In a harbour in the Mediterranean (we’re not yet disclosing which one) a small vessel is waiting for a special mission. She will be sailing to Gaza. In order to avoid sabotage, the exact date and name of the port of departure will be announced only shortly before her launch.
“Our purpose is to call an end to the siege of Gaza, to this illegal collective punishment of the whole civilian population. Our boat is small, so our donations can only be symbolic: we are taking school bags, filled with donations from German school children, musical instruments and art materials. For the medical services we are taking essential medicines and small medical equipment, and for the fishermen we are taking nets and tackle. We are liaising with the medical, educational and mental health services in Gaza..
”In attacking the Freedom Flotilla, Israel has once again demonstrated to the world a heinous brutality. But I know that there are very many Israelis who compassionately and bravely campaign for a just peace. As broadcasting journalists from mainstream television programmes are accompanying our boat, Israel will have a great chance to show the world that there is another way, a way of courage not fear, a way of hope not hate”, says Edith Lutz, one of the organizers and passenger on the ”Jewish boat”.
The ”Jüdische Stimme” (Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Near East), along with her friends of EJJP (European Jews for a Just Peace in the Near East) and Jews for Justice For Palestinians (UK) are sending a call to the leaders of the world to help Israel find her way back to reason, a sense of humanity and a life without fear. ”Jewish Voices” expects the political leaders of Israel and the world to guarantee a safe passage for the small vessel to Gaza, thus helping to form a bridge towards peace.
Contacts:
Edith Lutz, EJJP-Germany +1 520 451 9740
Kate Leiterer, EJJP- Germany +162 966 047 2472
Glyn Secker, Jews for Justice For Palestinians (UK) +44 7917 098599 (UK)
15 Comments
[...] The Jewish boat to Gaza is sailing soon : Socialist Resistance: Fourth International in Britain socialistresistance.org/?p=955 – view page – cached In a harbour in the Mediterranean (we’re not yet disclosing which one) a small vessel is waiting for a special mission. She will be sailing to Gaza. Tweets about this link Topsy.Data.Twitter.User['damunderground'] = {“photo”:”http://a1.twimg.com/profile_images/961239804/images_normal.jpg”,”url”:”http://twitter.com/damunderground”,”nick”:”damunderground”}; damunderground: “Jewish boat 2 sail 2 #Gaza @ is demanding 2 lift d siege on Gaza.I didnt like their light criticism of #flotilla attack http://bit.ly/bfYIuR ” 21 minutes ago retweet Topsy.Data.Twitter.User['socres'] = {“photo”:”http://a3.twimg.com/profile_images/586234765/logo_izquierda_anticapitalista_120_normal.png”,”url”:”http://twitter.com/socres”,”nick”:”socres”}; socres: “The Jewish boat to Gaza is sailing soon: In a harbour in the Mediterranean (we’re not yet disclosing which one) a … http://bit.ly/99hT1Z ” 47 minutes ago retweet Filter tweets [...]
I support this effort and wish to see an end to the blockade but question your use of language i.e. “heinous brutality”.
We don’t know what went on as it is very much disputed by both sides and until a credible, independent investigation determines as such it is wrong to use language that prejudges the outcome of such an investigation. One immoral action (the blockade) does not necessarily imply another. Innocent until proven guilty. Are we incapable of holding a nuanced view?
Daniel, those are not our words but those of Edith Lutz, one of the European Jews organising this boat. In today’s paper I saw that the Israelis has opposed the UN’s proposed independent investigation: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e846e112-7162-11df-8eec-00144feabdc0.html . Is anyone surprised? Of course any right-minded person demands an inquiry into this. However all people must study the facts and make their own judgments, and must not await the opinions of state leaders. That is totally in the pattern of Israeli impunity, and we should continue to peacefully protest and send support.
“However all people must study the facts and make their own judgments”
Of course but at what point do we decide that all the facts have come to light? Is it 4 hours after the incident or four days, when more facts came to light? Are all the fact known yet? Have they all been presented? The answer to both of these is no. Lets see what further facts come to light as part of any investigation, whatever form that it may take. we may then may our own judgement on the additional facts presented and not necessarily what such an investigation concludes.
“That is totally in the pattern of Israeli impunity”.
