Palestinian NGOs: The Assault on Activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla Requires Serious Will to Punish the Occupation and Forcibly Break the Siege

The Palestinian NGOs Organizations (PNGO) views the blatant assault carried out by the extremist Ben Gvir against the activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla - who were arrested and attacked away from camera documentation while being taken to Ashdod Port, followed by the disgraceful show led by Ben Gvir where they were helpless, attacked, subjected to obscene insults, and had the Israeli flag raised in their faces – as an extension of the same racist tendencies that accompanied previous operations to intercept ships led by activists and social movements from many countries aiming to break the siege on the Gaza Strip and deliver aid while its entry was being prevented.

Consequently, and in light of the occupation's escalation, continued shelling, assassinations, destruction of buildings, the worsening living conditions of the displaced, the transfer of the so-called "yellow line" to impose a new reality in the Strip, alongside the colonial settlement campaigns in the West Bank at the expense of Palestinian land, PNGO demands international intervention since the mere waves of international denunciation and condemnation of Ben Gvir’s reprehensible behavior are insufficient. These are not isolated incidents by an individual within the government; rather, they express a methodology fueled by a mentality of malice and hatred. This necessitates working towards firm international measures to impose sanctions and end silence regarding these practices, which constitute grave violations of the most basic human rights.

PNGO reaffirms the importance of acting upon the documented evidences and images of what happened previously to activists who came to break the barrier of silence amidst the occupation's aggression, on a peaceful and civilian humanitarian mission, carrying some aid, medicine, and food for the children of the besieged Gaza Strip. They took upon themselves what states, governments, and specialized international agencies failed to do in defending human rights. Instead of the world honoring them for their heroism and courage in delivering a message of pain and suffering to the people of the besieged Gaza Strip, their fate was arrest and assault. Then Ben Gvir did what he did, declaring that the world, international law, and human rights conventions are not tools to be applied to "Israel," which is above all of that and not subject to international accountability.

While renewing its welcome for the widespread campaign of denunciations at the level of many institutions and countries, PNGO calls for translating this into decisions. Specifically, it calls on countries whose citizens were detained and paraded humiliatingly to Ashdod Port to immediately suspend partnership agreements with the occupying state. It is not enough to summon the ambassadors of the war government in Israel; rather, the international stance must be elevated to direct, practical measures for accountability and the establishment of justice. The response should include forming more Sumud Flotillas to break the siege under international protection, enabling them under the UN umbrella to reach the Strip through the power of international will, and confronting Israeli arrogance and intransigence with firmness and seriousness so that such unethical treatment is not repeated or continued without the world moving a muscle. PNGO also calls for building the broadest international alliances and coalitions to support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, stop the occupation's aggressions and ongoing violations, including halting the aggressive war and breaking the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, alongside the immediate release of the activists.

 

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