Although a United Nations investigation found that the Israelis had acted inappropriately by attacking the ships in international waters and had actually committed crimes, no action has been taken against Israel and the illegal Gaza blockade continues.
Now a second flotilla of ships is going to try to enter Gaza and break the blockade. One of the ships in this second flotilla is from the United States and is called the Audacity of Hope (after a book written by President Obama). There will be at least 50 American citizens on the ship, and they will be carrying nothing but letters from America to the citizens of Gaza. There will be no arms of any kind. Here is the letter the activists who will be on the ship wrote to President Obama explaining why they are going and asking him to act to protect Americans on the ship:
Dear Mr. Obama:
We are writing to inform you that 50 unarmed Americans will soon be sailing in a U.S. flagged ship called The Audacity of Hope as part of an international flotilla to Gaza.
Our peaceful demonstration will challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which has effectively imprisoned 1.6 million civilians, almost half of whom are under the age of 16. The blockade has impoverished the people of Gaza, deprived them of needed materials and supplies to rebuild their lives after the Israeli attack of late 2008 – early 2009, impeded those who are ill or infirm from seeking outside medical aid, and prevented students from seeking education outside of Gaza. 45% of the working age population is unemployed.
In addition to 36 passengers, 4 crew, and 10 members of the press, our boat will carry thousands of letters of support and friendship from people throughout the U.S. to the women, children and men of Gaza. There will be no weapons of any sort on board. We will carry no goods of any kind for delivery in Gaza. Our mission is from American civil society to the civil society of Gaza. We do not serve the agenda of any political leadership, government or group. We are engaged solely in non-violent action in support of the Palestinian people and their human rights.
In our country’s great tradition of citizen activists taking nonviolent action to stand up to injustice, we sail in the hope that our voyage will show the people in Gaza that they are not alone, and that it will call attention to the morally and legally indefensible collective punishment of a population of civilians.
Mr. President, you have noted the unsustainability of the Gaza blockade. And your administration has spoken boldly in support of peaceful demonstrations throughout this “Arab Spring.”
As U.S. citizens we expect our country and its leaders to help ensure the Flotilla’s safe passage to Gaza – as our country should support our humanitarian demand that the Gaza blockade be lifted. This should begin by notifying the Israeli government in clear and certain terms that it may not physically interfere with the upcoming Flotilla of which the U.S. boat—The Audacity of Hope — is part. We—authors, builders, firefighters, lawyers, social workers, retirees, Holocaust survivors, former government employees and more—expect no less from our President and your administration.
Our boat will sail from the eastern Mediterranean in the last week of June. We shall be grateful to you for acting promptly and decisively to uphold the rights of civilians to safe passage on the seas.
Sincerely,
The passengers of The Audacity of Hope
| Nic Abramson Hagit Borer Linda Durham Ridgely Fuller Libor Koznar Richard Lopez Carol Murry Gabe Schivone Len Tsou | Johnny Barber Regina Carey Debra Ellis Megan Horan Melissa Lane Ken Mayers Robert Naiman Kathy Sheetz Alice Walker | Medea Benjamin Gale Courey Toensing Hedy Epstein Kathy Kelly G. Kaleo Larson Ray McGovern Henry Norr Max Suchan Paki Wieland | Greta Berlin Erin DeRamus Steve Fake Kit Kittredge Richard Levy Gail Miller Ann Petter Brad Taylor Ann Wright |
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