- Human rights
Gaza’s Ark will attempt to break the “other side” of the Israeli blockade, which prevents the Palestinians of Gaza from sailing from their shores to fish or export — both needed to support a productive economy. In contrast, the emphasis of the flotillas was on bringing internationals and emergency aid into Gaza.
• Gaza’s Ark will be built in Gaza by Palestinian hands and expertise (with international assistance when requested), and will carry Palestinian products for buyers who sign contracts in advance. The entire initiative is focused on building hope by showcasing skills within Gaza and bringing visibility to the restrictions that prevent the population from sustaining
a viable economy.
• Gaza’s Ark also will contribute to revitalizing the dwindling shipbuilding industry in Gaza and help ensure the transmission of this disappearing expertise (another effect of the blockade) to younger generations.
• Although the initiative will help in a very limited manner to alleviate Gaza’s unemployment crisis by paying wages to the boat builders, Gaza’s Ark is not an aid project. It is a peaceful action to challenge the blockade, which Israel unilaterally and unreasonably enforces on Gaza.
Gaza’s Ark is a joint initiative by the Palestinians in Gaza, including the Palestine Sailing Federation and the Fishermen’s Solidarity Campaign, and international solidarity activists and organizations.
In this initiative, a boat will be refurbished by Palestinian shipbuilders in Gaza and stocked with Palestinian goods and products, then sail through international waters with both Palestinians and internationals on board. The goal is to challenge the ongoing, illegal Israeli blockade and focus worldwide attention on the situation in Gaza and the complicity of the governments that support it or look the other way.
• Gaza’s Ark will be built in Gaza by Palestinian hands and expertise (with international assistance when requested), and will carry Palestinian products for buyers who sign contracts in advance. The entire initiative is focused on building hope by showcasing skills within Gaza and bringing visibility to the restrictions that prevent the population from sustaining a viable economy.
• Gaza’s Ark also will contribute to revitalizing the dwindling shipbuilding industry in Gaza and help ensure the transmission of this disappearing expertise (another effect of the blockade) to younger generations.
• Although the initiative will help in a very limited manner to alleviate Gaza’s unemployment crisis by paying wages to the boat builders, Gaza’s Ark is not an aid project. It is a peaceful action to challenge the blockade, which Israel unilaterally and unreasonably enforces on Gaza
Our initial goal is to raise $40,000 US dollars to purchase and renovate a used boat that can be refurbished to meet the needs of Gaza’s Ark, and then pay for the renovations. The funds will provide materials and parts — which are in short supply due to the blockade. Support of international donors is urgently needed. Once the boat is purchased, we will get it ready to sail and arrange for contracts to purchase products to ship. We estimate that the boat will sail in the Spring of 2013.