JfJfP deplores seizure of Estelle

Statement by JfJfP executive
October 26, 2012

By attacking the crew of the Estelle, Israel yet again proclaims itself a member of the deplorable club of those who violently abuse providers of humanitarian aid. It will not escape notice that one of the Israeli Navy’s victims, tasered repeatedly in the arms and legs, was Elik Elhanan, a member of the Bereaved Families Circle, which is composed of Palestinians and Jews who have lost loved ones in the conflict and who campaign for an end to the violence. Their slogan is: `Nothing Will Change Until We Talk’. Elik’s father, Rami, was on the Irene, the Jewish Boat To Gaza, two years ago, when Yonatan Shapira and his brother Itamar were also violently attacked.

Locked into fear and hatred, the last thing this Israeli government can tolerate is peaceful communication between Israelis and Palestinians. That it can exercise this behaviour with impunity implicates mainstream media, notably the BBC, whose coverage consists solely of conveying the official Israeli news release, and European governments, who, Pavlovian slaves to the US green light, maintain their silence. Thus Netanyahu repeats the lie about the Irene, that there was no resistance and no violence; and the crime of the collective punishment of Gaza continues.

Yonatan was on this boat too. As his mother has stated: `He knows that the Israeli government is doing something unthinkable and we won’t be able to end the conflict like that.’

We send our admiration and heartfelt support to the crew of the Estelle.

Glyn Secker, Captain of The Jewish Boat To Gaza, for the Executive Committee of Jews For Justice For Palestinians – Two Peoples, One Future.