June, 27 2011, 08:13am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Athens: Donna Nevel 30-694-266-3713
New York: Leslie Cagan 845-688-5646
Twitter @USBoatToGaza
Â
U.S. Boat to Gaza Responds to Reports That Israeli "Lawfare" Group Filed Complaint Delaying Departure of Boat
Passengers on the Audacity of Hope Now Confident Greek Authorities Will Allow U.S. Boat to Sail
ATHENS
Passengers on the U.S. Boat to Gaza, The Audacity of Hope, said news reports that an Israeli "lawfare" group, Shurat HaDin, is behind the complaint delaying the departure of the U.S. boat from Greece substantiate the Americans' assertions that the complaint is frivolous. The passengers expressed confidence that Greek authorities will now quickly dispense with the complaint and allow The Audacity of Hope to sail.
On Sunday, June 26, the Jerusalem Post reported: "Sources in the Shurat HaDin (Israel Law Center) on Sunday took responsibility for lodging an anonymous civil complaint against the American-flagged ship, The Audacity of Hope, which is a part of the flotilla expected to sail towards Gaza later this week, Army Radio reported." The Israeli group is known for making frivolous legal complaints against the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.
"We reiterate that the boat we are leasing for this journey, after its refitting for the voyage to Gaza, was surveyed by a professional surveyor and successfully completed its sea trials," said Ann Wright, an organizer and passenger on the U.S. boat. "There is no reason for any further delays on this matter, we are ready to sail."
Free Gaza is a human rights group founded in 2006. Our mission is to break the Israel's illegal siege on Gaza's 1.8 million civilians, since it inflicts collective punishment on the Palestinians who live there and has destroyed its economy. Free Gaza believes in direct action in confronting Israel's abuse of Palestinians using non-violent means and has found these voyages to be one of the most effective ways to alert the world to the prison-like conditions of Gaza. Ultimately, there is no better example of direct action than Free Gaza's sustained attempts to break the siege on Gaza which Israel claims it no longer occupies
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