Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 06-10-2016
The co-ordinator for the Women’s Boat to Gaza has told Radio Islam that while the seizure of the Zaytouna –Olivia did not receive much mainstream media coverage because no one was killed on the boat, statistics on Facebook has shown that the most used word is ‘Gaza’.
The Israeli navy yesterday intercepted the Zaytouna –Olivia which was carrying 13 pro-Palestinian females activists trying to break the country’s decade-long blockade of the Gaza Strip.
In a statement on Wednesday the Israeli navy says its forces had “redirected” the Zaytouna-Oliva in order to prevent a “breach of the lawful maritime blockade” of the Palestinian enclave.
Israeli born activist Dror Feiler says ‘Gaza’ was the most spoken about subject on social media.
“The biggest social network in the world that billions of people are using every day, Gaza is an issue and this is very important for us to remember when other crimes are committed in Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan and all over the world.”
Feiler says more effort is required to make the world remember that next year will mark 10 years on the siege of Gaza and the 50th year for the Israeli occupation of Palestine which is the longest in modern times.
He says given South Africa’s struggle under the apartheid regime it would be his dream if the country could also send a boat to break the siege on the Gaza Strip.
“Personally my dream is to have a boat coming from South Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope with some people who fought against apartheid and activists from all over the world which would be a symbolic voyage.”
UN officials have repeatedly called for the blockade to be lifted, saying conditions are deteriorating in Gaza, but Israel continues to remain defiant.
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