The French campaign “Flotilla de la Liberté pour Gaza”, which brings together 35 civil society organizations, has not been able to continue the navigation of its 2 boats towards Gaza at this stage.
Engaged for several months, this initiative was part of an international dynamic of maritime mobilization, particularly alongside other flotillas, with the common goal of challenging the blockade imposed on Gaza by relying on international law and solidarity.
This decision is made in a particularly unstable and dangerous geopolitical context.
The intensification of Israeli offensives in Gaza and the West Bank, the war against Lebanon, as well as Israeli-American aggressions against Iran mark a major regional escalation. A situation that makes the eastern Mediterranean a heavily militarized space, reducing the direct action margins of civil initiatives. In this context, risks and uncertainties have weakened our collective capacity and have not allowed us to gather the necessary means for an action in line with our initial ambitions. The difficult decision to suspend this navigation is in no way an abandonment of this form of action, but a temporary strategic assessment.
Our commitment to international solidarity remains intact.
On the other hand, the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) has chosen to continue the flotilla towards Gaza. Its boats continue their navigation; we offer them our support, as well as to all initiatives that contribute to the fight for respect for international law in Palestine. Especially since several comrades belonging to some of our organizations will be able to join GSF boats.
The period requires us to continue and strengthen all forms of mobilization:
– massive popular mobilizations on land, – pressure campaigns against states and complicit companies, including within the framework of BDS campaigns, – non-violent civil disobedience actions, – national and international legal initiatives, – support for the Palestinian people, including solidarity associations with Palestine, NGOs, targeted humanitarian and human rights organizations that are sanctioned or targeted, – actions at sea, including flotillas.
We are bringing the boats back to France, where they will remain available awaiting more favorable conditions. At the same time, we will continue our mobilizations to denounce the colonial policy carried out by Israel, its war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as the reality of genocide and occupation.
Immediately, we call for participation in support mobilizations for the flotillas, to pressure major powers to protect them from Israeli attacks, to secure the release of kidnapped crews, especially Saif and Thiago, imprisoned and tortured by Israel.
Our solidarity with the Palestinian people remains unwavering. We call for an increase in political and social leverage at all levels, local, national, international, in order to push back the blockade and end the impunity of ongoing crimes.
For a free Palestine.
The organizations are: – Agir pour la Palestine, – Ami.es de Danielle Casanova, – Amis des peuples de la Méditerranée (APM), – Association des Anciens Appelés en Algérie et leurs Ami.e.s Contre la Guerre (4ACG), – Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS), – Association pour la taxation des transactions financières et pour l’action citoyenne (ATTAC), – CGT FERC Sup, – Comité régional CGT Nord-Pas-de-Calais, – Confédération Internationale Solidaire Écologiste (CISE), – Confédération paysanne, – Corsica Palestine, – Couserans Palestine (09), – Fédération CGT services publics, – Fédération des Tunisiens pour une Citoyenneté des Deux Rives (FTCR), – Fédération du commerce CGT – Fédération syndicale unitaire (FSU), – Forum Palestine Citoyenneté, – “Inseme a Manca/L’Après”, – La France insoumise (LFI), – Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les peuples (MRAP), – Mouvement de la Paix, – Nouveau parti anticapitaliste (NPA-A), – Per a Pace, – Réseau Coopératif de Gauche Alternative (RCGA), – Ship to Gaza France, – Syndicat national des journalistes CGT, – Union départementale 59 CGT, – Union départementale 75 CGT, – Union départementale 78 CGT, – Union départementale 93 CGT, – Union Juive Française pour la Paix (UJFP), – Union nationale des étudiants de France (UNEF), – Union syndicale Solidaires, – Urgence Palestine (UP), – Thousand Madleens to Gaza (TMTG), – Waves of Freedom (WOFF).
With Centre Culturel Embarqué, Global Movement to Gaza (GMTG, French delegation of Global Sumud).
And with the support of Secours catholique, Aurdip, Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine.
