AWID Condemns Israeli Attack On The Gaza Freedom Flotilla
The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) strongly condemns Israel’s violent attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla on May 31, 2010, which resulted in the killing of at least nine civilians, in addition to the illegal detainment of over 600 peace activists, parliamentarians, journalists, and human rights defenders from over 50 countries.
The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) strongly condemns Israel’s violent attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla on May 31, 2010, which resulted in the killing of at least nine civilians, in addition to the illegal detainment of over 600 peace activists, parliamentarians, journalists, and human rights defenders from over 50 countries.
The flotilla, composed of six ships, had set off to Gaza in Palestine in order to break the Israeli siege imposed since 2007 and deliver thousands of tons of urgently needed humanitarian aid to one of the most impoverished and densely populated areas in the world. Israel continues to blatantly violate international human rights laws in denying the people of Gaza access to basic human necessities, rendering living conditions deplorable for the 1.4 million inhabitants. As in all similar economic blockades, it is children’s and women’s rights that are most affected. The unlawful military attack on Monday, carried out while the flotilla sailed through international waters, is part of a systemic pattern of silencing all voices that call for an end to the siege. The impunity of Israel and its transgression of international laws should no longer be tolerated or accepted.
AWID joins the international community in calling for an urgent and independent investigation into the attack and calls on the international feminist and women’s rights community to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza and the Freedom Flotilla activists, including Irish Nobel Women Peace Prize Laureate Mairead Maguire who is still on board the MV Rachel Corrie, a boat sailing as part of a second attempt to break the illegal siege in Gaza. We call on the state of Israel to end its brutal attacks on international activists and allow them to continue their important peace and humanitarian mission safely.
Take Action
Sign the Avaaz petition: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/gaza_flotilla/?fp
Join 10 Days of Activism against the Siege on Gaza organized by Coalition of Women for Peace with Code Pink and the Coalition against the Siege http://coalitionofwomen.org/home/english/articles/mainBox/
To have access to other worldwide Feminist Statements: http://www.nasawiya.org/web/2010/06/worldwide-feminist-statements-in-solidarity-with-gaza-freedom-flotilla/