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The Free Gaza Website
by: Jane Adas
December - December
2008
The Link - Volume 41, Issue 5
Page 1
On August 23rd, the SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty, carrying 46 international human rights workers and humanitarian aid, arrived in Gaza Port—the inaugural achievement of the Free Gaza Movement. AMEU Vice President Jane Adas interviewed Anis Hamadeh, who manages the Free Gaza Movement’s website.
Why and when did the Free Gaza Movement come into being? The Free Gaza Movement came into being about two years ago and was initiated by experienced human rights workers from several continents. I joined in about a year ago. Israel said the Gaza Strip was no longer occupied, but people in Gaza suffer severely from Israeli restrictions that have no legal basis at all. While the UN and other responsible organizations and countries have failed to act, the Free Gaza Movement has been successful – a triumph for civil nonviolent direct action.
What has been the reaction of the Israeli government to the Free Gaza Movement’s efforts to break the siege on Gaza? “Chaotic” seems to be the right term here. First they said we were pirates and breakers of international law, which was rather amusing. (I say “we,” but I was not on board.) When they noticed the gigantic media coverage they said, “OK, you can come in”—an occupier’s statement. Finally, in an al-Jazeera TV interview with our Huwaida Arraf, one Mr. Gissin, an Israeli official, said, “Boats may land in Gaza when they have no weapons on board.” You can find the video online. We take him at his word. After the boats arrived, the authorities arrested Jeff Halper, an Israeli boat passenger, for entering Israel from Gaza, despite their own official previous approval. Now, after our first success, the army seems to be anxious to take revenge on the poor Palestinian fishermen by shooting at them even more than before. It is all documented. Actually, the Israelis claim that it is a provocation for them when Palestinians go fishing in their own waters to make a living. They are truly amazing. Israeli officials are scared, that’s for certain.
Publicity is essential for the success of nonviolent direct action. Did American and European mainstream media pay attention? Oh yes, it is just too sensational not to be covered. Nobody remembers when the last ship or boat freely entered Gaza, but it must have been before 1967 at least. Even Zionist-friendly newspapers acknowledge the courage and determination of the Free Gaza passengers who fear neither death nor devil to take a stand. I watched the arrival of the boats in Gaza on August 23rd here in Germany on the 8 o’clock evening news. Many, many people cried for joy that day. Archbishop Desmond Tutu and even the United Nations are in favor of our project. Another reason for the success of Free Gaza is the new internet media of the 21st century. This is a precedent for much more than Palestine. My motto is: “The path of nonviolence is the path into the public.”
What is your role as webmaster? I post news and other items and maintain the “Free Gaza in the Media” clipping list, which has more than 1,400 items today, covering maybe a fifth of all international media reactions. I write thank you notes to endorsers and have a lot of worldwide correspondence. I also wrote four or five articles so far and do whatever is needed. My favorite work is with the Free Gaza Song Contest, which is my baby. I wrote the “Free Gaza Song” and posted it on YouTube encouraging people to sing along and win a prize. I also wrote “From the Cyprus Shore a Boat” and “Gaza on My Mind.” Meanwhile, there are studio versions of the songs online and many people have joined the show with videos, mp3s, and lyrics. The contest is open until the end of the year and everybody is welcome to participate. Here is the link: www.anis-online.de/office/-events/FreeGazaSong.htm. Songwriting is what I do best. I am a musician and poet.
What will be the next step for the Free Gaza Movement? The SS Hope is next in line and will carry, among 18 others, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Maguire and Mustafa Barghouti, my favorite Palestinian politician and a great man. In the long run there will be a permanent ferry sea-line between Cyprus and Gaza. We are determined to go all the way and we said that right from the start. So let me shout this out loud: we are hundreds, we are thousands we are millions, and no army in the world will stop us.
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