The Zionist Federation of Australia, together with the Zionist Councils in each state, is dedicated to bringing you the most up-to-date information about the Flotilla as it comes through. Please bookmark this page and keep checking back.

Recent News: updated July 5th

• Irish ship involved in Flotilla II named “Saoirse” (meaning “Freedom”) has been damaged. Ship’s organisers say it was “sabotage” by the Israelis. Turkish sources say that the breakdown was not the result of sabotage and the vessel was damaged before it entered Turkish waters.
• Greece enforces ban on any vessels leaving Greek ports for Gaza. In defiance of this ban, US flotilla ship “The Audacity of Hope” attempts to leave the port without permission. The boat is detained and the captain is charged with felony.
• Despite the ban and arrests, a second flotilla ship, this time the Canadian “Tahir” attempts to leave for Gaza. The ship is intercepted by the Greek coast guard and returned to the port.
• Quartet (consisting of the US, UN, EU and Russia) issue statement on 2 July 2011 declaring that “the Quartet strongly urges all those wishing to deliver goods to the people of Gaza to do so through established channels so that their cargo can be inspected and transferred via established land crossings”.
• In accordance with Quartets statements, Greece’s Foreign Ministry said, “Greece declares anew its willingness, and proposes to undertake itself, with Greek ships or other appropriate manner, the transport of humanitarian aid through existing channels, as requested by the UN Secretary General”.
• Israel has agreed to the Greek government’s offer to send the humanitarian aid aboard the flotilla on Greek vessels and to be transferred to Gaza.
• Last week alone, 1,236 truckloads of aid was unloaded at the crossings between Israel and Gaza.

Background:
Twelve months ago, six ships set sail from Turkey with the aim of breaking Israel’s naval blockade of Hamas-controlled Gaza. The ships, said to be carrying humanitarian aid, were intercepted in international waters by Israeli naval commandos for the purpose of inspecting the cargo, in particular to look for smuggled weapons. The commandos were met with passive resistance from five of the six ships. However, on the sixth ship, the MV Mavi Marmara, clashes broke out after some passengers (it was later ascertained these were members of the Islamist IHH organisation) violently resisted by attacking the soldiers even before they were able to come on board with knives and metal rods, and throwing one 30 feet down from one deck to a lower one.

Nine activists were killed (eight Turkish nationals and a Turkish-American) while seven Israeli commandos were wounded. The visual evidence on film clearly showed that the violence was instituted by the IHH members but a massive propaganda campaign was instituted by opponents of Israel even as the clashes were continuing.

2011 – Another Flotilla is on the way, but is there a humanitarian crisis in Gaza?
One year on and, despite a relaxation of the blockade by Israel and the opening up of the Rafah crossing to Gaza from Egypt in late May, the Free Gaza movement continues to perpetuate the myth of the blockade with Gaza (Egypt’s borders were closed to Gaza for four years following Hamas’ bloody takeover in 2007). The activists aboard last year’s flotilla directed all of their rage at Israel while completely ignoring Egypt’s “blockade” of Gaza.

A second flotilla is now on its way.

In April, Mathilde Redmatn, the deputy head of the Red Cross in Gaza declared, ‘There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. If you go to the supermarket, there are products. There are restaurants and a nice beach”.

Today, a large number of goods can freely enter Gaza. The exception to this is weapons and materials that can be readily made into weapons.

On 15 March 2011, the IDF intercepted the cargo vessel “Victoria” en route to Egypt on which as many as 50 tons of Iranian weaponry was found concealed behind sacks of lentils and cotton. For this reason alone it is Israel’s duty to stop such ships from entering Gaza.

In the meantime, Israel is very transparent about just how much aid comes across the border from Israel into Gaza on a daily basis. At the start of June it was noted that there was a 128% increase in the volume of truckloads transferred through the crossings compared to the month before, showing that each month, the number of materials are only increasing.

It can be seen that the flotilla is nothing more than a cynical publicity stunt, which is not surprising since the supposed “aid” from last year did not constitute humanitarian aid; it was not packaged properly, and consisted of a large amount of medical supplies that had either expired or were due to expire soon.

Additionally, the shipment of goods as humanitarian aid is generally not the accepted method. For example, Canada’s Red Cross states: In-kind donations of food, clothing and other items, while well intentioned, are not the best way to help those in need. There are tremendous processing and transportation costs involved in shipping these items to beneficiaries. Local purchases of food and clothing are more culturally appropriate and effective.

