Letter: Why I'm Taking the Next US Boat to Gaza

I am slated to be one of some 60 people aboard the U.S. boat setting sail for Gaza next month as part of a larger flotilla seeking to symbolically break the siege of Gaza and put political pressure upon Israel to lift the blockade. You can learn more about it here.

I was moved to participate in light of the impact of last year’s flotilla, which compelled Israel to somewhat ease restrictions upon materials entering Gaza. As a form of dramatic international civil disobedience, multiple actions, of which last year’s Freedom Flotilla was only the most famous, have demonstrated the growing international solidarity for the people of Gaza. I have been impressed by the effectiveness of these actions. Alice Walker recently called the movement the “the Freedom Ride of this era”, a connection others have elaborated on. Time will tell.

Political background
Israel has for many years been the leading recipient of U.S. foreign financial and military aid, to the tune of some 3 billion dollars annually. Washington’s support, as dramatized this past week during Netanyahu’s visit to D.C., bankrolls the Israeli government’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. A lasting peace can only come when Washington ceases to support Israeli expansionism. Gaza, sealed off in recent years by Israeli forces, has frequently been called an open air prison. The U.S. government will not change its policies toward the region unless compelled to do so by a popular movement.

And indeed, this year there are some auspicious developments

1. The Arab Spring has resulted in the fall of Mubarak in Egypt and, as a result, the Rafah crossing into Gaza, crucial for importing humanitarian aid, was finally opened on May 28th (though important restrictions remain in effect - no goods or humanitarian aid has been permitted to pass through, only people).
2. A Palestinian unity government is tentatively in formation, and Palestinian officials are planning to unilaterally declare statehood for Palestine at the United Nations in September. This will provide focus to the growing diplomatic support from around the world, and particularly Latin American nations, for Palestinian sovereignty.
3. Global popular movements in favor of Palestinian rights are gaining strength. The multiple efforts at symbolically breaking the siege of Gaze are but one demonstration of this. As Huwaida Arraf, Gabriel Schivone, (both passengers on the upcoming flotilla) and Noam Chomsky recently wrote, “Despite the impunity with which Israel operates, thanks to firm U.S. support and participation, civil resistance to Israel’s actions continues to grow exponentially.”

How to participate
These suggestions are hardly exhaustive

• Write a Letter to Gaza as part of the To Gaza With Love campaign - details here and copy me so I can tally it.
• Media work – e.g. write a letter to the editor or guest editorial for your local paper publicizing the flotilla action.
• Invite myself or another participant on the U.S. boat to give a presentation in your area. I would be delighted to contribute in any way I can be useful. See below for details.

Fundraising
The estimated budget suggested by the organizers for individual participants is $2,200-$2,500. You can donate towards my expenses for the trip via PayPal at the site I maintain with Kevin Funk. Please include a message noting that the donation is for the boat to Gaza, to distinguish it from general donations towards the writing work of Kevin and myself. If you would prefer to send a check, please contact me. I can post all pertinent documentation relating to my expenses upon request.

Anything that can be donated will be - I cannot stress enough - greatly appreciated.

Presentations
A key component in the effectiveness of the U.S. contingent will relate to using it to support local organizing in support of lifting the siege. Participants on the U.S. boat are available to give presentations to citizens all over the country talking about the campaign to break the siege and our experiences on the trip. The intention is to contribute to Palestine solidarity work here in the U.S.

I will happily travel anywhere I’m invited. Please get in touch with me to set something up! To facilitate logistics planning, I should mention the key dates and where I will be. The American delegation is scheduled to depart from the U.S. on June 20th, arriving in Gaza late in the month. We should be returning to the U.S. by July 6th at the latest. At present, I expect to be in New Orleans through June 19th until departing for New York City for a public event with other participants. Upon returning to the U.S. I will be based in eastern Pennsylvania until August 2nd, when I return to New Orleans.

So my schedule will look like this

New Orleans May-June 19th
NYC June 20th (press conference)
U.S.-to-Gaza June 20th –July 6th
Eastern Pennsylvania July 6th-August 2nd
New Orleans August 2nd-onward

I would like to arrange events in New Orleans and Pittsburgh as well as anywhere else I’m invited (Boston, etc.). Due to my limited finances, I’m afraid I won’t be able to cover my own travel expenses.

Finally, I plan to write as much as I can about my participation in the flotilla. For editors on this email, I will be happy to submit something.

I do not want to bombard all of you with emails so I intend to post my regular updates relating to the trip on my blog.

Thank you all for reading and for your support!

Very best,
Steve
steven.m.fake@gmail.com

--Please forward this letter to anyone who may be interested--

Steve Fake is a writer and longtime Boston resident. He is the co-author of the book The Scramble for Africa: Darfur--Intervention and the USA. Steve has been living in Louisiana for the last several months, and has plans to return to the Boston area in the near future.