27 March '13..
A new propaganda initiative designed to test the resolve of the Israeli blockade on Hamas in Gaza is seeking to highlight how trade from Gaza has been affected by Israel.
The focus of the 'Gaza Ark' is the fact that while goods do indeed enter the Hamas-run, Palestinian enclave, goods are said to rarely ever leave. The premise of the trip is that Gaza wants to trade with the world, rather than receive aid. Critics have called the trip "intentionally misleading", pointing to the fact that on a weekly basis, dozens of trucks export products from Gaza.
These facts haven't stopped the 'Gaza Ark' committee, however, a group which is supported by the hard-Left Noam Chomsky and disgraced Baroness Jenny Tonge. The organisation's "Who We Are" section also lists the public relations head of the Hamas-run Gaza Chamber of Commerce, Maher Al-Tabaa, and 'one-state solution' advocates such as Haidar Eid, who also works at the Al-Aqsa University, an institution that Hamas boasted about 'taking over' in 2009.
The Gaza Ark initiative is led by international anti-Israel activists, rather than ordinary Palestinians. Gaza’s Ark entails “purchasing a run-down boat from a local fishing family,” says Michael Coleman, a member of Free Gaza Australia and on the Gaza’s Ark steering committee.
“The refurbishing will be done by Palestinians in the port of Gaza, and the sailing will be with a mixed crew of Palestinians and internationals,” says David Heap, spokesperson for Gaza’s Ark in Canada and Europe. The sailing date has not been announced yet.
The Ark initiative includes exporting a token amount of trade goods from Palestinians, an act which Coleman admits is purely “symbolic”.
Since 2008, boats have sailed, or attempted to sail, to the Gaza Strip in provocation of the ongoing blockade of terrorist outfit Hamas. The Free Gaza boats of 2008-2009 were followed by the Freedom Flotilla of 2010, and various attempts to cause havoc in the region. A video of the Mavi Marmara flotilla shows that rather than being 'peace activists', those aboard attacked Israeli soldiers with batons, stun grenades and even boxes of plates.
In 2011, evidence was uncovered linking Hamas to the flotilla campaigns.
The blockade of Gaza was enforced by the Israeli authorities shortly after terrorist outfit Hamas was elected and violently seized control in 2007. Since then, Hamas has continued to use illegally imported weaponry to indiscriminately target Israeli citizens with rocket fire, often also hitting Palestinians in Gaza at the same time. Recently, even the United Nations has ruled that the Israeli blockade is legal - a blow to campaigners who persistently use 'international law' to demonise the Jewish state.
Since 2008, Israel has enforced a limit of between six and three miles for fisherman off the coast of Gaza due to fears that weaponry or material that could be used for weapons could be imported by sea.
The "Gaza Ark" has not yet been given a date to sail and fundraising for the boat itself continues. The organisers are said to be looking to raise at least $100,000 for the "symbolic" move, money which critics note would be better spent elsewhere in helping Gazans and attempting to wrestle control of the Gaza strip from Hamas.
Link: http://www.thecommentator.com/article/3067/flotilla_3_0_international_activists_work_with_hamas_affiliates_to_sail_out_of_gaza
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