Former Tunisian president to sail on new Gaza 'Freedom Flotilla'

Flotilla set to sail this summer will include political, religious, and business figures, and is now making the final preparations to leave for Gaza, organizer says.

By YASSER OKBI/ MAARIV HASHAVUA, JPOST.COM STAFF
Activists aboard a flotilla to Gaza [file] (photo credit: REUTERS)
Activists aboard a flotilla to Gaza [file]
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Former Tunisian president Moncef Marzouki will take part in the "Freedom Flotilla" that is scheduled to set sail for Gaza this coming summer, according to one of the flotilla's organizers, Ziad Aloul.
Aloul told the Ma'an News Agency that the flotilla would include "political, religious, and business figures, and we are now making the final preparations to leave for Gaza."
The flotilla, which aims to challenge Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip which has been in place since 2007, was announced in Athens in December and will sail under the title, "Open Gaza Port."
Upon announcing the new flotilla in December, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said that the new flotilla would consist of at least three ships.
"The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Israel is not being held accountable for the damage it caused during its assault on the strip nor for the commitments it made as a part of the Egyptian brokered agreement to end hostilities," the group said.
"The port of Gaza remains closed and borders remain blocked and Palestinians in Gaza continue to be denied their basic right to freedom of movement. Gaza continues to suffer from the lack of basic supplies and materials needed for daily life let alone rebuilding what Israel damaged during its July/August assault. The International community did not meet the obligations it made to Gaza after the assault either," the coalition added.
In May 2010, Israel Navy commandos boarded the Mavi Marmara flotilla ship which was en route to Gaza from Istanbul, killing nine aboard after they were attacked.


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