Bad weather and Zionist attempts to stalk and intimidate Global Sumud Flotilla fail to halt voyage
The vessels and volunteers of the humanitarian convoy Global Sumud Flotilla, en route from more than forty countries in an attempt to break Israel’s criminal starvation blockade of Gaza, have begun arriving in Tunisia where they will rendezvous with further ships and participants.
The flotilla had briefly been forced to turn back by stormy weather and communications breakdowns but set sail again and has now reached its first planned stop en route after a brief ‘technical ‘refuelling and safety stop’ in Menorca. The flotilla, which set sail from Spain earlier this week, will grow significantly as it meets ships joining from more countries in Tunisian waters before proceeding toward Gaza.
Following Israel’s pattern of attempted intimidation of earlier individual vessels, several drones have been spotted approaching the flotilla, but these failed to prevent the progress of the convoy. Thiago Ávila, who crewed the Madleen and was held hostage by Israel after Israeli forces pirated the boat, said:
We know that (on) a mission like ours, spotting drones is an alert situation because four months ago our boat was bombed by two Israeli drones.
Ávila said the boat Familia was approached by multiple drones in “a likely combination of psychological intimidation and intel gathering – and that “all security protocols” were activated. He said that seeing the drones had been “unsettling” but that crews’ resolve held firm because:
in Gaza Palestinians are living under 24/7 weaponized Israeli drones hovering above them.
Video: GSF.
Turkish delegate Aycin Kantoglu explained the context and history of the current flotilla:
The Global Sumud Flotilla is, in fact, a continuation of earlier attempts that began with the Mavi Marmara, followed by the Madleen and Handala ships. This time, nearly 1,000 activists from 44 countries are attempting once again to break the blockade.
A speech by Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim to volunteers of the Sumud Nusantara Flotilla which is joining the Global Sumud Flotilla to break Israeli Illegal Blockade.
The rescue and supply ship Emergency has also joined the flotilla:
Nelson Mandela’s grandson, a long-time pro-Palestine campaigner, is travelling to join the fleet:
And four Italian MPs will also arrive to take part according to Italian media reports on Wednesday – MEPs Benedetta Scuderi and Annalisa Corrado, with Democratic Party MP Arturo Scotto and Five Star Movement Senator Marco Croatti. Ada Colau, the former mayor of Barcelona, is already on board a flotilla vessel, having said a tearful farewell to her young children.
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I watched a video on the channel of some random rabbi the other evening. The thrust of his video was an attack on Greta Thunberg, and the intentions of the convoy. Quite enlightening how a SUPPOSEDLY religious leader has views entirely in line with a genocidal, murderous government of right-wing fanatics. But maybe that says more about his religion than I ever could.