The website USTOGAZA says the participation of Americans in Freedom Flotilla 2 is winding down. Below is a video of a demo in Syntagma Square in Athens.
Now our folks are beginning the journey home – some will arrive today, some tomorrow and others in the days ahead. Everyone is tired, but their energy is strong! They will share their stories and talk about their experiences in communities everywhere. And they will use this incredible time they shared in Athens as a spring board for further activism and organizing.
As soon as we can, we will send more information about the next steps and how you all can stay involved in the work to end the Israeli naval blockade and lift the siege of Gaza, as well as the efforts to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories. That, after all is said and done, is what this effort has been about, and that is the work that must continue.
They also gave a brief overviewof what is now happening in Greece:
The Captain was released after the hearing on Tuesday. He is free to go, but charges haven't been dropped, though they may be ultimately. The 9 hunger strikers have ended their strike. The boat Audacity Of Hope still remains in the hands of the Greek authorities. The French passenger boat Karameh made it into international waters, & is now in the eastern Mediterranean. The the Greek/Swedish/Norwegian passenger boat Juliano is in a stand off with port authorities in the port of Perama; they tried to go to Fokia, to attend a welcoming ceremony at the invitation of the mayor.
Passengers of the Spanish boat Guernica have occupied the Spanish Embassy in Athens. Sandra Ruch from the Canadian boat was still in custody for blocking Greek Coast Guard cutters with a kayak, along with Michael Coleman who was also charged but apparently was released.
Finally, I received an e-mail from Adam Keller of Gush Shalom, addressed to the Minister of Internal Security, Yitzhak Aharonowitz:
According to reports in the media, the Prime Minister has entrusted you with handling what is known as the "Fly-In," i.e. hundreds of peace activists from abroad who are scheduled to land at Ben-Gurion Airport this Friday. You have been quoted as saying that you consider these people to be 'law-breaking hooligans,' without your having bothered to check or find out who they are and what are their intentions. It has also been published that you intend to treat them with brute force, and to this end to fill Ben-Gurion Airport with thousands of police officers. These violent plans may cause a serious and completely avoidable damage to the State of Israel.
I wish to clarify the facts. Several months ago, Palestinian civil society organizations sent an invitation to peace activists around the world to visit the West Bank over the week of July 8-16. In the framework of the visit, which is called Welcome to Palestine, the visitors from abroad are invited to stay in the homes of Palestinian families and to take part in various cultural activities such as planting olive trees in villages in the Ramallah area; visiting the Freedom Theater in Jenin whose director, Juliano Mer, was murdered several months ago; and visiting the community center in Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem. In no way or form is any violent or provocative action planned. Indeed, the Palestinians have encouraged their visitors to come as entire families with their children, and many of them intend to do so. . . .
. . . If the Palestinians had an airport of their own, the activists would have preferred to land at such an airport. However, at present it is only possible to reach the Palestinian Territories by way of Israel, and the activists purchased, at their own expense, tickets for flights landing at Ben-Gurion Airport. They have no intention of creating chaos at the airport, and their only intention is to pass through passport control, like any other traveler, and be on their way. . .
So, on Friday, we should find out how Israel with treat the 600 activists flying into Ben Gurion.