab Canadian Lawyers Association
Asian Canadian Labour Alliance
Asian Canadian Women Alliance
Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale (AQOCI)
Black Lives Matter – Canada
Canada Stand Up for Palestinian Children’s Rights
Canadian Boat to Gaza
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Canadian Palestinian Professional Foundation
Canadian Palestinian Social Association of London
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario / Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique (SCFP) Ontario
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
Centre international de solidarité ouvrière (CISO)
Le CIBLES – Carrefour international bas-laurentien pour l’engagement social
Coalition of Canadian Palestinian Organizations
Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain CSN
Conseil régional Montréal métropolitain FTQ
Fédération autonome de l’enseignement FAE
Femmes en Mouvement du Québec
Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU)
Hearing Palestine
Independent Jewish Voices Canada
International Coalition For Human Rights in the Philippines Canada
Iranian Canadian Congress
Jewish Faculty Network
Montréal pour un monde sans guerre
Le Mouvement d’éducation populaire et d’action communautaire du Québec (MÉPACQ)
National Council of Canadian Muslims
National Union of Public and General Employees
Oblates Franciscaines de Saint-Joseph
Palestine Network, Shining Waters
PalNet Pacific
People for Peace, London
Progress Toronto
Public Service Alliance of Canada / L’Alliance de la Fonction publique du Canada
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal, Social Action Office
Soeurs Auxiliatrices, Québec
South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
SWO KAIROS
Table ronde des organismes volontaires d’éducation Populaire de l’Outaouais
Unifor
The United Church of Canada
United Jewish People’s Order
United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel
Cessez le feu et mettez fin au siège pour assurer une paix juste et durable
La population du Québec et du Canada regarde avec horreur la violence entre Israël et la Palestine augmenter jusqu’à ce qui semble aujourd’hui devenir une guerre totale.
Mardi, une frappe aérienne sur l’hôpital anglican Al-Ahli à Gaza a tué des centaines de personnes. Plus de 5 000 personnes s’y étaient réfugiées. C’est un crime de guerre.
Depuis le 7 octobre, des milliers de personnes ont été tuées au cours de l’attaque du Hamas et de la riposte du gouvernement israélien.
Nous condamnons catégoriquement le ciblage de civils innocents israéliens et palestiniens.
En tant que représentants des principales organisations syndicales, confessionnelles, arabes, juives et de la société civile du Canada, nous incitons le gouvernement du Canada à prendre les mesures suivantes :
Appeler à la cessation immédiate de toutes les hostilités entre Israël et la Palestine
Appeler à la levée du blocus de la bande de Gaza et rétablir l’aide humanitaire afin que la population puisse remplir ses besoins essentiels
Nous appuyons l’appel du gouvernement du Canada à l’apport d’aide humanitaire à la bande de Gaza et à un retour des otages israéliens sains et saufs. Ces revendications ne sauraient être vraiment satisfaites sans un cessez-le-feu immédiat et alors que le blocus imposé par Israël à la bande de Gaza se poursuit.
La bande de Gaza est en état de siège complet : les approvisionnements en nourriture, en eau, en électricité et en carburant ont été coupés. La dernière usine de dessalinisation de l’eau de mer en fonctionnement a fermé dimanche après avoir manqué de carburant. Les services d’eau et d’épuration des eaux usées ont cessé de fonctionner par suite des bombardements continus de ce territoire.
Les refuges de l’ONU ont manqué d’eau et le personnel hospitalier ont fait savoir que des milliers de civils blessés risquent de mourir si l’accès à l’eau, au carburant et aux médicaments n’est pas rétabli.
La grave crise humanitaire s’empire rapidement.
Le fait que le gouvernement israélien ait ordonné à un million de Gazaouis d’évacuer le nord de la bande vers le sud – ce qui est impossible en 24 heures–porte à croire qu’une guerre au sol et une intensification des bombardements sont imminentes.
Notre tâche la plus pressante est de prévenir toute nouvelle perte de vie et un désastre humanitaire encore plus important que ce à quoi nous avons assisté dans la bande de Gaza. Une guerre totale serait catastrophique dans l’ensemble de la région.
À mesure que les hostilités augmentent, cela alimente une flambée de racisme anti-arabe et anti-palestinien, d’islamophobie et d’antisémitisme au Canada et au Québec – que nous condamnons sans équivoque.
Outre ces mesures immédiates, le monde doit appuyer les efforts en faveur d’une paix juste et durable entre Israël et la Palestine et régler les causes profondes de la violence : l’occupation du territoire palestinien par Israël qui dure depuis des décennies.
