Free Gaza Movement: Breaking the Israeli Naval Blockade of Gaza--Organizing the first Boats to Gaza

In May 2020 the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition is sponsoring a series of webinars to commemorate those killed on the 2010 Gaza Freedom flotilla and the thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel that have been killed by the Israeli military and the inhumane policies of the Israeli government. May 31, 2020 is the 10th anniversary of the deadly Israel military attack on six civilian boats that were sailing to bring international attention to the plight of over 2 million Palestinians living under a brutal Israeli land, sea and air blockade of Gaza. Israeli commandos murdered ten and wounded fifty unarmed civilians on the Mavi Marmara ship and beat up passengers on the other five boats. Over the past 12 years, in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2018, international solidarity activists have sailed 18 voyages with over 30 boats to break the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza. The next flotilla has been postponed from May 2020 due to Covid19 travel restrictions. It is coordinated by the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition which is sponsoring this webinar series. The idea of sailing to break the Israeli naval blockade began in 2008 with a group called Free Gaza Movement. Their story of the challenges of actually getting boats into Gaza, the first boats in 41 years to arrive in the Gaza City port, the only port Palestine has, is remarkable. In this video you will hear from the founding members of the Free Gaza Movement, Greta Berlin, Paul Larudee, Mary Hughes-Thompson, Vangelis Pissias, and Musheir El Farra about the challenges of fundraising and organizing the first two boats to reach the shores of Gaza and see photos of the outpouring of goodwill from Gazans as the boats arrived in Gaza in 2008. We will show the trailer of a new movie “Rock the Boat” of the 2008 flotilla by directed by Kathy Sheetz. COVID 19 IN PALESTINE: Please consider donating to one of the urgent response appeals for healthcare in Palestine, either through UNRWA: ~my-donation, or through Medical Aid to Palestinians , or the Middle East Children’s Alliance: