The sea is calm only at times and the political storm is growing on land. The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) sails the eastern Mediterranean with its bow aimed at breaking the blockade of humanitarian aid. Let’s strengthen its course with solidarity actions and support for the Palestinian people.
Ruben Tzanoff, International Socialist League
Anchorage and departure from Italian waters
On September 14, the GSF sailed from the port of Bizerte, north of Tunisia, and sailed without issues for three days. On September 17, when the ships were on a route between Italy and Malta, they had to anchor off the coast of Sicily because the sea, once again imposed its conditions.
Forecasts indicated that if they continued they would come across the Bora and Meltemi, that is, climatic phenomena that come from different regions and generate strong winds and waves. On the coast of Barcelona, Tramontana was responsible for the delays.
At noon on September 19, the forecast improved and the GSF sailed in hope of not stopping until reaching Gaza. Knowing that the entry to the eastern Mediterranean is the beginning of the toughest and riskiest journey.
Cele Fierro on board of the Adara
Our comrade Cele Fierro, who sails on behalf of MST-Argentina and the International Socialist League (ISL), talked with us from the deck of the “Adara “:
“It has been 15 days since the departure from Barcelona, which was delayed. The weather and the ship’s conditions, as well as the threats from Zionism, have put a strain on the mission. But that has not stopped us, our conviction cannot be stopped. Our concern, regarding the delay in our arrival, is: what will we find in the face of the Zionist final solution? It would be different if the naval forces of the countries that denounce the genocide or support the flotilla would sail the Mediterranean to stop Netanyahu. But they won’t, it is us activists and militants who are raising this cause to open this humanitarian corridor”.
Cele is fully focused on the flotilla and Palestine, but she does not forget the struggles of Argentine workers against the far-right-wing government of Milei.
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The crew members, in solidarity, put themselves into a long, demanding and threatening voyage. On the ships and in the continental rearguard, attention is divided between the vicissitudes of the GSF in the Mediterranean and the dramatic events in Palestine.
Criminal offensive advances in ground phase
The Israeli offensive for the total occupation of Gaza became more criminal with ground attacks causing more deaths, collapsing hospitals and causing thousands of people to flee to the south of the Gaza Strip.
Mobilizations expose governments
The violence led by Netanyahu motivates solidarity actions. They are the reflection of the existing anger against Zionist barbarism, which images bring back the memory of the Nazi crimes.
Rejection challenges the powerful, pushes them to criticize, to announce and, in some cases, to take measures, as in the case of the European Union.
However, they continue to maintain diplomatic and economic relations with Israel, even the Spanish government, which appears to be one of the most critical, supports arms agreements with Zionism.
Moreover, they do not question the existence of the State of Israel and they propose a “two-state” solution. The only way out to achieve a just and lasting peace is the establishment of a single, secular, non-racist, democratic and socialist Palestine, achieved with a Socialist Revolution in the entire Middle East.
It is genocide, a belated as evident affirmation
An independent UN commission of inquiry has concluded that Israel is committing genocide. Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog are alleged to have incited this crime.
It is not a great discovery of the institutionality of the international bourgeois order. Genocide, ethnic cleansing and territorial occupation make up the DNA of Zionism since the imposition of the State of Israel in 1948.
Precisely, many political activists, among them the coordinator of the International Socialist League (ISL) Alejandro Bodart, are being prosecuted under the accusation of advocating for anti-Semitism when, in fact, they are anti-Zionists denouncing the genocide. Their charges should be immediately dismissed.
This unmasking of the genocide provokes reactions. Not radical enough, because they do not measure up to how serious it is to acknowledge that this is genocide. They should put all their resources at the service of stopping these crimes immediately, helping the victims and severely punishing the criminals.
More colonialism and businesses
After the ceasefire, Trump intends to set up a transitional government and then transfer control to the Palestinian Authority. His proposal envisages a board of seven to ten members, with Muslim representation and at least one qualified Palestinian. Security would be under a multinational civilian police force, with the Israeli army participating in “specific military operations”. Thus imperialism projects the continuity of aggravated colonial oppression.
As if all this were not enough, while destroying buildings and provoking ethnic cleansing, Trump and Netanyahu have expressed the future intention of establishing the Gaza Tourist Riviera as a luxury real estate development for leisure. They embody the miserable existence of those who appeal to barbarism to design an unjust, oppressive and capitalistic future.
We are all Palestine and the flotilla!
The flotilla is sailing in turbulent times, but its compass has not lost its bearings: it is heading for Gaza against all odds.
Zionism’s concerns have already been expressed through threats and attacks, and are also noticeable in social media. With false viral messages, claiming that the flotilla is made up of “terrorists” and that it is sightseeing in Ibiza, Mykonos and other places. That’s why building solidarity action is necessary.
What is certain is that it generates hope. It is symbolically present in the posters of the actions that are carried out, receives support, motivates the creation of committees and other initiatives.
From the ISL we call to multiply the demands for a ceasefire and the end of occupation, the rupture with Israel and the immediate supply of humanitarian aid.
Towards the decisive stretch of the GSF journey, let’s demand that governments effectively protect it from any Zionist aggression.