La population de la Palestine, d’Israël et de toute la région mérite de vivre en paix et en sécurité dans des conditions justes pour tous.
Signataires :
Alternatives
Arab Canadian Lawyers Association
Asian Canadian Labour Alliance
Asian Canadian Women Alliance
Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale (AQOCI)
Black Lives Matter – Canada
Canada Stand Up for Palestinian Children’s Rights
Canadian Boat to Gaza
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Canadian Palestinian Professional Foundation
Canadian Palestinian Social Association of London
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario / Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique (SCFP) Ontario
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace / La Voix des femmes canadiennes pour la paix
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East / Canadiens pour la justice et la paix au Moyen-Orient
Centre international de solidarité ouvrière (CISO)
Le CIBLES – Carrefour international bas-laurentien pour l’engagement social
Coalition of Canadian Palestinian Organizations / Coalition des organisations palestiniennes canadiennes
Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain CSN
Conseil régional Montréal métropolitain FTQ
Fédération autonome de l’enseignement FAE
Femmes en Mouvement du Québec
Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU)
Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Oct. 8, 2023 – see link below
Photo credit: Al Jazeera English CC BY-SA 2.0 (license link below)
The Canadian Boat to Gaza stresses the importance of looking at the root causes of the current attacks on Israel and the Israeli military response. We object to the Canadian government’s unqualified support for Israel. The tragic loss of life in the past few days require an immediate ceasefire, not an escalation of violence. The recent violence has a context which is far too often ignored by both government and media.
While we do not support violence in any form, we must point to the precipitating factors that led to the current crisis. Canada along with the international community has failed to acknowledge the 17 year old blockade of Gaza in any substantive way. A blockade that severely limits access to employment, food, fresh water, electricity, and health services as well as other basic necessities is collective punishment: a war crime under international humanitarian law.
Israel has occupied Palestine for 75 years. Basic human rights are denied, Palestinian homes are demolished, Israeli settlements continue to expand and settler violence is on the rise. Palestinian children are imprisoned without just cause. The Canadian government and our allies are silent about these ongoing crimes, and therefore complicit in the root causes of the violence.
We call on the Canadian government to do all that is within its power, both in word and action, to address these inhumane acts and call for an immediate cease-fire.
We call upon those living in this part of Turtle Island to make the same demand of our government (see below).
The Freedom Flotilla vessel Handala, sailing against the blockade of Gaza, has been visiting English and Welsh ports this month. Supporters of human rights for Palestinians, especially for the Palestinians of Gaza who are mostly children and refugees, have greeted Handala at events in Liverpool, Cardiff, Bristol and most recently Southampton.
This 18 metre former fishing vessel from northern Norway joins more than 12 years of Freedom Flotilla Coalition sailings which have challenged the illegal and inhumane blockade of Gaza with successive voyages since 2010. With support from local chapters of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, welcome events included greetings from trade unionists, progressive politicians and community representatives.
Vancouver film-maker and Canadian Boat to Gaza (CBG) Steering Committee member Jase Tanner joined the voyage from Scotland to Bristol, documenting many of the events and speakers along the way. From Bristol to Southampton to Rotterdam, the Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee is represented by London women’s Advocate/ Counsellor and CBG member Wendy Goldsmith, who also participated in the2016 Women’s Boat to Gaza. Wendy says she is sailing with Handala to help raise awareness of the plight of Palestinian children in Gaza, the world’s largest open air prison, deemed uninhabitable by the United Nations: “We sail to bring awareness to Israel’s ongoing violations of International law, their apartheid regime and their blatant disregard for the humanitarian crisis it has created and sustains.” Montreal lawyer-journalist Dimitri Lascaris, who covered the 2018 Flotilla For a Just Future for Palestine, will join this year’s final leg in Scandinavia this August.
This year’s voyage began in early April in Kristiansund, Norway and crossed from Oslo to Scotland in June. Our boat will continue to visit northern European ports in July and August of 2023 to raise awareness about Western governments’ complicity with the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza and occupation of Palestine. The vessel was named Handalaat a ceremony in Bergen on April 13, in honour of the emblematic Palestinian refugee child waiting for return to a free Palestine. This same Freedom Flotilla vessel will sail to the Mediterranean to challenge the blockade of Gaza more directly in 2024.
For more background on the 2023 Freedom Flotilla, see our FAQ. Please follow and share our videos on Youtube, our messages on Twitter, on Facebook and on Instagram.
In solidarity, The Canadian Boat to Gaza Steering Committee
What: Naming ceremony for Freedom Flotilla Coalition’s new boat ‘Handala’, and the formal launch of its voyage to challenge and end the illegal and inhumane Israeli blockade of Gaza.
