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Flotilla III Gathers in Greece in its Way to Besieged Gaza, Former Tunisian President, Marzouki, Joins International Peace Activists on Board

June 26, 2015 

 

Marianne Freedom Flotila III started in Sweden, joined by other vessels in Greece in their way to besieged Gaza Strip, with threat from Israeli war criminals to prevent them from reaching Gaza

 

Flotilla III ship sabotaged at Greek port

 

June 26, 2015

 

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

 

The Israeli-Swedish activist Dror Feiler said that  one of the Flotilla III ships was exposed to sabotage of its propeller.

Dror Feiler who is taking part in the Flotilla III which seeks to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip told an Israeli Arab radio station on Thursday that somebody sought to sabotage one of the ships before it set sail toward the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Dror Feiler, a left pro-Palestinian activist and an Israeli national who resides in Sweden, told Radio al-Shams that while one of the ships was at port in Greece, an unidentified individual tried to damage one of the vessel’s propellers.

“We don’t know who it is, but that person went deep underwater and sabotaged the propeller, so we had to find a different boat, Feiler said”.

“There are dark forces that keep trying to stop us all along the way,” he added.

The activist told the radio station that flotilla participants were wary of being prevented from setting sail to Gaza, which is why they spent as little time in Greece as possible.

According to Anadolu Agency, Feiler also told al-Shams that Flotilla III is currently at sea near Crete, and that the sailing is delayed until Friday. 

 

Al-Marzouki: No way to prevent 2 million Palestinians from their rights

 

June 26, 2015

 

CRETE, (PIC)--

 

Former Tunisian president Mohammed Al-Marzouki has confirmed on Wednesday his participation in the Third Gaza Freedom Flotilla, saying the convoy refuses any attempt to prevent two million blockaded Palestinians from their legitimate rights. 

Al-Marzouki told Anadolu Agency in the Greek city of Crete that all flotilla participants were peaceful protesters and none of them were armed.

"I am with the activists until the end, and I will not give up," he said.

He added that they would only bring medicines to sick children in Gaza.

The former Tunisian president also said that if the Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) resorted to violence against them it would be to Israel's disadvantage.

He urged the international community to apply pressure on the IOA, saying: "All of us want peace. We want to see peace in this region of the world." 

Meanwhile, member of the international coalition to break the siege on Gaza Anwar al-Gharbi criticized, earlier in the day, the threat made by Israel that it would prevent the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla III from reaching the blockaded Strip of Gaza.

Gharbi, a former foreign affairs adviser to the president of Tunisia, stressed that such threats reflect Israel's plans to commit a crime by preventing peaceful solidarity activists from doing their humanitarian duty towards the besieged people of Gaza.

He urged the international community and human rights organizations to shoulder their responsibilities of protecting the flotilla and those taking part in it, and preventing the Israeli occupation from continuing to violate international laws related to the protection of the free movement of civilians and reaching besieged Palestinians in the Gaza Strip

Earlier, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon announced that the army will not allow the arrival of the Gaza-bound flotilla which is intended to be launched from Greece, adding that instructions have been issued to the concerned authorities to be prepared to stop the convoy.

Apart from Al-Marzouki, human rights activists from all over the world are aboard the flotilla.

The first Gaza Freedom Flotilla expedition in May 2010 ended in tragedy after Israeli commandos killed eight Turkish nationals and an American of Turkish origin in a raid on the flotilla ship, Mavi Marmara. Another person of Turkish nationality died in a hospital in 2014 after being in coma for almost four years.

Israel has maintained a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007.

In July and August of 2014, more than 2,200 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were killed and 11,000 injured -- mostly women and children -- during Israel's 51-day military offensive on the coastal enclave.

 

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