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Wed, June 16, 2010 | Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center

The Flotilla to the Gaza Strip: Other Flotillas Planned^[1]

The results of the flotilla to the Gaza Strip, the international media waves it made and especially the international pressure on Israel made many countries and organizations declare their intention to send more flotillas. In reality, it is possible that only some of them will be realized. Concretely speaking, there are two flotillas actually about to materialize, one from Iran and one from Lebanon. Their schedules are still unknown.

Flotilla from Lebanon

The ship Naji al-Ali is planning to set sail from Lebanon with correspondents from an organization calling itself “Reporters Without Borders.” Members of the Lebanese Parliament may also be on board (Al-Anbaa, Lebanon, June 14, 2010). An announcement appeared on the organization’s June 14 Facebook page from a member named Fadaa Itani, who said it was the last chance to register to participate in the flotilla and within 48 hours the organization would announce its next step.

The ship Miriam is expected to set sail from Lebanon, organized by a committee of women headed by Sama al-Hajj, the wife of the former head of Lebanese general security. At a press conference it was announced that the ship’s passengers would all be women, and that they would be bringing medicine and children’s food (Lebanese News Agency, June 13, 2010).

The funds to purchase the ships for the flotilla are being raised by Yasser Kashlaq, a Palestinian businessman who heads the “Movement for a Free Palestine.” It is unclear whether they have already been purchased. Kashlaq refused to say when the ships would set sail or whether they would sail together or individually (Al-Akhbar, June 14, 2010). Reporters Without Borders and the Movement for a Free Palestine put an ad in the newspapers asking for donations to pay for the flotilla’s expenses (Al-Akhbar, June 12, 2010).

Flotilla from Iran: the Red Crescent Flotilla

Mohammed Ali Noorani, chairman of the Society for the Defense of Palestine held a press conference where he announced that an Iranian assistance flotilla called “Toward Gaza” would be dispatched. He said it would set sail in the coming days from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas (Fars News Agency, Iran, June 14, 2010). Before the flotilla set sail a convoy would be organized and pass through Iranian cities to collect donations. Noorani said that there was an organizational headquarters for flotillas which claimed that they would continue dispatching them “until the siege is broken” (ISNA News Agency, June 14, 2010).

Iran is organizing another flotilla, three or four of whose 230 passengers will be members of the Majlis (the Iranian Parliament). According to Mahmoud Ahmedi Bighash, Majlis representative for the residents of Shazand (north central Iran), one of the organizers of the flotilla, it is expected to set sail on June 23 or 24 (Mehr News Agency, Khabar TV, June 14, 2010). The Iranian Red Crescent is also organizing a flotilla (ISNA News Agency, June 14, 2010).

Other Flotillas

There are also other initiatives for flotillas currently in the early stages of preparation, such as the European campaign to lift the siege which is planning to send a flotilla called “Freedom Fleet 2.” Amin Abu Rashad, the campaign’s coordinator, said that the flotilla, which is planned for 4,000 passengers, will include members of the European Parliament and set sail in the middle of July (Al-Resalah.net, June 14, 2010). It is unclear how many ships the organizations have. Rami Abada, one of the organizers, said that they already had six ships (Wafa News Agency, June 10, 2010).

An activist for an organization called European Jews for a Just Peace^[2] said that they were planning to launch an aid ship for the Gaza Strip in the middle of July. She said there would be between eight and sixteen passengers aboard (Agence France-Presse, June 10, 2010).

Hamas Activity to Operate the Gaza Port under European Inspection

Hamas has exploited the flotilla and the contingent events for activity aimed at lifting the closure of the Gaza Strip. For example, Jamal al-Khudari, head of the Popular Committee to Break the Siege, held a press conference where he presented an initiative to operate the Gaza port under European inspection, which would include an agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Greece (according to the agreement ships bound for the Gaza Strip would load their cargoes at a Greek port). He said his initiative would obviate all Israeli intervention in the port’s activity and enable the European inspectors to examine the cargoes and be present during the voyages to the Gaza Strip. The initiative would also include the establishment of a designated company to run it and renovate the port. Al-Khudari added that the “intifada of the ships” would continue alongside his initiative (Ma’an News Agency, June 12, 2010).

Notes:

^[1] Follow-up of the June 7 post “The Ship Intifada continues: Arab and Islamic countries and international organizations send more Gaza-bound flotillas.”

^[2] An organization founded in Holland in 2002 and active in ten European countries, among them Germany, France and Britain (Organization website).