Who: Fauzia Hussaini-Wiik, Bergen head of Landsorganisasjonen i Norge (LO), the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions; Arne Birger Heli, Captain and representative of Ship to Gaza Norway; participants from on board the Al Awda/Kårstein, Freedom Flotilla 2018; a representative of fishers and farmers in Gaza.
When: April 18, 2023, 17:00 CEST.
Where: Bryggen Harbour, Bergen, Norway.
Why: Most of the West’s governments and many international corporations continue to be complicit in Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza, and so in response to calls from partners in Gaza the Freedom Flotilla sails again to challenge and end the blockade, calling for full freedom of movement for all Palestinians.
Our 2023 voyage focuses on the children of Gaza and we have chosen to name this boat Handala after the iconic 10-year-old Palestinian refugee child created by Naji Al-Ali in his cartoons about Palestinians’ longing for return to a free homeland.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is a grassroots people-to-people solidarity movement composed of campaigns and initiatives from different parts of the world, working together to end the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza. More information at freedomflotilla.org.
After the global pandemic pause, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition is now set to resume our sailing to challenge the illegal, immoral and inhuman blockade of Gaza. We met in London between 4-6 November with representatives of our member campaigns from different countries (Norway, Malaysia, US, Sweden, Canada, France, New Zealand, Turkey and the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza), and with British and international pro-Palestine solidarity organizations (including Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB), popular conference for Palestinians Abroad, Miles of Smiles), to discuss plans to reactivate and expand our work. Our goals remain full human rights for all Palestinians, and in particular, freedom of movement within historic Palestine and the right of return.
In light of the worsening political situation in apartheid Israel and the increasingly brutal repression in occupied Palestine, we are reaching out to other parts of the solidarity movement to work together towards our common goals. This work includes amplifying Palestinian voices, especially those from Gaza, and supporting our civil society partners, like the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, which represents farmers and fishers in Gaza. The UAWC, along with other Palestinian civil society organizations, has been unjustly smeared and targeted by the Israeli occupation in an attempt to undermine their important role in documenting human rights violations and building resilience in Palestine. While some of our partner organizations are actively involved with important programs addressing the most urgent needs of Palestinian children traumatized by the blockade and murderous Israeli attacks on Gaza, we recognize that a lasting solution requires an end to the blockade.
Solidarity movements are under attack in Palestine and around the world. Our response must reflect and amplify the urgent pleas from our civil society partners to end the blockade of Gaza. At the same time, we also work to end the media blockade by exposing the brutal reality of occupation and apartheid.
As our predecessors in the Free Gaza Movement said when they began these challenging voyages in 2008, we sail until Gaza and Palestine are free!
With our Freedom Flotilla partners, along with the generous support of donors like you, we were able to fund this ambulance which arrived in Gaza in November. As a part of the Miles of Smiles humanitarian convoy, it’s now being used by the Benevolent Society for Disabled People in Gaza.
Please watch and share this video showing this donated ambulance at work.
Finally, after 10 years, the Israeli government has settled our compensation claim for its seizure of our boat and its cargo.
On November 4, 2011, the Tahrir, funded by grassroots donations from Canada, Australia, Belgium and Denmark, along with its cargo of some $30,000 in medical aid, was stolen by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and never delivered to our civil society partners in Gaza. A dozen people on board, including journalists, were imprisoned in Israel and eventually deported.
In January 2012, the Canadian Boat to Gaza filed a legal claim against the Israeli military. Through diligent research, our amazing Israeli legal team established an irrefutable basis for our claim. As a result, we have received a net settlement of $185,647 CDN, about half of the Tahrir’s total costs. Although we have accepted this out-of-court settlement, it does not represent full justice for our losses, much less for those of Palestinians.Many more Palestinian boats from Gaza have been stolen and damaged by the IOF: their owners face far greater legal obstacles than we do in pursuing claims and obtaining justice.
“This settlement is a victory for us and for the entire Freedom Flotilla movement, as well as for all organizations and individuals who contributed time and money to ending the blockade of Gaza.” said Canadian-Israeli Sandra Ruch, who was the registered owner of the Tahrir on behalf of our campaign, outside the Israeli consulte in Toronto today (video). “Of course, the funds from this settlement will be dedicated to the ongoing actions to help achieve full freedom of movement for all Palestinians.”
We are using a portion of this settlement towards purchasing much-needed new ambulances for Gaza. These new ambulances, which our Freedom Flotilla partners helped fund, are now en route towardsPalestine: when they arrive we will let you know.
