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Jon_i_Cohen

Opinion

Who was on the protest boats and what was their aim?

June 1, 2010 12:20
1 min read

Speaking to BBC World News, a spokeswoman for the flotilla, Audrey Bomse stressed that the primary mission of the flotilla was to make a political statement with regard to the human rights of the Palestinian in Gaza and to "break the siege", as opposed to delivering the aid itself.

That is why on the "Peace" activists were prepared with catapults, glass balls, metal bars, knives and axes. Expecting that the ship would be boareded they had no intention of following the Israeli Navy's instruction to steer the ships to Ashdod peacefully, they were intent on causing trouble.

Around 600 activists were reported to be on the boats, including 1976 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire of Northern Ireland, European legislators and British activists.

The organisations involved in the flotilla include the ‘Free Gaza Movement' alongside other European NGOs, and the Turkish Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH) movement.

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