On Thursday afternoon, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition was contacted by the Guinea Bissau International Ships Registry (GBISR), requesting an inspection of our lead ship – Akdenez. This was a highly unusual request as our ship had already passed all required inspections; nevertheless, we agreed. The inspector arrived on Thursday evening. On Friday afternoon, before the inspection was completed, the GBISR, in a blatantly political move, informed the Freedom Flotilla Coalition that it had withdrawn the Guinea Bissau flag from two of the Freedom Flotilla’s ships, one of which is our cargo ship, already loaded with over 5000 tons of life-saving aid for the Palestinians of Gaza.
In its communication informing us of this cancelation, the GBISR made specific reference to our planned mission to Gaza. It also made several extraordinary requests for information, including confirmation of the ships’ destination, any potential additional port calls, and the discharge port for humanitarian aid and estimated arrival dates and times. It further demanded a formal letter explicitly approving the transportation of humanitarian aid and a complete manifest of the cargo.
Again, this is a highly unusual move from a flagging authority. Normally, national flagging authorities concern themselves only with safety and related standards on vessels bearing their flag, and are not concerned with the destination, route, cargo manifests or the nature of a specific voyage. Just like when you register your car, the authorities don’t require you to detail to them every place you are going to go with the car.
Sadly, Guinea-Bissau has allowed itself to become complicit in Israel’s deliberate starvation, illegal siege and genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Israel is showing the world the extent to which it will go to deny Palestinians the aid they need to stay alive, in direct contravention of International Humanitarian Law, UN Security Council resolutions, and two orders of the International Court of Justice.
[...] without a flag, we cannot sail. But, this is not the end. Israel cannot and will not crush our resolve to break its illegal siege and reach the people of Gaza. The people of Gaza and all of Palestine remain steadfast under the most horrific, unimaginable conditions. We take strength from their incredible, inexplicable ability to maintain their humanity, dignity and hope when the world has given them no reason to do so.
It is our responsibility to keep that hope alive. WE WILL SAIL.
The Freedom Flotilla, which was set to depart from Turkey on the 27th of April with 5000 tons of life-saving aid, has now been delayed because Israel and the United States has pressured Guinea Bissau to withdraw its flag from the Flotilla's lead ship.
Seeing as how their tactics worked on Guinea Bissau, organizers now fear that Israel and the US will exert the same pressure on whichever country the Freedom Flotilla attempt to register their ship under next.
To help the Freedom Flotilla reach Gaza, please keep an eye out for further updates from the organizers. Right now, as of April 27th, they're asking people to help boost their visibility, and to donate to their member campaigns.
Part of the George Washington University student encampment has been sectioned off and those inside are not allowed to leave; they are being threatened with arrest and interim suspension. There are multiple people menstruating and there is only one bathroom tent. They are allowing through scab members of the GWU newspaper, but not medics. There is only one medic that is stuck inside.
Please consider donating if you can. If you’re in the area, there’s also other things you can do. Follow @dmvpym on instagram for updates
LESS THAN TWO HOURS AGO: four cornell students have been suspended (and at least the one reporting was evicted, unknown about the others) for their involvement with their campus's gaza solidarity encampment. during a school year centering freedom of expression no less!
It is not "just an opinion" and we cannot "agree to disagree" WHEN IT IS LITERALLY THE LIVES OF PEOPLE. GENOCIDE. ETHINIC CLEANSING. ISRAEL DOING WAR CRIMES WITH THE USA'S HELP.
Journalist Abed Alqadr Sabbah documents the last functioning dialysis center in all of north Gaza. The centers at Al-Shifa Hospital and Nour Al-Kaabi Hospital were deliberately destroyed by the occupation, and now the only location with working dialysis machines is Kamal Adwan Hospital, which has also suffered prior attacks. In all of north Gaza, there are only 5 working dialysis machines. Each treatment cycle takes about 4 hours, and patients must receive treatment 3 times a week. There are currently 60 people seeking dialysis at Kamal Adwan, and there is simply not enough time or resources to treat everyone adequately. Patients can now only receive treatment twice a week, meaning they are more likely to go into kidney failure. It is also extremely difficult and dangerous for them to reach the center, making treatment even more hazardous.
Hundreds of Isr@eli settlers break into Al Aqsa mosque under the protection of occupation forces.
Three Palestinians were injured by an explosion of Isr@eli weapons remnants in Khan Younis
German police suppression of participants at a sit-in in front of Parliament to demand an end to the genocidal war in the Gaza Strip.
The Isr@eli occupation soldiers are using “explosive food cans” to kill Palestinians when they try to open it in light of the ongoing starvation and siege policy. These cans were left by the soldiers inside the bombed homes or the previously occupied in the Gaza Strip.
The University of Vermont joins the global campus movement for Gaza.
I-I’m not Polish!?! I’m from basically everywhere except Poland. I have German, Irish, and Norwegian heritage but not Polish. Also, I’m 100% against all kinds of colonization. That’s why I’m against the existence of Israel.
THE Dr. Angela Davis speaking at the student encampment on Auraria campus in Denver this weekend.
"I want you to know how important it is that you are taking this stand and this moment," Davis said, addressing the protesters. "I want to emphasize what this means for history. As you imagine this period being narrated 10 years, 20 years, 50 years from now, you will be the historical actors who made it possible for a breakthrough for the struggle against Zionism and the struggle for a free Palestine."
Civil rights icon Angela Davis speaks at Auraria campus in Denver after 40 protestors arrested
Please take the time to donate to the Colorado Palestine Coalition and the encampment here if you can!