Free Gaza Responds to Latest Israeli Propaganda
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
London, Oct. 22, 2010 – As Israel continues to release selective information – documents, photos, and video – stolen from journalists and passengers on the ships, they are now attempting to portray the Turkish government as the primary source of support for the Flotilla. This selective release, without context, is part of the government’s propaganda campaign in the wake of the UN Human Rights Council report and in advance of the Uribe Panel’s report to the UN Secretary General, severely calling into question the ability of Israel to conduct a legitimate inquiry.
The Free Gaza Movement and its partners in the Freedom Flotilla Coalition have always had ongoing, open talks with governments around the world to generate support for breaking the blockade and siege on Gaza. Before each of the previous eight sailings of the Free Gaza Movement, and the launch of the Freedom Flotilla, we held talks with government officials from the United States, Cyprus, Greece, Sweden, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Turkey to generate open support for the mission and to call for ending the Israel’s policies of collective punishment on Palestinians in Gaza.
Prior to every sailing, the Free Gaza Movement has also been completely transparent about its intentions to break the blockade and have had public launchings of boats, which were widely covered and reported in international media, including the Israeli media.
On June 14, 2010, after the Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla, when Israeli forces murdered 9 civilians, injured dozens of others on all six ships and stole millions of dollars worth of computer and electronic equipment (some of which has been resold by Israeli soldiers), as well as cash, the International Committee of the Red Cross stated the blockade was a form of collective punishment and “all States have an obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of all relief consignments, equipment and personnel.”[1]
The Free Gaza Movement, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and its individual members have not and do not receive any financial, material, or logistic support from any government. Nonetheless, we call upon all governments to fulfill their obligations under international law and work to end the blockade on Gaza.
Contact: Huwaida Arraf, +971-55-310-5295
Audrey Bomse, +44 786 156 0932
[1] ICRC Statement, “Gaza Closure: Not Another Year,” June 14, 2010, http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/palestine-update-