Freedom Flotilla attracts global solidarity

by James Clark

Most of the boats that joined Freedom Flotilla 2 didn’t actually make it to Gaza, but their mission has nevertheless been an overwhelming success.

Under pressure from the US, Israel and their allies, the Greek government agreed to prevent any of the Palestine solidarity vessels from ever leaving Greek ports. Greece’s vulnerability as a result of the deepening debt crisis no doubt played a role in its succumbing to pro-Israel demands.

The Canadian Boat to Gaza (named the Tahrir after the Egyptian Revolution) was one of about a dozen ships in the flotilla, carrying passengers from Canada, Australia, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Russia and Israel. All the passengers were committed to breaking Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza by completely peaceful, non-violent means.

The Freedom Flotilla 2 was the follow-up mobilization to last year’s flotilla, which was attacked by the Israeli Navy in the early hours of May 31, 2010. Armed with machine guns, Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, killing nine Turkish nationals aboard.

Although this year’s flotilla—with the exception of one boat—was prevented from sailing, it still managed to draw worldwide attention to the plight of Gaza’s 1.5 million inhabitants who continue to suffer because of Israel’s economic warfare. Each of the boats carried aid, but the main point of the mission was to break the blockade and generate support for Palestine.

Israel launched an over-the-top, high profile media campaign that attempted to smear the passengers as either naïve dupes or outright terror-supporters. But the campaign backfired, raising questions about the credibility of Israel’s claims and about the lengths it would go to sustain Gaza’s isolation.

There were solidarity protests all over the world in support of the flotilla, including in about dozen cities in Canada and Quebec. The issue dominated the mainstream media, with a discernable shift in public sympathy for the cause. Even the right-wing Globe and Mail ran an accurate piece that gave voice to the demands of the struggle.

The way the public debate about the flotilla has unfolded has been a nightmare for Israel, forcing it onto the defensive, and giving a boost to solidarity activists globally, and to Palestinians themselves who continue to lead the struggle while under occupation.