The Freedom Flotilla, a coalition that brings together a dozen organizations from different countries, is finalizing the conditioning of three ships that it intends to charter to Gaza with more than 5,000 tons of humanitarian aid and the intention of breaking the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. Palestinian territory. Hundreds of activists have arrived and will arrive during the weekend in Istanbul to board the Flotilla, among them the former mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau, the Spanish representative Martina Velarde ( Podemos ), the member of the Extremaduran Parliament Nerea Fernández (IU) and the Former US diplomat Ann Wright. However, after suffering several delays, the departure of the Flotilla is uncertain and it is unknown if the Turkish Government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan will allow it to weigh anchor.
“We are evaluating all the circumstances, that all the ship’s facilities are ready, and the political conditions here,” Ann Wright, a retired colonel and former member of the US State Department, said this Friday at a press conference at the shipyards of Tuzla (Istanbul). Not allowing the Flotilla to set sail is equivalent to “collaborating with Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza,” added Palestinian-American lawyer and activist Huwaida Arraf: “And we do not believe that is what the Turkish Government wants to do.”
Flotilla activists denounced that the naval blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza since 2008 is “a violation of international law” that represents “collective punishment” to the civilian population and, therefore, constitutes a “war crime.” And hence his intention to break it to bring humanitarian aid and medical supplies. A merchant ship is being loaded in the port of Alexandria (southern Turkey). And in Tuzla Istanbul, final arrangements are being made for two passenger ferries on which between 500 and 600 activists will travel. Approximately half of them will be Turks and the rest from organizations and campaigns in solidarity with Palestine, from thirty countries, from Canada to Malaysia, Norway or South Africa.
“Experts say that the famine and diseases that are being generated (in Gaza) due to the lack of food and medical supplies may cost more lives than even the thousands killed by bombings (by Israel),” Velarde said in statements. to the press: “And that is why we are here, because this trip would not have to happen if the international community and the governments that comprise it were not looking the other way. We find it incredible that the international community is not forcing Israel to comply with the order of the International Court of Justice in defense of human rights and that, furthermore, none of the United Nations resolutions are being complied with.”
Negotiations with Ankara
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Among the main promoters of this Freedom Flotilla 2024 is the Turkish humanitarian organization IHH, with Islamist ideas, which Israel banned in 2008 for its alleged links to the Muslim Brotherhood. In 2010, Israeli soldiers raided the blue Marmara, one of the ships that made up the flotilla chartered by IHH and other organizations from Turkey, killing nine Turkish activists (six of them “summarily executed” according to a report by the UN Human Rights committee). The incident led to the practical breakdown of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel, which were only resumed normally almost six years later, when Israel apologized for the assault and promised to pay $20 million to the relatives of the victims. victims in exchange for Turkey desist from prosecuting the alleged culprits. Despite the anger aroused by the Israeli action, the Erdogan Government did not allow a new Flotilla to leave Turkey in 2011.
Then they tried sailing from Greece. However, several ships suffered sabotage and the rest were blocked in port by the Greek authorities. Other attempts were made in successive years, but all were prevented from leaving or were intercepted by the Israeli authorities.
“One of the reasons for this press conference is to make sure that the Turkish government knows how many people have already arrived (in Istanbul) and the importance of this mission. So we appeal to you to allow this ship to leave,” Wright told EL PAÍS, who attributed the delays to pressure from the United States, Canada and the European Union on Turkey: “All we want is to bring humanitarian aid to people who He is starving. “We do not want military ships to protect us, but we do ask governments to guarantee our right to go.”
A Turkish source who participates in the organization of the Flotilla explained to this newspaper that part of the delays that have occurred in the departure date – it was expected to depart this weekend and now it is being considered for Tuesday or Wednesday of the week coming—to last-minute repairs on the ships, but also acknowledged the doubts of the Turkish Executive: “The Government has not yet decided, it does not tell us that we can leave, but it has not told us that it forbids us either.” Another source, in this case from IHH, confirmed to EL PAÍS that “negotiations” with Ankara are still taking place.
Erdogan is in a delicate position, as his government tries to present itself as a mediator in the conflict. But, at the same time, the voter bases demand that his criticism of the massacres of Palestinians by Israel be supported by actions. There is “a lot of pressure” from the most Islamist sectors, acknowledges a government source. In fact, the Turkish president himself hinted at a meeting of his party that the Gaza issue had cost them votes in the recent municipal elections, which the opposition won.
According to security sources cited by Israeli television Channel 12, the Israeli Government is preparing for “all kinds of scenarios” in the event of the Flotilla’s arrival, but they stated that they hope it will finally be “postponed indefinitely.”