On May 31, Israeli armed forces raided an aid flotilla bound for Gaza intent on delivering aid supplies, including toys, used clothes and some wheelchairs. The botched interception resulted in nine activists dead and ten soldiers injured.
It is not enough, however, to demand an immediate, credible, transparent and independent investigation into what happened aboard the Mavi Marmara. The blockade itself must end.
The blockade does not target armed groups but rather punishes Gaza's entire population by restricting the entry of food, medical supplies, educational equipment and building materials.
It doesn't have to be this way. A ban on smuggling weapons into Gaza can be sustained without subjecting the entire population to misery.
Don't let what happened aboard the aid flotilla happen again. Ask Secretary of State Clinton to urge an impartial investigation of the raid, and -- more importantly -- demand an end to the blockade on Gaza.
The events of May 31 aboard the Mavi Marmara are a disaster for peace efforts and illustrate how Israel's continued policy of blockading Gaza is unsustainable, untenable and increasingly indefensible.
I urge you to press Israel for an immediate, credible, transparent and independent investigation into the killing of the 9 activists on the boats protesting the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip. Also, and more importantly, the blockade on Gaza must end.
A ban on smuggling weapons into Gaza can be sustained through an international regime without subjecting the entire population to misery, and without Israel adopting policies that are clear strategic liabilities.
For nearly three years, Israel, the occupying power in the Gaza Strip, has implemented a policy of banning all movement of goods and people, except for the most basic humanitarian necessities, which are imported by international aid agencies. Only a fraction of patients in need of treatment outside Gaza are allowed out, and dozens have died waiting for Israeli permission to travel.
The blockade does not target armed groups but rather punishes Gaza's entire population by restricting the entry of food, medical supplies, educational equipment and building materials.
It is imperative that Israel lift the bloackade of Gaza without delay, as it is a form of collective punishment in contravention of international law and primarily affects the most vulnerable among the population.
[Your comments]
Press your counterparts in Israel to investigate what happened aboard the Mavi Marmara and urge them to end the blockade on Gaza. It has created a humanitarian disaster and become a national security liability.
