Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship. TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY!

In response to Israel's inhumane bombardment of the Gaza Strip, the FREE GAZA movement launched SS The Dignity on a voyage to Gaza with a cargo of over 3 tons of desperately needed medical supplies donated by the people of Cyprus. The Dignity departed from Larnaca Port in Cyprus at 7pm (UST) on Monday 29 December.

The boat was attacked by the Israeli navy as it approached Gaza, with live ammunition being fired around it, and the boat itself being rammed by an Israeli military boat causing damage. When attacked, the Dignity was clearly in international waters, 90 miles off the coast of Gaza. The Dignity was forced to change course and head towards the Lebanon instead of its intended destination of Gaza.

Those on board reported the following:

The Dignity, a Free Gaza boat on a mission of mercy to besieged Gaza, is being attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters. The Dignity has been surrounded by at least half-a-dozen Israeli warships. They are firing live ammunition around the Dignity, and one of the warships has rammed the civilian craft causing an unknown amount of damage. Contrary to international maritime law, the Israelis are actively preventing the Dignity from approaching Gaza or finding safe haven in either Egypt or Lebanon. Instead, the Israeli navy is demanding that the Dignity return to Cyprus - despite the fact that the ship does not carry enough fuel to do so. Fortunately, no one aboard the ship has yet been seriously injured.

There are 15 civilian passengers representing 11 different countries (see below for a complete list). At approximately 5am (UST), well out in international waters, Israeli warships began surrounding the Dignity, threatening the ship. At 6:45am (UST) we were able to establish brief contact with the crew and were told that the ship had been rammed by the Israeli Navy in international waters, and that the Israelis were preventing the ship from finding safe harbor. We heard heavy gunfire in the background before all contact was lost with the Dignity.

It is urgent that you TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION!

CALL the Israeli Government and demand that it immediately STOP attacking the Dignity and endangering the lives of its passengers!

CALL Mark Regev in the Prime Minister's office at:
+972 2670 5354 or +972 5062 3264
mark.regev@it. pmo.gov.il

CALL Shlomo Dror in the Ministry of Defence at:
+972 33697 5339 or +972 50629 8148
mediasar@mod. gov.il

Friends of Al-Aqsa is a UK based non-profit making NGO concerned with defending the human rights of Palestinians and protecting the sacred al-Aqsa Sanctuary in Jerusalem. This vision is supported by various international groups and organisations. Friends of Al-Aqsa was first established in 1997 and now has an international support base.

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