SS Dignity arriving in Gaza.
We’ve done it again, was the title of this announcement from the Free Gaza Movement yesterday, October 29, 2008. In August, peace activists boarded two boats and successfully made a similar voyage. This second voyage of a boat laden with peace activists made it to Gaza in an effort to draw attention to the inhumane conditions that Gazan Palestinians are living under as a consequence of Israel’s siege. In spite of a ceasefire arranged through Egypt by Hamas, Israel continues to starve the enclave as well as to prevent medical patients in need of care to leave.
The story was carried by several newspapers including the New York Times (Advocates for Gaza Challenge Blockade), the LA Times (Pro-Palestinian boat lands in Gaza Strip), and the BBC (Second Gaza activist voyage docks). It was not possible to find any similar coverage on major TV networks in the US.
LARNACA – The Free Gaza Movement is delighted to announce that their third boat, the SS Dignity carrying 27 crew and passengers arrived in Gaza at 8:10 Gaza time, in spite of Israeli threats to stop them. In the pouring rain, the boat pulled into port amid cheers from the people of Gaza and tears from the passengers.
Passengers of the SS Dignity.David Schermerhorn, one of the crew members called an hour before the boat entered the waters of Gaza and said, “There is a rainbow stretching across the Mediterranean from where we are right now.”
Yesterday, The Israel Navy said they would stop the stop our vessel once it reached Israel’s territorial waters. Apparently to save face, they said they would harm our boat, arrest us and tow us IF we entered Israeli waters. The problem for Israel is that the SS Dignity had no intention of getting anywhere near those waters.
SS Dignity prepares to depart.One of the organizers, Huwaida Arraf cheered, “Once again we’ve been able to defy an unjust and illegal policy while the rest of the world is too intimidated to do anything. Our small boat is a huge cry to the international community to follow in our footsteps and open a lifeline to the people of Gaza.”
For the second time, the Free Gaza Movement has demonstrated that the might of the Israeli navy is no match for a small boat of human rights activists determined to call to the attention of the world the occupation of the people of Gaza.
Nobel peace prize winner, Mairead Maguire, with another Irish activist preparing to board the SS Dignity.Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council added, “Despite the injustice against the Palestinian people, we believe in justice and will keep on trying to break Israel’s siege. The occupation has divided the Palestinians, but our nonviolent resistance has united us.”
Osama Qashoo, one of the organizers of the Free Gaza Movement, overjoyed for the second time in three months, “We are all capable of leading a nonviolent and effective movement to end the Israeli Apartheid and expose the injustice that has been meted out to the Palestinians. We in the FG movement have provided the new dictionary, it’s up to the Palestinians and the Israelis and the Internationals to add the words.”
For more information about the Free Gaza Movement, one may call or email these individuals:
Greta Berlin (Cyprus) +357 99 081 767 / iristulip@gmail.com
Osama Qashoo (Cyprus) +44 (0)78 3338 1660 / osamaqashoo@gmail.com
Angela Godfrey Goldstein (Jerusalem) +972 (0)54 736 6393 / angela@icahd.org
