The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) mourns the loss of life in the recent escalation of violence in Gaza and Israel. We call for an immediate end to Israeli violations of human rights which have resulted in the deaths of so many Palestinians and Israelis.
This week, Palestinians held captive for the past 17 years in Gaza under an illegal Israeli blockade broke through the walls of what many describe as « the world’s largest open air prison.” These actions can only be understood as a consequence of Israel’s ongoing, 75-year-long military occupation and colonization of Palestinian land, and imposition of a system of oppression that meets the legal definition of apartheid.
We demand that the international community stop enabling the occupying force, Israel, from continuing its systematic and persistent violations of Palestinian human rights, including its ongoing land, sea and air blockade of the Gaza Strip, the violent expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, settler violence, home demolitions, mass killings, military raids on refugee camps, the Apartheid wall, daily humiliation of Palestinians and the jailing of Palestinian children. There can be no peace without equality and the honoring of human rights; there can be no peace until there is an end to the Israeli occupation, its blockade and collective punishment against the Palestinians of Gaza.
Israel must stop committing its war crimes, crimes against humanity and other breaches of international humanitarian law. Our governments, especially the United States and its allies, must cease their complicity in supporting Israel’s apartheid, which enables Israeli violence and bears blame for this moment. Those who continue calling for ‘ironclad’ Western support for Israel are only paving the path to more violence.
As Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh says: « …all people of conscience are with our people in Gaza as they face the wrath of the racist apartheid regime. May the recent events dubbed « Al-Aqsa flood » result in a flood of truth, justice, and humanity (long overdue in Palestine). That is the only way to end the violence.”
To end the support for the apartheid regime, we urge you to support the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for freedom, justice, and equality. Their recent recommended actions are listed here.
The FFC has been challenging Israel’s illegal maritime blockade of Gaza for over 12 years, and we plan to continue sailing in 2024. If you also want to support Palestinian human rights and help end Israel’s brutal and relentless violence, its propaganda machine and the oppression of Palestinian people, please contact an FFC campaign near you and join us in taking direct action to end the blockade.