BEIRUT: A Jewish European peace group is to launch a boat to break the blockade of Gaza in the coming months, organizers said, almost a week after nine activists were killed making the same trip.
European Jews for a Just Peace (EJJP) - an umbrella organization of Jewish groups from 10 European countries against the occupation of Palestine - aim to deliver humanitarian aid such as school books and medicines to the Gaza Strip, and to draw attention to the blockade which they call "immoral."
"We want to show that not all Jews support Israel," said Edith Lutz, a German member of the EJJP. "We are calling for a just solution and for an end to the blockade."
On board the ships will be activists from across Europe including Germany and the UK, as well as an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor from Israel. The voyage was originally meant to carry only a small number of activists together with journalists from Europe and Israel, but organizers say that a huge response from the Jewish community has meant that a second boat has been arranged, and the possibility of a third is being discussed.
"In the beginning it was not meant to be an exclusively Jewish trip, we had a variety of people. But many more Jewish people came forward wanting to come on board, and we realized this was important politically," said Lutz.
This sentiment was echoed by Glyn Secker, a member of the British based Jews for Justice for Palestinians who will captain the ship. "I think it will have particular significance because it is a group of Jewish people saying that as Jews, we are critical of Israeli policy. We believe that there should be a just peace for the Palestinians," he said.
Organizers hope to draw attention to the injustice of the blockade whilst delivering much-needed supplies to the impoverished territory of 1.5 million people, 80 percent of whom rely on some sort of food aid according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA.
"The supplies are symbolic," said Secker, "they include medical supplies, books, art materials and some musical instruments to give to the children."
"We want to make a very clear moral statement that the way Israel is treating the Palestinians is, we believe, extremely immoral. We want to say emphatically: 'not in our name,'" Secker added.
Another motivation for the trip, organizers said, was the effect Israeli policies have on the treatment of Jews living outside of Israel.
"We are frightened that Israeli policies will help anti-Semitism to grow. We also want to show that these actions are not Jewish," said Lutz.
The group said they will depart from a port in an undisclosed country toward the end of July. The current number of people on board is approximately 40, but organizers said this number could grow by the time they depart.
Egypt and Israel have maintained the blockade since Hamas won elections in Gaza in 2006, with Israel describing it as an essential measure to stop weapons from reaching Hamas militants.
Rights group Amnesty International has condemned it as "collective punishment" and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay last week said the blockade was illegal and should be eliminated.
The activists planning the journey said they were shocked when they heard about the deaths of other activists trying to deliver aid last week, and were unsure whether they would reach their target.
"I cannot tell you whether the trip will be a success or if will get to Gaza. But we will be successful in telling the world that we don't agree with the blockade," said Lutz.
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First, several weeks of uniformed Iranians providing advanced medical treatment to a long line of Gazans (Iran is planning on sending a hospital ship to Gaza, and while Israel might be able to make a case for unloading and transporting supplies via Israel, forcing a hospital ship to turn away is another matter).
Then, a boat load of Jews sailing up and being treated as honoured guests by Hamas. (well, while Israel might be able to get away with claiming a flotilla containing Israelis, EU politicians, etc somehow might be smuggling in something to hurt Israel, after all, it contained others, them making a similar sort of claim about a flotilla containing nothing but Jews will strain even the most credulous)
You might even have an image of the Iranian hospital ship, flag flying, railings lined with a crew in full dress, saluting a boatload of Jews.
Now, wouldn't that blow Glenn Beck's mind.
Right now the most destructive elements inside Israel are in charge. The NEOCONS have corrupted Israel into a radical and authoritarian nationalist political ideology.
Concerning your statements:
"Right now the most destructive elements inside Israel are in charge"
What about the 400.000, to 500.000 Israeli settler/terrorists in the occupied territories protected by the IOF as Palestinian homes and olive and citrus orchards are systematically destroyed.
Wouldn't you agree, so long as these delusional, deranged,sociopathic amoral, fanatically-group monomaniacal self-proclaimed "special-better-than-any-other-people people" are there, they represent a clear and present danger to Palestinians as well to any other non Jews within range
Please explain with some specificity the "Land For Peace Plan"
or
Hey, Palestinians we'll give back some of the land we stole, but you have to completely disarm, and be subject to unannounced inspections by IDF; you cannot build or cultivate within 50 miles for our new borders; you will be able to vote but only for candidates approved by the Knesset...
And as part of any agreement, representative of your group must agree that all Palestinians agree with the provisions of the agreement and sign statement that they agree with the terms because Jews are special.
s/Special People aka Jews
It is not that a totally disagree with your position - it's that I think you did/do not carry it further and the implication is that Yitzak Rabin's plan of land for peace was a good deal for the Palestinians.
The only injured party here the Palestinians. They and they alone should establish the conditions under which negotiations begin.
International treaty law governing blockades insists that a blockade not be partial. It's either all ships or no ships.
However, Hamas is currently blocking deliveries.
Last I heard, they still all hadn't been accounted for.
http://www.flix.co.il/tapuz/showVideo.asp?m=3423928
More lies from the peace-loving Hamas and their excusers? No surprise at all.
This article relies on the passage of time and distorts the causes of the Israeli blockade. It was not the Hamas election that caused the blockade, but rather the expulsion by Hamas of the international inspectors who were placed to prevent weapons from reaching terrorists.
Hello.
Regarding Israeli "hasbara", the Israeli President Peres, after the Oslo agreement, dismantled the Israeli propaganda (hasbara) office and left the field of molding public opinion regarding Israel to Pravda-like characters.
Your undercurrent of racism is showing pretty evidently.
I never believed all Jews support harsh Israeli policies and tactics
Here's a beautiful song by a 4 year old Palestinian child! Peace for me, Peace for you and Peace for Everyone!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9pFYwASWE4
The complaint addressed to the German federal prosecutor will include kidnapping charges, she added.
http://twocircles.net/2010jun08/german_gaza_activists_take_israel_court_over_aid_flotilla_raid.html
Problem for Israel is there is no proof that these Humanitarians were aiding terrorists, but there is AMPLE proof f the kidnapping.
Are you a human or some psychos-R-us software?
The lies get bigger, don't they Arik?
By the way, when will you answer my questions?
Where are the missing 6 Humanitarians? Why does Israel not release them, or their bodies? What evidence against Israel's criminal actions is being hidden by 6 people disappearing?”
My father was horribly abused by his father, he was so horrified by it that he never raised a hand to us. His brothers on the other hand. This is similar to what happens with the Jews who lived through the Holocaust. Some moved to Palestine and perpetuated the horrors they saw and others are horrified by what they see happening to the Palestinian people.
These war activists have no respect.