ANDIn a statement, the organization said that it was contacted, on Thursday afternoon, by the Guinea-Bissau International Ship Registry requesting an inspection of the flotilla’s lead ship.
“This was a very unusual request, as our ship had already passed all the required inspections. However, we agreed”, reads the coalition’s note.
On Friday afternoon, the statement continues, “before the inspection was completed, the Guinea-Bissau International Ship Registry (GBISR), in a clearly political move, informed the Freedom Flotilla Coalition that it had removed the flag from Guinea-Bissau to two of the Freedom Flotilla ships”, one of which is the cargo ship loaded with more than 5,000 tons of “vital aid” for the Palestinians in Gaza.
“Without a flag we cannot sail. But this is not the end. Israel cannot and will not crush our determination to break its illegal siege and reach the people of Gaza. The people of Gaza and all of Palestine stand firm under the most horrific and unimaginable conditions. We draw strength from their incredible and inexplicable ability to maintain their humanity, dignity and hope when the world has given them no reason to do so,” the coalition states.
The Freedom Flotilla accuses the GBISR of making “several extraordinary requests for information, including confirmation of the ships’ destination, possible additional stops, the port of discharge of humanitarian aid and the expected dates and times of arrival”.
“This is, once again, a very unusual attitude on the part of a registration authority. Normally, national registration authorities are only concerned with the safety standards and the like of ships flying their flag, they are not concerned with the destination, route, cargo manifests or the nature of a specific journey.”
And he accuses: “Unfortunately, Guinea-Bissau allowed itself to be complicit in Israel’s deliberate hunger, illegal siege and genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.”
On Friday, United Nations rapporteurs today called for the safe passage of the “Freedom Flotilla”, allowing it to dock in the Palestinian enclave.
“The ‘Freedom Flotilla’ has the right of free passage in international waters and Israel must not interfere with its freedom of navigation, long recognized by international law. As the ‘Freedom Flotilla’ approaches Palestinian territorial waters off Gaza, it is essential that Israel respects international law, including recent orders from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to guarantee unhindered access to humanitarian aid”, they emphasize in a statement.
The experts say they are “particularly concerned about the safety of the participants”, taking into account “Israel’s repeated attacks on UN humanitarian missions and civilians”.
Read Also: Gaza government warns that it can no longer analyze or treat drinking water
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Tags: Freedom Flotilla accuses Bissau preventing aid reaching Gaza
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