AFP reports that the Jewish boat to Gaza, Irene, (pictured at left) set forth from Cyprus some hours ago:
A boat carrying Jewish activists from Israel, Europe and the United States set sail Sunday from Cyprus bound for Gaza, in a bid to run Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory, an AFP reporter said.
The boat, named "Irene," left the port of Famagusta in the Turkish-held north of the divided eastern Mediterranean island in the early afternoon carrying eight activists, three of whom are crew members, and two journalists.
Here is the account we got from passenger Lillian Rosengarten--a New Yorker who escaped Nazi Germany as a little girl-- yesterday, embargoed till now. Rosengarten is pictured left, apparently with Edith Lutz behind her:
The small saılboat wıth engıne saıls under a British flag. Our captaın ıs Glyn Secker, Brıtısh human rıghts actıvıst. 3 crew ıncludıng wonderful Yonatan Shapira. Two other passengers are Israelı: Reuven Moskovıtz, 82 year old camp survıvor, and Ramı Elhanen (husband to to Nurıt Peled-Elhanen), father of Smadar, who was killed by a suıcıde bomber in Jerusalem in 1997. Next ıs Edıth Lutz who ıs a German Jew and co- coordınator of the Jewısh boat, which is also being coordinated by the Brıtısh group Jews For Justıce For Palestıne. I left my computer ın London for securıty reasons. We hope and belıeve there ıs some possıbılıty that we can get to Gaza. We are nonvıolent but wıll practıce passıve resıstance, for we wıll not turn the boat around...
It's a remarkable, small catamaran. I and another woman, and seven men. three crew. Yonatan Shapira is one of the crew with his brother Itamar. All the people are fantastic!
Update: JPost reports that the mother of newly-elected British Labour Party leader Ed Miliband-- Marion Kozak-- is a member of the Jewish group in England that has backed the Jewish boat to Gaza.
If I were still religious, I’d say “Godspeed, Madam Rosengarten!”
As it is, I say “Kick some ass, Miz Lillian!”
Yonatan Shapira, Rami Elhanan (Elik’s father?), I love this boat.
i’ve just finished listening to this powerful song by dave rorvics that occupyresist posted on the ‘UN: Mavi Marmara’ thread. incredibly it’s only had 82 viewings since it was posted over a month ago on youtube. it brought a flood of tears to my eyes.
praying for a safe passage and gaza landing for the jewish boat. thank you lillian.
Fair winds and following seas to them.
Bon Voyage! Derekh Tslekha!
Here’s a Jewish/Muslim/Christian prayer for peace from Jerusalem:
link to onepeacejerusalem.org
thank you elliot. i have sent my prayer and am feeling blessed someone will personally carry my prayer to Jerusalem and place it in a crack in the Western wall.
Vessel Tracker lists no British-flagged vessel currently at sea named “Irene.” Where is it headed – to Gaza or to El-Arish?
All the best to you and your pals Lillian.
Let’s see if Israel has learned anything since June – ie. that it might not actually be the end of the world if they let the boat in, as they did with the first 6 or so boats.
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Remember the bogus audio that Israel MFA released 5 days after the flotilla raid with the voice saying “go back to Auschwitz”? (They later admitted it was doctored). Almost ironic there’s a holocaust survivor on board this ship. Where are you Sarah Silverman?
More power to you, but what exactly is the point of this latest escapade? The ship looks rather small, it looks like this is purely a photo-op to me.
Did Cyprus inspect the ship before left?
The point is to demonstrate that not all Jews are like Schwartzman
Nailed it!
i think the point might be to break the blockade of gaza one more time. to soften the hearts of these stubborn israelis beautiful souls like lillian (i love that smile and keep coming back to it) are on that boat. holocaust survivors are on that boat. it’s a dare to the israeli government …do not deny them, let them pass. to those who say they represent the government of the jews well here are some jews to reckon with. jews of peace, jews of the past, present and future, jews of hope, jews of freedom, jews of love and jews of beauty and brilliance. let them pass.
open your eyes schwartzman
yonira strikes again with “more power to you”, but then unloads the usual diatribe.
Just like a used car salesman: “Hey, you know, I really like you. And because you seem like a nice guy, I’m going to give you a special price on this car. Just for you. My hand to god I wouldn’t give this deal to anyone else”.
