Zeinab Essa

Hours ago the banner "Help Us End Gaza Blockade" was replaced by "We are Sailing!"

This means that Estelle activists overcame the first obstacle: The Ship to Gaza and its vessel Estelle got final clearance to depart from Italy's port toward Palestine, and particularly the seized Gaza strip.

Amid all this, "Israeli" pressures to ban the journey escalated and the Zionist entity sent a clear message: No flotillas to enter Gaza.

In an attempt to uncover some of the trip's goals and tracks, moqawama.org interviewed spokesperson of the flotilla Dr. Mattias Gardell.
The Swedish scholar of comparative religion informed our website that his country's "schooner, Estelle, arrived in the Italian port of La Spezia on Thursday."
To him, the arrival was amazing as supporters from all over northern Italy came to fill the vessel's sails with the powerful winds of solidarity.

"We are around 17 activists, mainly Members of Parliaments and European countries' officials from France, Sweden, Italy, and Spain," Gardell said.
According to the Professor, who is famous for his firm stances against occupation, "the ship was given its name after the name of the wife of Folke Bernadotte, a Swedish diplomat who was assassinated by the Zionists in 1948."
In an exclusive interview with our website, Gardell expected that the "vessel arrives into Gaza in mid-October."
He further revealed that "the flotilla is to carry a cargo of medical aids, hospitals' kits, cultural and sport equipment, reconstruction materials, as well as means for production that were gathered human rights activists."

In response to "Israel's" announcement that "no vessels will be allowed to enter Gaza for any reason," the scholar mentioned "this time we will enter."
"We don't carry weapons; so, why does "Israel" try to stop the campaign of international solidarity from reaching Gaza?" Gardell wondered.
In parallel, he reiterated that "Israel's" punishment to Gazans violates all civil and international laws. "The people of Gaza can only dream of freedom of movement. The five-year-long blockade is devastating in its efficiency in keeping people and goods from moving in and out of the Gaza Strip."
Gardell also highlighted that "people all over the globe are disgusted of "Israel's" racist degradation towards Palestinians."

Commenting on "Israel's" consecutive pressure on European governments involved to ban the move, the activist confirmed that their countries won't ban their trip.
"International laws cover our movement," he emphasized and noted that "in November 2011, the "Israeli" government exploited Greek's economic crisis to stop their flotilla, and they succeeded."

The expert in Islamophobia iterated that "it is especially serious when such actions are taken against a peaceful, humanitarian action which enjoys wide public and political support."

Gardell unveiled that the "Israeli" equation was that "if you don't ban the flotilla from moving, no rescue loans will be delivered to the Greek government."
"However, our opportunity is greater as we don't expect our governments' to surrender to "Israel"."
On the "Israeli" claims that Estelle lacks support, the flotilla's spokesperson laughed as he wondered: "Why is "Israel" making such noise and threats against our move if we are worthless and unnoticed?"
"Obviously, they are so much occupied and concerned by Estelle to the extent that they are militarily ready to confront us," he stated.

Gardell, who was one of eleven Swedish activists from Ship to Gaza participating in the Mavi Marmara flotilla that tried to break the Gaza siege, showed no fear of another "Israeli" massacre.
Along with his wife, Gardell faced the "Israeli" navy raid that led to the martyrdom of 9 activists.
Once again, the Swedish man repeated to moqawama.org "We are peacefully moving to express solidarity with the seized Gaza population."


Source: moqawama.org