PRESS RELEASE reposted from Gaza’s Ark: http://www.gazaark.org/category/statements-releases-2/
When Palestinians and other people of conscience mark Nakba (Catastrophe) Day on May 15, they insist that the world acknowledge the history of Palestinian dispossession since 1948. As world leaders have ignored Palestinian dispossession in general, they have also ignored the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza under the Israeli blockade. Gaza’s Ark is a people-to-people campaign to force the injustices faced by Palestinians in Gaza back onto the world’s agenda.
We are excited to announce today that we have bought the boat that will become Gaza’s Ark!
Your generous support has allowed us to reach this milestone. Your continued strong support will be crucial to our direct action campaign to challenge the blockade by sailing out from the port of Gaza with Palestinian exports for international markets.
We have made the down-payment to the boat’s previous owners but still have to pay the balance of the price, in addition to raising the funds required to rebuild and convert this fishing boat into a cargo vessel. With the help of donors like you we have raised over $90,000 to date (of an estimated campaign budget of about $US300,000).
Your continued support is the only way to ensure that the work will continue. Any amount is welcome, from $1 to $10,000 but if you can afford it, please be generous.
Since there are currently no cargo vessels in Gaza, we have purchased a fishing boat whose previous owners, like all fishers in Gaza, have difficulty making a living because of the violent restrictions imposed on Palestinian fishing boats by the Israeli government and we will convert it to a cargo vessel.
Much rebuilding is required and we are pleased that we will provide some work opportunities in Gaza where the illegal blockade has caused massive unemployment. Work on the boat will begin in a few days and it is critical that we have money in hand to ensure that the work will not be delayed, in the short term, due to lack of funds. We also need to make the remaining boat payments to the seller on time.
We need you to be a part of this public challenge to the complicity of our governments with the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza. The Palestinian port of Gaza must be open for marine traffic like every other Mediterranean port. We will not rest until that happens – please help us work towards that goal. The pace of our campaign’s progress depends on the generosity of supporters like you, and on your willingness to help us recruit other individuals and organizations.
Please visit our website, which features regular updates about the campaign and many ways to donate. There you will also find information about our Palestinian Trade not Aid initiative, and links to the ongoing Freedom Flotilla Coalition campaigns for Palestinian freedom of movement, including freedom of sailing for the Palestinian fishing fleet.
Please support Gaza’s Ark in any way you can, spread the word of the campaign to your contacts, friends and family. This will help the project progress as quickly as possible.
Together we can help end the blockade of Gaza!
Please donate generously http://www.gazaark.org/donate