FF2 Statement to the UN Human Rights Council

On 14 June 2011, as part of its 17th Session, the Human Rights Council

held discussions on the status of implementation of the conclusions

contained in the report of

the independent international factfinding mission on the flotilla

attack. The Freedom Flotilla II Steering Committee submitted the

following statement:

STATEMENT OF FREEDOM FLOTILLA II – STAY HUMAN STEERING COMMITTEE

TO THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

In September 2010 the international Fact-Finding Mission to

investigate violations of international law resulting from the Israeli

attacks on the Freedom Flotilla I concluded that the conduct of the

Israeli military towards its passengers, when it was unlawfully

intercepted on the way to Gaza on 31 May 2001, “demonstrated levels of

totally unnecessary and incredible violence... It constituted grave

violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law.”

Unfortunately and incredibly, Israel is threatening to use even

greater violence against Freedom Flotilla II, which will sail to Gaza

the end of this month. Its threats have included the use of snipers

and canine units. Even more deplorable, world leaders, rather than

demanding that Israel halt its provocative behaviour towards us and

refrain from once again attacking unarmed civilians, have called the

Flotilla initiative a provocation and have asked countries on the

Mediterranean to prevent us from sailing.

In its September Report, the Fact-Finding Mission concluded that the

passengers on board our ships in May 2010, many of whom they

interviewed at length, were “persons genuinely committed to the spirit

of humanitarianism and imbued with a deep and genuine concern for the

welfare of the inhabitants of Gaza.” The same spirit of

humanitarianism compels us to again take action – even at the risk of

serious injury or death – to confront massive injustice with global

nonviolent action. For too long our national and international leaders

have passively watched the tragedy of Gaza – of all of Palestine. The

grossly unjust and unlawful blockade of the Gaza Strip and the ongoing

belligerent occupation of the rest of Palestine – imposed by Israel

and tolerated by the world community - is a stark case of states

sacrificing principle and human rights for power and self-interest.

For those who have any lingering doubts that a man-made crisis

continues to Gaza, just yesterday the Palestinian Centre for Human

Rights issued an alert indicating its extreme concern over the

“running out of medications and contraction of health services in the

Gaza Strip.”

The Fact-Finding Mission gave much thought to and called upon the

international community to recognize some role for “humanitarian

organizations who wish to intervene in situations of long-standing

humanitarian crisis where the international community is unwilling...

to take positive action.” It included in its broad definition of

humanitarianism both types of organizations involved in the Flotilla:

those that engage in activities taken to alleviate crises and those

that take action to address the root causes of the crises. The Mission

understood that “too often” humanitarian organizations, such as those

behind Flotillas I and II, are “accused of being meddlesome and at

worst as terrorists or enemy agents.”  Today, these same humanitarian

organisations and human rights activists are being accused of

‘provocation’ and Israel is threatening, once again, to unlawfully and

brutally stop them. We therefore call upon the Human Rights Council to

stand up to these Israeli threats, to defend our right to intervene in

the long-standing tragedy which is Gaza and to expose and put an end

to Israel’s illegal behaviour, which has too long been tolerated by

the international community.

We are determined to sail to Gaza.  Our cause is just and our means

are transparent.  To underline the fact that we do not present an

imminent threat to Israel nor do we aim to contribute to a war effort

against Israel, thus eliminating any claim by Israel to self-defense,

we invite the HRC or any other UN or international agency to come on

board and inspect our vessels at their point of departure, on the high

seas, and/or on their arrival in the Gaza port. We will – and must –

continue to sail until the illegal blockade of Gaza is ended and

Palestinians have the same human and national rights those of us

sailing enjoy.

--

Our message of peace is a call to action, for other ordinary people

like ourselves, not to hand over your lives to whatever puppeteer is

in charge this time round, but to take responsibility for the

revolution. First, the inner revolution -- to give love, to give

empathy; It is this that will change the world. -- Vittorio Arrigoni

The real heart deep down doesn't only stand up for what's right but

also helps others to learn to stand up for what's right. -- Mary Alfar

(age 11)