Thread: Irish cargo ship purchased to break Gaza siege

Last Week, the Free Gaza Movement, bought a 1,200 tonne cargo ship at an auction in Dundalk, Ireland.

The vessel had been impounded a year ago following an inspection by the International Transport Federation (ITF) which found that its’ owners had exploited it’s Lithuanian crew members - not paying their wages and subjecting them to humiliating treatment.
ITF Inspector and SIPTU organiser Ken Fleming said, ‘We are pleased to announce that this vessel which was used to subject workers to modern day slavery, will now be used to promote human rights for the people of Palestine’.

The Free Gaza Movement now owns four ships including three passenger vessels.

Free Gaza’s ships will take part in an international flotilla taking humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza strip this May. Passenger and cargo ships are also being organised by the Turkish humanitarian organisation I.H.H., and by groups in Greece, Sweden, Malaysia and Belgium.

Free Gaza has launched eight missions to Gaza over the past two years. Five were successful. The last two were violently stopped by the Israeli Navy.

The Irish ship will be taking 500 tons of cement, as well as medicines, medical equipment and educational materials to the people of Gaza.

Derek Graham of the Free Gaza Movement said, ‘We have international law and the conscience of the people of the world on our side. We know the Irish people will not stand by and let the people of Gaza be starved and punished by Israel any longer’.

In preparation for the launch of the Irish ship, hospitals, trade unions, churches, mosques, families and community groups are being invited to sponsor bags of cement to help the people of Gaza to rebuild.

Caoimhe Butterly of the Free Gaza Movement said ‘We call upon the Irish people and government to support the safe passage of our mission. The siege is a form of collective, sustained and devastating punishment. Supporting the flotilla is a way for the people of Ireland to show direct solidarity with the 1.5 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza as they attempt to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives’.

The Irish vessel, the MV Linda, will be re-named the MV Rachel Corrie, in memory of the 23-year-old solidarity activist crushed to death in 2003 by an Israeli bulldozer as she attempted to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home in Gaza. The Free Gaza Movement pays tribute to Rachel and the thousands of Palestinian men, women and children killed, wounded or imprisoned under Israeli Occupation.

http://www.freegaza.org/right-to-read

Originally Posted by Ghod

Fucking bastards

I was just about to quote the exact same sentence.

Disgusting behaviour.

The Free Gaza movement has broken the Israeli-imposed siege on the Gaza Strip twice before, bringing much-needed medicine and other supplies to the people of Gaza, where 1.5 million Palestinians live under an 18-month long siege by the Israeli military which prevents most goods from entering, and prevents them from leaving the tiny coastal Strip.

Related Issues

Since September 2000



4,274 Palestinians killed
952 Palestinian children killed
31,531 Palestinians wounded
4,170 Palestinian homes demolished


In 2006

647 Palestinians killed
119 Palestinian children killed
1,809 Palestinians wounded
319 Palestinian homes demolished


Current Facts

11,700 Palestinians are currently imprisoned

Israeli unemployment is 9%, Palestinian unemployment is estimated at 40%.

The U.S. gives more than $7,023,288 per day to the Israeli government and military.

Since 1967 Israel has demolished 18,147 Palestinian homes, leaving over 100,000 people without shelter.

Israel has been targeted by at least 65 UN resolutions and the Palestinians have been targeted by none.

Food, Fuel, Power & Medical Shortages

According to the World Food Program, the Israeli blockade means that 59% of Gaza's food import needs aren't being met. The majority of fuel outlets have closed due to Israeli fuel and power reductions, seriously affecting the local economy and internal travel. This has also had a major effect on the public sector as Gaza relies almost exclusively on fuel and electricity imports to run essential services such as hospital power generators, ambulance services etc. About 225,000 people don't have proper access to drinking water because pumps are out of action.

In addition, the medical sector is facing further crisis due to severe drug and personnel shortages, lack of medical equipment and external travel restrictions. For example, according to the WHO, supplies of 91 out of 416 essential drugs have run out, as have about a third of essential medical supplies - including most children's antibiotics.

Closures and collective punishment

The Israeli imposed embargo on external travel in force since June have meant that approximately 6,000 Gazans are waiting for the opportunity to travel abroad for work and education. In addition some 1,500 people require external medical care, including 350 critical cases. A further result of the closures is that 120,000 jobs in all sectors are under threat, and construction projects worth $160m have been halted. The UN has warned that Gaza will become a 100% dependent economy if the borders remain closed for import, export and travel.

The closure acts as a de facto trade embrago. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization has said farmers have so far lost $4.5m due to the squeeze on imports and near total ban on exports since June. It is estimated that another $50 million will be lost this season if farmers cannot export. Some 25% of Gazans rely on agriculture for their income.

All this amounts to, in the words of Human Rights Watch and others, "collective punishment" against the people of Gaza. The human rights organisation Al-Haq notes that: "This is the first time in history that sanctions have been imposed on the victims of an oppressive regime rather than on the regime itself". In total, more than 1,800 Gazan civilians have been killed by Israeli forces since 2000, and many more have died as result of lack of access to proper
facilities.

What we're calling for

The IPSC calls upon the EU; to immediately end the aid embargo placed upon Gaza and for a full resumption of aid (including emergency aid to address the current crisis); for EU pressure to re-open the border crossings thus ending the de facto trade embargo; for the suspension of the EU-Israel Agreement until Israel adheres to international human rights law; and for an embargo on arms sales to Israel.

IPSC is the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign
see http://www.ipsc.ie/index.php for more