There is also the very real possibility that this year’s flotilla will turn violent, just as last year’s flotilla did. Israel has been notified that several extremists are embedded among the Gaza flotilla participants had recently claimed that they intend on “shedding the blood of IDF soldiers”. Additionally, it has been reported than chemical substances have been brought on to be used against Israeli soldiers. At least two activists aboard this year’s flotilla have connections with Hamas.

The Zionist Federation of Australia will continue to provide more in depth information pertaining to:

• Updates on the flotillas’ movements including any video footage that may become available
• International strategies / steps to stop or reduce the impact of the flotilla
• Official comment from Israel

The following articles are sourced from external news pages. Please click each link to read more about each story.

• Israeli Soft Power Crushing Free Gaza Movement July 8th, 2011
• When will European groups send flotillas to help people of North Korea and Syria? July 7th, 2011
• Activists’ plan to break Gaza blockade with aid flotilla is sunk July 7th, 2011
• One flotilla ship headed for Gaza, second turned back July 5th, 2011
• International law and the flotilla II July 4th, 2011
• Israel Preparing for Protestors Arriving By Air July 3rd, 2011
• Greeks arrest captain of U.S. ship aiming to protest Gaza blockade July 2nd, 2011
• Initial inspection says no sabotage to Irish ship to Gaza within Turkish territorial waters July 1st, 2011
• Greece puts halt to Gaza flotilla in a win for Israel July 1st, 2011 The Greek coastguard escorted a US boat seeking to join the Gaza flotilla back to port and said it will stop all other attempted departures. It looks like a big diplomatic victory for Benjamin Netanyahu.
• Dutch Journalists Abandon Flotilla June 30th, 2011
• Gaza shelves stocked, but hope in short supply June 30th, 2011 If pro-Palestinian activists unexpectedly manage to slip past Israel’s naval blockade on the Gaza Strip in the coming days, they might be surprised by what they see in the Hamas-controlled enclave when they disembark.
• Question: When can a country intercept a vessel? June 30th, 2011 Background: Answer: If it clearly intends to illegally enter another country’s waters – as soon as it leaves its port of origin.
• Flotilla departure delayed, criticism of organisers grows June 30th, 2011 The departure of the planned flotilla to Hamas-controlled Gaza has been delayed, with ships due to participate currently in port in Greece.
• Op-Ed: Flotilla won’t bring peace June 29th, 2011 Gaza flotillas fill no great humanitarian void, clearly designed to provoke Israel.
• Who Is Behind the Second Gaza Flotilla? June 29th, 2011 The second flotilla is coordinated by Muhammad Sawalha, a senior Muslim Brotherhood figure connected to Hamas.
• Israeli Advocacy Group Helps Delay Departure of Gaza-Bound Flotilla June 28th, 2011 Ten ships are expected to head toward Gaza this week in a challenge to Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which is governed by the militant group Hamas.
• Thoughts and Facts on the Gaza Flotilla II June 28th, 2011 A second flotilla of ships is going to the Gaza Strip. Or should I say, trying to go there since it will be stopped if necessary by a legal Israeli blockade.
• Ships of fools June 27th, 2011 Preventing a repeat of the ‘Mavi Marmara’ debacle would be the most fitting way for the flotilla activists to commemorate that recent one-year anniversary.
• Israel fears Gaza flotilla activists may try to kill IDF soldiers June 27th, 2011 Senior Israeli officials receive information that activists are bringing chemical substances to use against soldiers; extremists participating in flotilla have said they intend to ‘shed the blood of IDF soldiers.’
• Howard Jacobson: Why Alice Walker shouldn’t sail to Gaza June 24th, 2011 It should not need arguing, this late in the ethical history of mankind, that good people can do great harm. One of the finest and funniest novels ever written — Don Quixote — charts the damage left in the wake of a man who would make the world a better place.
• Gaza flotilla blind to Hamas June 24th, 2011 Next week a flotilla carrying so-called activists from various countries under the guise of “humanitarian concern” will set sail for the Gaza Strip, determined to break what they call “the siege of Gaza”. Four Australians, including former Greens MLC Sylvia Hale, will be aboard.