Followed by: “I just need you to sign here, and here. It just says that if the car breaks down a mile down the road from here we’re not liable”.
Rehmat,
don’t you have a blog to work on? you’re used car analogy was…… pretty irrelevant.
“you’re”, not “your”.
And who’s Rehmat, anyway? Is he your ex? I can’t blame him.
>> The ship looks rather small…
No ship is too small for the IDF to board, no contingent of crew and passengers too small to assassinate.
In “self-defence”, of course… ;-)
“Did Cyprus inspect the ship before left?”
Why, do you think she’s packing heat?
Heat? Well, just look at it, why you could land a fleet of F-16s on that ship. And stop picking on poor Israel and poor yonira. They’re both so fragile and vulnerable that they have to attack people 50 miles into sea. Remember to take Rehmat with you to ward off yonira.
*channels my inner Chris Crocker*
“Leave Israel alone! All she ever wanted was to engage in peaceful land theft and all you *gulps, sniffs* Israel-haters keep siding with the Palestinians and their anti-Semitic insistence on LIVING!”
Phil should have stuck around to receive them in Gaza. ;-)
Is it safe for a boat that small to sail in the open sea?
I think the Mediterranean isn’t that treacherous.
Gaius Baltar,
Yes, the Mediterranean is rather calm compared to either oceans of the Americas. One could actually make it safely on a small speed boat or a Zodiac
It is strange how little coverage there is on this on the Net. In the past there was periodic updates on the websites of the Israeli papers, as well as other places. This was even true of the very first boat in 2008.
jewishboattogaza.org and @jewishboat2gaza on twitter are not updating but may kick in at the zero hour.
From what I saw from the over 600 comments (not pretty) on one Hebrew site earlier today, there is tremendous interest in this ship, especially because of the presence of the amazing Y0natan Shapira, who as a pilot in the IAF, signed a letter refusing to serve in the occupied territories.
I think the boat must be no more than 6 hours away from Gaza, but not all that sure.
If anyone knows more information on the boat, please send as a comment.
It got a mention on the ABC
link to abc.net.au
The Age
link to theage.com.au
and other news sites.
And quite a good rap at the tail-end of the 6.30 SBS news. (No link sorry (but itveill be online if you didn’t see it), posting fr. phone which has no flash, which is required to use SBS video player).
As well as the current boat, they mentioned the attack on the flotilla in May, the recent UN reporting outlining the criminality of Israel’s raid and that I saw (was only half watching) used Iara Lee’s footage instead of the night-vision footage issued by Israel’s MFA.
Refreshingly honest and to the point.
Even if people were suckered in by Israel’s propaganda after the raid, continuing coverage of new siege-busting boats is going to force them to recognise the siege (and the country that has imposed it) is barbaric.
Here is my “gut” reaction:
1. I respect those people on the ship for their commitment.
2. On the other hand, I can’t help but feel that after all the “hoopla” of “not all Jews support Israeli policy” and the presumed oversubscription to this effort, there are basically 4 passengers (three crewmen and two journalists excluded).
3. Something doesn’t make sense if this is supposed to send a message that of the millions of Jews in the world there are those who disagree with the current Israeli policy. I would have concluded the opposite: That most Jews support Israel or at least don’t care about the plight of the Palestinians (I’m being somewhat facetious but the numbers don’t communicate a more optimistic narrative).
4. Very disappointing despite the efforts of the principals involved.
Instead of all these individual boats setting sail the better strategy, especially after the Turkish experience , is for ALL these groups to pool their resources and their boats and have at a least 10 or 12 ships underway or one really large ship with a dozen or more escort boats accompanying them.
Very gutsy of these ladies but to make an impression ..again after the prior experience….you need a big show.
An optimistic thought.
Is it possible for the Irene to avoid the Israeli navy and make it to Gaza? The boat is not on any vessel tracking site I can find. On Yonatan Shapira’s diary on the boat’s site, he writes the crew safely piloted the boat to Cyprus without the navigation aids which malfunctioned.
I believe that catamarans are a good design for speed. Just wondering…
Landlubber Larry
link to guardian.co.uk