Freedom Flotilla to Gaza in Wilhelmshafen, May 26-28: Sailing for the Right to a Just Future for Palestine

Contacts in Germany:
Annette Groth, +49 176 7047 6563, anngroth@posteo.de
Robert Naiman, Just Foreign Policy (US, currently in Germany): +1-217-979-2857 / naiman@justforeignpolicy.org

Contact on boat (Al Awda)
Zohar Chamberlain Regev: +34 647077426 or +34 674640483 / zohar995@gmail.com)

The Freedom Flotilla ship Al Awda (The Return), together with Ship to Gaza Sweden vessels Hurriya (Freedom), Falestine (Palestine) and Mairead (named for Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire who previously sailed against the blockade) arrive in Wilhelmshafen from Brünsbuttel on Saturday May 26 and will be in port in Wilhelmshafen May 26-28. Expected arrival in Wilhelmshafen is 21:00 on May 26. A reception with local activists is expected on Sunday morning May 27.

The boats will visit many European ports on their way to challenge the illegal and unjust Israeli-Egyptian 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 blockade of Gaza and demand an end to our governments’ complicity with the blockade, which has created a humanitarian crisis, with civilians lacking clean water, electricity, and medical care. For more information about our mission and about the blockade of Gaza, see our website: jfp.freedomflotilla.or g/about-just-future-palestine

Participants on board Al Awda include Zohar Chamberlain Regev, Israeli Spanish resident and Freedom Flotilla Coalition boat leader; Elizabeth Murray, former Deputy National Intelligence Officer from the United States; Mikkel Grüner, Danish national and city councillor in Bergen, Norway; indigenous activist Heather Milton-Lightening from Canada, professor of Business Nazari Ismail and CEO of MyCARE Malaysia Kamarul Zaman, both from Malaysia; sailor and human rights advocate Charlie Andreasson from Sweden.

On Monday, May 28, around noon, in Wilhelmshafen, the boats will be met by former German parliamentarian Annette Groth, who will travel with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla from Wilhelmshafen to Amsterdam. Groth says: “The blockade of Gaza, biggest outdoor prison worldwide, is a violation of Human Rights and International Law! Not even severely injured people may leave Gaza for urgent medical treatment. The Hospitals are in dire need of medicines  and supplies, the stocks are depleted as more than 10 000 Palestinians are injured. The soil and water is contaminated from chemicals in the bombs Israel used during its last attack on Gaza in 2014. I call upon the German Government to put pressure on the respective governments of Israel and Egypt, to lift the blockade of Gaza, following the motion adopted by the German Parliament back in June 2010!”

 

For more information about the Freedom Flotilla 2018:

Website: jfp.freedomflotilla.org
Twitter @GazaFFlotilla
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FreedomFlotillaCoalition/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/gazafreedomflotilla