• The Upcoming Flotilla to the Gaza Strip Update June 23rd, 2011 The organizers of Freedom Flotilla 2 face difficulties but are determined to dispatch the flotilla, even with fewer ships than originally planned, despite its lack of world legitimacy and in the face of political pressure and technical difficulties.
• The flotilla is coming, the flotilla is coming. June 23rd, 2011 European and North American activists, journalists, and mercenaries have set sail—or are about to do so—on fifteen boats with passengers from twenty-two mainly Western countries to “break the Israeli blockade of Gaza.”
• Israel’s envoys to US, UN justify Gaza blockade June 23rd, 2011 Oren says Israel pleased that Turkish gov’t opposing flotilla; Prosor tells UN’s Ban that expedition “holds potential for dangerous consequences.”
• European ship to Egypt shows flotilla is provocation June 22nd, 2011 Israel has long argued that the flotilla being organized by the Free Gaza Movement to the Gaza Strip is an unnecessary provocation and that all humanitarian aid could be transferred via land crossings instead.
• The Hamas — Oops, Gaza — Flotilla June 21st, 2011 Estimates of the number of ships and participants vary from day to day, tending downward, but the erstwhile organizers insist that the maritime operation will take place.
• Israel cannot and should not let humanitarian ships through June 16th, 2011 The first attempt ended in bloodshed. Now another humanitarian convoy is headed for Gaza with the aim of breaking the Israeli sea blockade. Israel has no choice but to act, says maritime law expert Heintschel von Heinegg.
• Cutting Edge Lawsuit Filed to Seize Gaza Flotilla Ships June 15th, 2011 An American victim of a Palestinian terror attack filed today an unprecedented lawsuit to seize ships used by Islamic and anti-Israeli organizations to breach Israel’s coastal blockade of the Gaza Strip.
• The prejudice and double standards of Israel’s critics June 9th, 2011 Prejudice is recognised by its three constituent practices: it singles out the subject; it then applies a double standard; and, of course, the subject is always guilty. Israel is indeed singled out for special treatment and the double standard is also reflected in a specific vocabulary that is applied only to Israel.
• The Gaza Flotillas to Come: Some Ground Rules before Setting Out June 5th, 2011 An ostensibly civilian, humanitarian flotilla was employed in May 2010 to demonstratively breach the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza coast. This flotilla was organized by the Turkish IHH, which has extensive links to extreme Islamic terror groups. Provoking a confrontation with Israel continues to be the primary aim.
• Dutch government places IHH on terror list May 1st, 2011 Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal told The Jerusalem Post on Friday that he has “placed the [IHH Netherlands] on the Dutch list of terrorist organizations and froze its assets, because IHH Netherlands regularly transferred funds to IHH Germany. This organization is banned in Germany because it has raised funds for Hamas. Hamas has been on the EU list of terrorist organizations since 2003.”
• French flotilla called off June 5th, 2011 Members of Jewish community in France band together, send 500 letters of protest against Gaza flotilla, effectively preventing ship bought by organizers for €530,000 from docking in Marseille.
• US flotilla ship: We intend to break Gaza blockade June 20th, 2011 NEW YORK – Passengers on a US-flagged boat, The Audacity of Hope, spoke at a press conference Monday to discuss their plans and reasons for joining the “International Freedom Flotilla II – Stay Human,” a flotilla intended to break the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
• Israel Facilitates 1,200 new homes and 18 new schools in Gaza June 22nd, 2011 Israel approved the delivery of $100 million of materials needed to build 1,200 new homes and 18 new schools in Hamas-ruled Gaza Tuesday. The step was lauded by United Nations officials.
• Canadian Boat to Gaza A dangerous political stunt May 30th, 2011 In the coming days, the “Canadian Boat to Gaza” is set to launch as part of a large contingent of ships known as the Gaza flotilla.

The following resources provide comprehensive overviews of the 2011 Gaza Flotilla.

• Points on the Gaza Flotilla – Produced by ECAJ & NSWJBD
• Flotilla Farce – Neil Lazarus
• Flotilla Facts – Stand With Us
• Honest Reporting – The Gaza Flotilla
• The Legal Basis of Israel’s Naval Blockade of Gaza – Ruth Lapidoth
• NGO Monitor – NGOs and the Gaza Flotilla
• MFA June Update – Implementation of policy towards the Gaza Strip
• MFA June Update – New Government policy brings more goods to Gaza
• Freedom Flotilla 2