EU: Responses to Gaza flotilla attack

EU: Responses to Gaza flotilla attack

Various anti-Israel protests are already planned across Europe. I'll be updating this thread throughout the day.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com


FIOE ( Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe) message:


In the very early hours of this Monday morning, Israeli military forces—by premeditated decision of their government—committed a gross and bloody act of piracy against the “Freedom Flotilla”; ships that had embarked from several European ports aiming to take humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza, who are suffering under a strangling and immoral blockade.


(...)


The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe emphasises that the “Freedom Flotilla” is a live expression of human conscience rising against the unjust blockade inflicted on the Palestinian people in Gaza; given that this blockade is a reprehensible crime rejected by religion, human values, moral standards, and international conventions. These seafarers travelling to Gaza present an image of courageous human solidarity that has broken the wall of silence surrounding the blockade, and scored a victory for the right of peoples to life and dignity.



The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe condemns in the strongest possible terms this act of piracy and mass killing perpetrated against the “Freedom Flotilla”, and demands serious and urgent official European action to confront this dangerous piracy, and bloody massacre, and put an end to a long series of blatant Israeli violations.



The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe also expresses its solidarity with those humanitarian organisations, public figures, and European and world media participating in the Freedom Flotilla, and calls upon civil society and media institutions in Europe to take up responsible stances corresponding to the enormity of the crime, and to focus attention on the grave and serious nature of this bloody attack on a humanitarian convoy, as well as the crime of a suffocating blockade inflicted on human beings.



The Federation calls upon Muslims in Europe, and the general public in European societies, to urgently mobilise—in wide-scale and public action, to condemn the blatant piracy and bloody massacre perpetrated against the Freedom Flotilla, and to escalate in the legitimate demand for a lifting of the unjust blockade on Gaza that can no longer be tolerated.

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Danish MP was to have been on Gaza vessel



A Danish MP, who was to have been on board an aid convoy to Gaza, is to call for action from the Danish government and the EU after Israel’s action against a Gaza aid convoy which is reported to have cost the lives of at least 10 people and injured some 30.


Socialist People’s Party MP Kamal Qureshi was invited to take part in the six-vessel convoy, but was prevented from taking part due to parliamentary work.

“This was a serious and unnecessary provocation. It is difficult to be a friend of Israel at the moment. I will be raising this issue with the foreign minister and the European Union. It was unacceptable and must be condemned,” says Qureshi.


(more)


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Demonstrations in Sweden


About 35 people gathered in front of the Israeli embassy (SE) in Stockholm, Sweden. Three people were arrested after trying to prevent people from coming or going into the embassy.

Several protests are planned for later this evening in Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg.


Demonstrations in the Netherlands


The Dutch Palestine Committee is organizing a protest (NL) at the Israel Embassy in the Hague, together with a number of other Palestinian and Turkish organizations. Milli Gorus called its followers to join. The Jewish organization "A different Jewish voice" is also participating. 200-300 people are expected.


Demonstrations in the UK


MPACUK is organizing protests across the UK.


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