Sailing for the Right to a Just future for Palestine

The Freedom Flotilla ship AlAwda (The Return), together with Ship to Gaza Sweden vessels Hurriya (Freedom) and Mairead (named for Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire who has previously sailed on three missions against the blockade of Gaza) are in Copenhagen on Sunday May 20 and Monday May 21. They will be joined later by another Swedish boat, Falestine (Palestine), and all four vessels will visit many European ports on their way to challenge the illegal and inhumane Israeli blockade of Gaza in late July.

The Freedom Flotilla is sailing in 2018 for the right to a just future for Palestine. We challenge the Israeli blockade and to demand an end to our governments’ complicity with Israel’s war crimes and violation of human rights. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship this year is named Al Awda (The Return) to underline the importance of this long-standing demand of Palestinians for the right to return to the lands they were expelled from in 1948. Of the over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, most are refugees from other parts of Palestine. The inhumane conditions of over-crowding in this densely populated strip of land cannot be propertly addressed without restoring their full freedom of movement. For more information about our mission and about the blockade of Gaza, see https://jfp.freedomflotilla.org/about-just-future-palestine

Participants already on board Al Awda since she began her voyage in Norway include Zohar Chamberlain Regev, an Israeli Spanish resident who is the Freedom Flotilla Coalition boat leader, and Mikkel Grüner, a Danish national who is city councillor in Bergen, Norway. Mikkel comments : “The blockade of Gaza is in its 11th year. It is such a gross violation of international law that it can be characterized as a crime against humanity.” They will be joined in Copenhagen by participants from the international Freedom Flotilla Coalition, including indigenous activist Heather Milton-Lightening from Canada, professor of Business Nazari Ismail, and CEO of MyCARE Malaysia Kamarul Zaman, both from Malaysia, sailorand human rights advocate Charlie Andreasson from Sweden and Elizabeth Murray, former Deputy National Intelligence Officer and member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS), from the United States.

The boats will be docked at quays places (kajpladser) 564, 563 and 562. Shore address: Islands Brygge 22, 2300 København S. in Copenhagen. Activities planned while they are in Copenhagen include:

Sunday May 20
16.00 The boats will arrive (under 3 bridges)
17.00 Press conference by the boats

Monday May 21.
14.00 – 20.00 Music, speeches and artistic performances

Tuesday May 22
5:45 am.  Supporters will gather for a public farewell: boats sail at 6 am.

For media inquiries, contact Zohar Chamberlain Regev (on board: +34 647077426 or +34 674640483 / [email protected])
In Copenhagen: JOHN EKEBJÆRG-JAKOBSEN +45 40 18 63 84
Elsewhere: please see jfp.freedomflotilla.org/media-room-2

Follow our website: jfp.freedomflotilla.org
Twitter @GazaFFlotilla
www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalition/
www.instagram.com/gazafreedomflotilla

Three Freedom Flotilla vessels in Varberg, Sweden.

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