Flotilla ‘symbol of international outrage at what Israel is doing’
Ann Wright, a member of the Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee, says the activists’ home countries must take action to protect them after the Handala was intercepted.
They must also put pressure on Israel to end its genocide against Palestinians and break its siege on Gaza, Wright told Al Jazeera.
“Protect innocent international people who are merely accompanying a small amount of aid – medical and food – as a symbol of the international outrage at what Israel is doing,” she said.
Sadly the size of the Flotilla is also a symbol of the international 'outrage'... The international silence is far louder...
Who is on the Handala ship?
On board the ship, which has now been boarded by Israeli forces, are 19 activists from 10 countries, as well as two journalists, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The crew members are:
- Emma Fourreau, French-Swedish member of the European Parliament
- Gabrielle Cathala, French National Assembly member
- Huwaida Arraf, Palestinian-American human rights lawyer
- Jacob Berge, Jewish-American activist
- Hatem Aouini, Tunisian trade unionist
- Vigdis Bjorvand, 70-year-old Norwegian activist
- Frank Romano, French-American lawyer and actor
- Robert Martin, Australian rights activist
- Tania “Tan” Safi, Australian journalist and organiser, born to Lebanese refugees
- Christian Smalls, US labour activist
- Bob Suberi, American veteran
- Antonio Mazzeo, Italian researcher and journalist
- Santiago Gonzalez Vallejo, Spanish rights activist
- Sergio Toribio, Spanish environmental activist
- Justine Kempf, French nurse with NGO Medecins du Monde
- Ange Sahuquet, French rights activist
- Antonio La Picirella, Italian climate activist
- Braedon Peluso, US sailor and activist
- Chloe Fiona Ludden, former UN staff member
The journalists on board, both with Al Jazeera, are Mohamed El Bakkali, from Morocco, and Iraqi-American cameraman Waad Al Musa.
Gaza gov’t media office condemns Israeli ‘maritime piracy’
The Gaza Government Media Office has condemned “in the strongest terms” Israel’s storming of the Handala aid vessel, calling it an act of “maritime piracy”.
“This blatant aggression represents a flagrant violation of international law and maritime navigation rules,” the office said in a statement.
“It reaffirms once again that the occupation acts as a thuggish force outside the law, targeting every humanitarian initiative seeking to rescue more than 2.4 million besieged and starving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
The office also called on the international community, including the UN and rights groups, “to take an urgent and firm stance against this aggression and to work to secure international protection for the convoys”.