In a court of law, previous record is not used to convict someone. it brings me back to “One immoral action (the blockade) does not necessarily imply another”
“we should continue to peacefully protest and send support”
yes and if we conclude after careful consideration of the facts, that the mavi marmara had non-peaceful elements we should distance ourselves from that particular event.
My God,is this a socialist website or a forum for Gandhi-loving small ‘l’ liberals?Facts?Zionists steal land from rightful inhabitants with the backing of western imperialism.Zionists begin wars.Zionists expel rightful inhabitants of the land.Zionists portray all those who resist as ‘terrorists’.Activists organize some boats to publicize the blockade of Gaza and end up being KILLED BY ISRAELI/ZIONIST commandos.What more FACTS do you need or want.While you are arguing for a more ‘nuanced’ view and getting splinters in your posterior,most people have already made up their minds.The violence of the slave is ALWAYS justified when directed against the violent slave master!!!!Oh,sorry,that is probably not ‘nuanced’ enough.
Daniel, one could not live a meaningful life using your approach. The world is changing. Each of us always has partial, and this incomplete, knowledge. In the final instance, the point never arrives when contradictory views about the past are fully resolved. There will not be an independent and fully accepted inquiry into this war: take the example of the inquiry into the Gaza war which the US and Israel have worked hard to discredit. Therefore the choice is either to develop and test hypotheses about the world about us, iterating action with understanding, or to accept the status quo.
On the point in question, perhaps we disagree. In the opinion of the peace activists and journalists who I trust on that boat, the Israeli troops used bullets and grenades indiscriminately. The deaths started before the first commando landed. In that context it would have been an elementary act of self-defence to aim to take the commandos prisoner — and that is exactly what did happen. To find out more, take a look at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeUhwELoKWo
Duncan,
On your first point, all i am saying that we need remain open minded.
Both sides have presented detailed accounts of what has occurred.
I take your assertion of the activists self defense an i am sure there are trustworthy accounts. However they may also not be fully aware of all that occurred on the boat.
Sometimes we have to question activists evidence in the same way we must question Israeli evidence.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/reuters-under-fire-for-removing-weapons-blood-from-images-of-gaza-flotilla-1.294780
a better example of my point…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSAxAj2KIdU&feature=player_embedded
Daniel, your point was not to say that we should be open-minded, but rather that is mistaken to drawn an initial conclusion in advance of an independent and credible inquiry. As the Gaza war shows, such an inquiry is impossible for the US and Israelis to accept. To await such an event would mean being always silent. In my opinion, it is immaterial whether or not the passengers used knives and railings against commandoes who had already used lethal force. It could have been elementary self-defence and in no way changes the horror of the Israeli blockade.
Similarly, what does a out-of-context video slip mean of one person saying they want to be a ‘shahid’? This is the Arabic word for ‘witness’ and is also used to describe someone who dies innocently, such as a child lost during birth, from fire or accident, or in the defence of their property. What is wrong with being prepared to die in the service of a just cause against a murderous foe? In whose interest is it to translate that as marytr without context? In the west, our governments has repeated, for two thousand years, the phrase “dulce de decorum est pro patria mori”: it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country. Isn’t this worse?
“In my opinion, it is immaterial whether or not the passengers used knives and railings against commandoes who had already used lethal force.”
But who as it were instigated the attack? The army videos say one thing, the activists another.
And we certainly must scrutinize both because there are discrepancies.
…for an interesting discrepancy, then look at this video where an activist is very adamant in claiming that they were unarmed except for using pieces of tables and chairs….
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/10215220.stm
but other photos release by activists show metals poles and the wielding of knives
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/reuters-under-fire-for-removing-weapons-blood-from-images-of-gaza-flotilla-1.294780
Why is there a contradiction here? Why is this activist making a claim that other activist’s photos do not back up? If we must question the credibility of this activists’ account, surely we must question others?
Daniel, the Israeli commandoes instigated the attack. They boarded the Turkish boats and brought guns with them. Not the other way around: the peace activists did not board the Israeli boats or even got into Israeli waters.
Are you surprised that people of the boat saw different things? It’s a huge boat with hundreds of people. Of course people will have different experiences. Have you see the pictures that the Israeli sappers published to show the small number of knives they found during their search of the boat? If you look at the pictures you’ll see that most of the knives are from two chefs’ sets: two sets of identically designed knives of different sizes: one with carbonite handles and the other with wood-coloured ones. You’ll find chefs’ knives on every ferry. Ha’aretz shows a grand total of one knife. As for the metal poles: it’s well described by activists that these are railings which were used to attempt to neutralise the commandoes.
