Women-Led Flotilla Sails from Barcelona to Break Gaza Blockade

Local Editor

Some 20 women of different nationalities set sail for the Gaza Strip from Barcelona on Wednesday evening, in the latest attempt to break a crippling blockade imposed by the "Israeli" entity.

"We think that through this act organized by women, we can give more visibility to the important role of Palestinian women in the fight for freedom," said Zohar Chamberlain, one of the organizers, just before two yachts left the Spanish Mediterranean city.

Chamberlain pointed out that she felt she had a "double duty" to denounce the land, sea and air blockade imposed in 2006 on Gaza.

The World Bank and United Nations considered the "Israeli" blockade as putting an end to virtually all exports from Gaza and undermined the economy of this small coastal enclave on the Mediterranean.

The blockade also severely restricts the movement of 1.9 million Palestinians living in Gaza.

The flotilla that set sail from Barcelona, called "Women's Boat to Gaza", is part of the wider Freedom Flotilla Coalition that consists of pro-Palestinian boats that regularly go to Gaza from all over the world to try and break the blockade.

None have yet managed to get through, and the "Israeli" apartheid regime had made several arrests.

One such operation turned to tragedy in 2010 when "Israeli" commandos killed 10 Turkish activists in a raid on a flotilla.

The women travelling on board the two boats come from countries such as the United States, Norway, South Africa and Malaysia.

They are due to stop in several ports on the way, including Ajaccio in France's Corsica, to take other activists on board and hope to arrive in Gaza in early October.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team