A group of Jewish activists from the UK, Germany, Israel and the United States have set sail from a Turkish Cyprus port in an attempt to reach Gaza.
This group of brave activists includes 82 year-old Reuven Moskovitz--a survivor of the Holocaust, Lillian Rosengarten--a New Yorker who escaped Nazi Germany as a little girl, Yonatan Shapira-- the former captain in the Israeli Air Force Reserves and refusnik, Ramı Elhanen (husband to to Nurıt Peled-Elhanen), father of Smadar, who was killed by a suıcıde bomber in Jerusalem in 1997, and Edıth Lutz who ıs a German Jew and co- coordınator of the Jewısh boat.
According to the press release at their website, the boat, named Irene, is sailing under a British flag with a cargo of symbolic aid including toys, instruments books, fishing equipment and prosthetic limbs. The group intends to unload its cargo "in a nonviolent, symbolic act of solidarity and protest – and call for the siege to be lifted to enable free passage of goods and people to and from the Gaza Strip."
Speaking from London, a member of the organizing group, Richard Kuper of Jews for Justice for Palestinians, said today that the Jewish Boat to Gaza is a symbolic act of protest against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the siege of Gaza, and a message of solidarity to Palestinians and Israelis who seek peace and justice.
‘Israeli government policies are not supported by all Jews,’ said Kuper. ‘We call on all governments and people around the world to speak and act against the occupation and the siege.’
Regarding the threat of interception by the Israeli navy, Kuper said ‘This is a nonviolent action. We aim to reach Gaza, but our activists will not engage in any physical confrontation and will therefore not present the Israelis with any reason or excuse to use physical force or assault them.’
And from the Turkish paper, Hurriyet,
Reuven Moskovitz, an 82-year-old passenger who survived the Nazi Holocaust, told AFP he felt duty-bound to attempt the voyage, which is expected to take around 36 hours. "It is a sacred duty for me, as a [Holocaust] survivor, to protest against the persecution, the oppression and the imprisonment of so many people in Gaza, including more than 800,000 children," Moskovitz said.
Yonatan Shapira, a former Israeli soldier and a crew member on the British-flagged sailing boat, said they were not looking for a confrontation. "We have a policy of non-violence and non-confrontation. But if the Israeli army stops the boat, we will not help them take it to Ashdod," he said, referring to a port in southern Israel where other blockade runners have been taken after being stopped by the navy.
The group is expected to reach Gaza in 36 hours. You can track the boat at http://www.marinetraffic.com/...
Peace and good luck to this wonderful group.