“Stop the genocide, not the flotilla”: the Israeli army is still illegally boarding boats en route to Gaza – L’Humanité

With each attempt to break the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, the same Israeli rhetoric returns: the participants of the Global Sumud humanitarian flotillas are « malicious »are right “Aux terrorists du Hamas”. However, if there is indeed a violation of the law, it is to be found on the side of the Israeli armed forces, accustomed to illegal arrests.

The latter intervened again, Monday May 18, in international waters off the coast of Cyprus, in order to intercept part of the fifty ships sailing towards Gaza. The British and Polish flagged vessels Al Qastal, Kyriakos X, Shatila, Dayr Tarif and Tenaz are affected, Global Sumud announced on its social networks. “Around ten ships are currently continuing their journey”notes Florence Heskia, co-organizer of the flotilla. Member of Waves of Freedom France, she condemns “A hostage-taking of nearly 300 people who were placed in a navy building, a real floating prison in order to be transported to the port of Ashdod. The French state remains silent like the European Union. Worse, the Cypriot and Greek authorities were complicit in this illegal detention.”.

« Stop the genocide, not the flotilla»

Several Israeli warships were reported near the vessels of the flotilla, which left the Turkish coast on May 14, before communications were cut. “I think (…) that you are foiling a malicious plan designed to break the blockade we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gaza.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly rejoiced, speaking to the command of the Israeli navy, announced a press release published Monday afternoon.

The United Nations (UN) special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, denounced a « nouvel acte de piraterie commis par l’armée israélienne » and Stephen Bowen, executive director of Amnesty International Ireland, urged in Tel Aviv to“arrêter le genénocide, pas la flotille”.

Turkey has, for its part, condemned an operation carried out “in international waters”. Diplomatic tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv over the Gaza Strip have continued to grow since the death, in 2010, of nine Turkish militants present on the Mavi-Marmara ship, during an assault by Israeli forces.

This new illegal operation follows that of April 29, during which twenty-two ships were intercepted near Greece. Several dozen activists were beaten – or victims of sexual assault – before being deported to Crete. The organizers of the flotilla, Saif Abukeshek and Thiago à Vila, were detained for ten days and tortured in an Israeli prison. Tel Aviv’s impunity therefore continues, while the international community revels in its passivity. For Florence Heskia, “This violence clearly reveals the attitude of the Israeli authorities who want to criminalize any solidarity with the Palestinian people. They illustrate the inhumane treatment inflicted on Palestinian detainees, women and children.”.