Women’s boat to Gaza: Humanitarianism and Solidarity

April 11, 2016

Umm Abdillah, Radio Islam Programming, 2016.04.11 | 3 Rajab 1437 AH

 

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Gaza is one of the world’s oldest cities. Once upon a day it was a thriving port. Today it is a sprawling mess of refugee camps and poverty. Gaza is 41 kilometres long, and 6 to 12 kilometers wide. With around 1.85 million Palestinians living on some 362 square kilometers, Gaza ranks as the 6th most densely populated areas in the world. Of the 1.85 million inhabitants of Gaza, 1.1 million are refugees; those who lived in what is now Israel before 1948.

 

Due to an Israeli–Egyptian blockade, the population in Gaza is not free to leave or enter the Gaza Strip, nor allowed to freely import or export goods. Israel maintains direct external control over Gaza and indirect control over life within Gaza: it controls Gaza’s air and maritime space, and six of Gaza’s seven land crossings. It reserves the right to enter Gaza at will with its military. It maintains a no-go buffer zone within the Gaza territory. Gaza is dependent on Israel for its water, electricity, telecommunications, and other utilities.

 

In early 2006, Dov Weisglass, a then senior advisor to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, explained that Israeli policy was designed “to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger.” In 2012 it was revealed that in early 2008 Israeli authorities drew up a document calculating the minimum caloric intake necessary for Palestinians to avoid malnutrition so Israel could limit the amount of foodstuffs allowed into Gaza without causing outright starvation.

 

According to UNICEF, more than 90% of the water from Gaza’s only aquifer is unsafe for human consumption due to pollution, while repairs to Gaza’s sewage and water infrastructure cannot be carried out because of Israeli restrictions on the entry of building materials and equipment.

 

At some stage or the other the following goods to Gaza have been banned or severely restricted:

 

Food items such as pasta, flour, yeast, rice, salt, sugar, black pepper, garlic, cinnamon, cooking oil, tea, coffee, chickpeas, lentils, beans, olives, cookies, canned tuna, and powdered milk.

 

Sanitary items such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes, toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, diapers, baby wipes, detergent, and dishwashing liquid.

 

School supplies such as textbooks, writing paper, notebooks, and pens.

 

Fuel, seeds, plastic irrigation piping and other agricultural supplies and equipment.

 

Freedom Flotilla

 

The international Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) is a solidarity movement composed of campaigns and initiatives from all over the world working together to end the siege of Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition was formed after the 2010 Freedom Flotilla mission. Their actions against the blockade are always governed by the principles of nonviolence and nonviolent resistance.

 

Women’s Boat to Gaza

 

The Women’s Boat to Gaza (WBG) is a Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) initiative that seeks not only to challenge the Israeli blockade but to also show solidarity and bring a message of hope to the Palestinian people.

 

By launching a women’s boat, women from all over the world aim to highlight the undeniable contributions of Palestinian women who have been central within the Palestinian struggle in Gaza, the West Bank, inside the Green Line and in the diaspora.

 

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) chose March 8th, International Women’s Day (IWD), to announce the launch of their Women’s Boat to Gaza (WBG) project.

 

The Women’s Boat to Gaza will set sail mid-September of this year and plans to dock at a number of Mediterranean ports along its route and arrive Gaza on October the 1st.

 

The FFC’s fourth mission (FF4) will be sailed by an all women crew and will carry aboard, notable women from all over the world in order to highlight the role of Palestinian women to the resistance movement.

 

South African graphic designer and activist Atiyyah Mohamed designed the logo chosen for the Women’s Boat to Gaza (WBG) project. Atiyyah is a member of the Palestine Solidarity Alliance youth league and is involved in digital activism.

 

South Africa

 

South African men and women are active role-players in the FFC and in breaking the siege on Gaza.

 

This year brought to fruition a four-year lawsuit brought by Gadija Davids, a South African journalist, who was on board the Mavi Marmara when Israeli forces stormed the Turkish ship that was part of the Freedom Flotilla en route to Gaza in May 2010. Davids was assaulted and detained by Israeli forces.

 

Eleven Israeli officials have had international arrest warrants against them circulated for their role in the deadly raid.

 

In South Africa, due to the Davids’ case, warrants target former Israeli army chief Gabi Ashkenazi, former navy commander Eli Marom, the former head of military intelligence Amos Yadlin and the former head of air force intelligence Avishay Levy.

 

All four military leaders will be arrested if they enter South Africa. Interpol South Africa is working with their counterparts in Turkey.

 

Additional Resources:

https://wbg.freedomflotilla.org

https://freedomflotilla.org

 

Umm Abdillah is part of development and strategy at Radio Islam’s Programming department. Catch her on air hosting The Reminders Programme on Wednesdays between 10-11am and Between the Cracks at 8.25am on Tuesdays. She can be contacted at zanah@radioislamlive.com or @zanah_za on Twitter.

 

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