One Scot, Theresa McDermott, is among six British members of the crew of a small boat who have been kidnapped by the Israeli Military and forcibly taken to Israel this afternoon.
The Israeli Military recognises no limits to its criminal behaviour. Having imprisoned, massacred, and starved the people of Gaza, they have now kidnapped a group of people sailing with a small cargo of olive trees, medicine and children’s toys to Gaza. The small vessel was in international waters. This kind of piracy is routine for the Israeli Military dealing with Palestinian fishing boats. The Israeli Military threatened repeatedly to fire on the crew of the Spirit of Humanity, resorting to kidnap when the tiny vessel refused to turn back.
Part of a statement released today by the organisers of the relief mission reads:
According to an International Committee of the Red Cross report released yesterday, the Palestinians living in Gaza are “trapped in despair.” Thousands of Gazans whose homes were destroyed earlier during Israel’s December/January massacre are still without shelter despite pledges of almost $4.5 billion in aid, because Israel refuses to allow cement and other building material into the Gaza Strip.
The report also notes that hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of their patients due to Israel’s disruption of medical supplies.
More info: Hilary Smith tel: 07818 040 982
What you can do:
Immediately email / call your MP to demand they
- Add their own voice, publicly and loudly, to Gerald Kaufmann’s protest in the House of Commons tomorrow (one of his constituents is among those kidnapped by Israel).
- Make a public statement unreservedly condemning this example of Israel’s criminality and demand the crew’s immediate and unconditional release
- Support the boycott campaign against this nuclear-armed rogue state
- don’t buy anything Israeli and urge your friends and family to do likewise
- find out what contracts your Council or workplace has with Israeli companies (Eden Springs, Veolia) and get them cancelled. SPSC can help here campaign@scottishpsc.org.uk
- join your local active Palestine solidarity group and make a difference