Canadian and Irish ships set to challenge Israel’s illegal blockade with Freedom Waves to Gaza

The Canadian ship Tahrir and the Irish ship Saoirse have successfully reached international waters, marking the start of the Freedom Waves to Gaza campaign. The boats are currently in the Mediterranean Sea, preparing to sail for Gaza within a matter of hours.

“Flowing out of the Freedom Flotillas, the Freedom Waves to Gaza are now underway,” says Canadian Boat to Gaza organizer Ehab Lotayef from on board the Tahrir. Also on board in this citizen-to-citizen initiative are delegates from Australia, the US, and Palestine. “We are now in international waters and hope to reach the shores of Gaza in a matter of days. Among the significant obstacles in our way are Israel’s military and the complicity of the Harper government, but we have the wind of public opinion at our back and in our sails, which strengthens our resolve and determination to challenge the illegal blockade of Gaza’s 1.5 million inhabitants.”

“The fact that we have reached international waters is another victory for the movement,” says Canadian Boat to Gaza organizer David Heap from on board the Tahrir. “Despite economic blackmail, despite the outsourcing of the blockade to Greece, despite being forcibly boarded by the Greek Coast Guard, and despite Israel mobilizing a significant portion of its navy to stop us, we are now even closer to reaching Gaza, breaking the blockade, and occupying the occupation.”

“The Palestinians living in Gaza want solidarity not charity, and have made it clear to the world that their primary demand is for freedom. While humanitarian aid is helpful, Gazans are still prisoners with no freedom of movement,” adds Lotayef. “Israel’s illegal blockade prevents not only imports into Gaza, but exports as well. And the blockade prevents Palestinians from moving freely between Gaza and the West Bank, in violation of fundamental human rights.”

The Freedom Waves to Gaza initiative is a non-violent, civil society movement to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza. Bios of delegates are available at  http://www.tahrir.ca/content/delegates-freedom-waves-gaza-november-2011 . There will also be various media outlets reporting on developments aboard the Tahrir, including Al Jazeera and Democracy Now.

Restrictions at the eleventh hour by the port authorities have meant that only one third of the assembled delegates and media have been allowed to embark. Despite this latest challenge, the Tahrir and Saoirse will soon be at full speed ahead toward Gaza.

“While the Tahrir will be delivering much-needed medicines, our primary aim remains to help free Palestinians from the open-air prison known as Gaza,” says Heap. “There’s a song from the civil rights movement with the chorus of “we who believe in freedom cannot rest.” And we will keep challenging the illegal blockade until Gaza and the rest of Palestine is free.”