Israel has again illegally intercepted 60 Global Sumud Flotilla (GFS) ships, imprisoning all 400 participants on ships on May 19.
Subhi Awad told Green Left the French and Greek governments have told GFS organisers that they are being sent straight to prison in Ashdod, Israel.
Awad, a coordinator of the Australian contingent, said this time the GSF activists were not being dropped off in Crete, like 179 GFS activists were in April.
“We fear for their safety. Like the flotilla participants Israel kidnapped before, they will face beatings, sexual abuse, food, water and medicine deprivation,” Awad said. He said the federal Labor government must demand Israel release the Australian citizens, along with the other participants and the Palestinian prisoners.
“There are rallies and actions being planned in response to Israel’s aggression,” Awad said, including the Italian unions’ general strike on May 18.
Across Australia, snap actions have been called to pressure Labor to stand up for the flotilla participants.
Referring to the April attempt to break the blockade, Awad said: “There were 1000 or so people on the ships and 5000 or so doing flotilla support across the world. The 181 people kidnapped by Israel were all assaulted to various degrees by Israeli forces, but four were attacked very viciously. Surya McEwan, who has travelled twice on previous flotillas before this one, was severely bashed, had his ribs badly bruised.
“Two people were sexually abused. The Israelis did this to privileged passport holders in front of the whole world. These were brutal acts against peaceful humanitarian activists, but this is meted out to Palestinian prisoners on a daily basis, and to prisoners in Gaza.”
Awad said the GSF continued to sail, despite the kidnappings. One hundred and seventy nine participants were released but Thiago Avila and Saif Abu Keshek were taken into Israeli custody. They were only released after 10 days of interrogation and torture.
Awad said the flotillas are “incredible missions”, this year drawing the most participants and volunteers. “It is the most well organised. Participants have shown incredible courage.”
Awad believed the flotillas are “sparks” to deepen grassroots, global action for Palestine.
“Through this latest mission we’ve linked up Palestine activists from more than 50 countries. This is a high level of collaboration and international organisation, not seen before. Sharing knowledge, analysis and ideas has had a lasting political impact. It’s not just boats, aid and sacrifice: It’s bringing international collaboration to the Free Palestine movement. It’s not a sacrifice; it is an honor to be part of this movement.”
Asked about some of controversies, Awad said considering the GSF is a big organisation, there are bound to be challenges. GFS has protocols to deal with conflicts and grievances, but that “being such a big group and with the stakes so high for both participants and for Palestine, there is bound to be some breaks in the GSF rules of engagement.”
He said the smears against some GSF leaders have “no basis in reality”. The accusation that Avila had consensual sex was investigated and “no evidence was found. Participants commit to refrain from intimate relations with each other because it can complicate the mission. But Zionists weaponise everything.”
Awad addressed another criticism that the funds spent on the GSF could have gone directly to Gaza rather than to the people trying to bring in aid.
“We shouldn’t forget that in Gaza everything is rationed — tents, food, medical supplies — and everything is distributed through Israeli checkpoints. So giving money to certain families means a redistribution of the rationed goods, but they are still rationed,” Awad said.
“That’s why we ultimately need to break Israel’s siege on Gaza and let all the aid and materials get through. One of the aims of the GSF is to raise awareness about this.
“We need all streams of support and campaigning to free Palestine for Israel’s depravity. We have to try everything. But, yes, it costs a lot of money to sail these boats.”
Asked if the flotilla has raised awareness and re-invigorated the grassroots movement in the countries where participants have traveled from? “Yes, I think we can say we have achieved this. With the international media coverage and the social media reach, we’ve managed to re-focus the world’s eyes on Palestine,” concluded Awad.