The reality of the human condition is that one person cannot know everything. All our perceptions are true as far as they go, but they are partial and therefore not perfect. If we wait for human perception to become perfect, or if we expect people to be mind-readers, then we will never get around to supporting the Palestinian struggle for freedom.
I am just stunted that we are to investigate evidence, which has been illegitimately taken by Israeli forces, for Israeli government to investigate. People aren’t exactly that stupid to believe that Israel that is party involved in this affair is authorized juridically speaking to investigate.
This simple fact is that Law, which applies to everyone says otherwise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HgmJH0NZZk&feature=player_embedded
let alone any discussion about human rights and anything else…
I would like to say that there are inconsistencies in activists accounts. The captain of the ship says that IHH members aboard the ship used a circular saw to cut bars from the ship well ahead of the raid.
“http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/gaza-flotilla-captain-activists-prepared-attack-against-idf-raid-1.295591″
Perhaps this should cast some doubt on the “the Israeli commandoes instigated the attack” claim of some activists?
I don’t see the connection. The IHH members might have anticipated that the Israelis would use force to board the ship. If a killer said that they would enter your house, you would also be entitled to prepare to use force against them. That in no way justifies someone breaking into your house and killing people inside it.
I visited occupied Palestine two months ago. It is apparent that the capitalist dispensation in occupied Palestine is akin to the apartheid capitalist state we endured in South Africa. In order to perpetuate the Israeli apartheid capitalist state, it is important to employ the likes of Netanyahu and his epigones to justify the unjustifiable.
They propagate clever arguments to justify violence and oppression. The arguments presented begin with a false premise, but nonetheless employ syllogism keenly. This invariably causes the illusion of a valid argument. These arguments are gift wrapped for the propaganda machine and blasted through the capitalist media trumpets, following the adage that he who shouts loudest must be telling the truth.
Some Jew feel obliged to defend the State of Israel, and armed with the sophistic arguments presented by the Netanyahu epigones; carry forth the Israeli banner indignantly. Daniel certainly feels obliged to ameliorate the protests of socialist revolutionaries by regurgitating the sophisms.
Daniel draws strength from the free hand accorded by the United States of America to the state of Israel. The US called for an independent investigation into the attack on the flotilla, and asked the public to suspend judgement until this task was completed. Daniel follows the “official line”, how could it be wrong? Only by applying a Marxist analysis can these sophisms be dispelled.
The five largest armament producing nations are the five nations occupying the UN Security Council. As we know, the purpose of state is to protect the interests of their ruling class. Funding the Israeli military industrial machine and the cost of maintaining the special body of armed men, means the international bourgeoisie are making tremendous profits from this insecurity. Not only must the state of Israel procure armament, but all surrounding states are obliged to follow suit. The global capitalist crisis has amplified the need to escalate state violence, in order to fuel the international military industrial machinery and drive profit. The attack on the flotilla fulfils this purpose.
To mask the exploitation of the working-class, the bourgeoisie utilises demagogues, to misdirect the attention of the working-class from their avowed enemy, the bourgeoisie. Instead the bourgeois media aver that the fight is between the Jew and the Muslim. This is akin to the misdirection used in South Africa, namely the fight is between the Whites and the Blacks. Plainly, the bourgeoisie knows no race, nor religion – the bourgeoisie are from all races and all religious denominations.
When travesties such as the attack on the humanitarian flotilla occur, the working-class must be explained the causes of the brutality i.e. the profiteering of the bourgeoisie of many nations, from the military subjugation and suppression of the Palestinian working-class. In this way, the lies perpetuated by the bourgeois Netanyahu epigones are exposed plainly. The indignation of the working-class must be directed towards their true enemy, the bourgeoisie. The struggle is between antagonistic classes, between the bourgeoisie and the working-class!
The only way that peace will ever come to the middle-east is when the capitalist states ruling class, the bourgeoisie are put down. Peace will only come with a socialist revolution in the counties who are currently profiting from the suffering of the Palestinian people. Short of a socialist revolution, the profit incentive behind war will ensure that the indignity suffered by the Palestinian working-class will continue ad infinitum.
Iqra Qalam