Dangerous Waters Yet
By Saliha Bayrak
The voyage of the Free Gaza Movement began in 2008 when two small fishing boats carrying 44 passengers sailed toward the Gaza Strip. The boats brought in about 10 international activists who would stay in Gaza for longer than the rest—people determined to bear witness to the effects of the brutal Israeli occupation—and brought out several Gazans who desperately needed to evacuate. Among those the group managed to get out were a 15-year-old amputee seeking medical care, a mother and children who had been separated from their family for years, and students who had the opportunity to study abroad but were prevented from pursuing their education.
Huwaida Arraf, the former chairperson of the Free Gaza Movement, a group created to alert people about the “prison-like” conditions in the Strip through such voyages, led five of these trips in 2008 without Israel’s permission to enter Gaza, which Israel had put under an almost total blockade. Arraf remembers “how overjoyed the people of Gaza were that we arrived,” she said, “because they saw people willing to challenge Israel’s siege.”
Eventually, the movement upgraded its boats to large fleets and partnered with other organizations to form the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. Now, that coalition—consisting of hundreds of people from over 30 countries, including the United States, Turkey, Malaysia, South Africa, and Ireland—is attempting to transport 5,500 tons of aid by sea from Istanbul to Gaza. This is far from the first time the coalition has tried to break Israel’s 17-year naval blockade of the Strip, but it is perhaps the most consequential voyage it has taken in its history.
The Freedom Flotilla passengers are determined to end the illegal siege of Gaza, despite the risks this mission poses to their lives. Gaza has been sealed off since 2007, but after October 7 Israel escalated the blockade and prevented the entrance of food and other aid into the Strip, killing even humanitarian workers who attempted to deliver it with Israeli permission. At least 31 Palestinians have died of starvation, on top of the over 34,000 killed by Israeli shelling.
The volunteers say that, since their governments have largely stood by while Israel destroys Gaza, it’s their responsibility, and right, to take nonviolent, direct action.
Flotilla organizers told me that everyone on board went through an extensive vetting process to ensure that they are well-intentioned and mentally suited to embark on such a journey, and that they are required to be unarmed during the voyage. The group also gathered in Istanbul for training focused on nonviolent de-escalation prior to departure.
Dylan Saba, a half-Palestinian and half-Jewish American attorney and writer joining the flotilla, told me that Israel is becoming desperate as they fail to achieve their political goals. “Israel is using control of humanitarian aid to achieve what they have not been able to achieve with military force alone. They have not been able to liberate hostages,” he said. “They don’t have much left of Gaza to destroy, and they’re losing political capital as the world is waking up to the genocide.”
The flotilla will be advantageous, under every circumstance, he said. “No matter how they respond, it’s a bad look for them. If they respond with force, there would be a massive backlash in the West. If they arrest them, that will also be a diplomatic problem. If we are able to successfully enter Gaza, we will have successfully broken the blockade.”
But launching the boats is the first challenge the coalition must overcome. Between 2008 and 2010, the Free Gaza movement made many unsuccessful attempts; Israeli naval ships rammed and destroyed one of the boats, and commandeered and arrested passengers on another. Wright says there was also sabotage of a 2011 flotilla, with damage done to propellers and pipes. Eventually, the boats were prevented from departing Greece after facing pressure from Israel. Now, the flotilla says it has been delayed by “Israeli tactics.”
Along with hundreds of people from all walks of life—including social workers, artists, parliamentarians, an 80-year-old Argentinian doctor, and a former mayor of Barcelona—the ships are outfitted with dozens of journalists to keep record of the story. “We are going straight to Gaza, and Israel should not interfere. They know we are coming; they can’t claim any mistake,” Arraf said. A violent response from Israel, she added, would “be very much an intentional act.”
Saliha Bayrak is a writer and reporter based in New York.
Source: thenation.com, April 26, 2024