Women prepare for Gaza sail: We won't fight Israel

Ynet news

One of hundreds of female volunteers planning to sail to Hamas-ruled territory with diapers, milk, medical supplies and clothes says, 'Our only weapons are faith in the Virgin Mary and in humanity'

"Be sure we will never give Israel such a gift as to fight them or to have Hezbollah with us or to have any political party with us,' the spokeswoman for the organizers of an aid flotilla from Lebanon to Gaza told The Times in an interview published Friday.

"We have diapers, a lot of diapers, we have milk, we have treatments for cancer in children and medical supplies and clothes. If they fight we will not defend ourselves,” Semir El-Hajj said.

The hundreds of female volunteers planning to set sail to the Hamas-ruled territory aboard the ship "Mariam" deny allegations that the flotilla organizers are connected to Hezbollah, the Lebanese terror group linked to Iran.

“Our only weapons are faith in the Virgin Mary and in humanity,” said Rima Farah, one of the activists.

The organizers told The Times that the women “all represent themselves”, are without political affiliations and include adherents to all the world’s big religions, including Judaism.

It remains unclear when the convoy will depart. Egyptian newspaper Al-Shorouk quoted a member of the International Movement Against Globalization and the American-Zionist Hegemony as saying that the "Freedom Flotilla 2" will consist of five ships from France, six from Germany and one from Lebanon.

According to movement, which is based in Egypt, the vessels are expected to begin the journey to Gaza on July 15 under the banner "The Shahid Mohammad al-Dura," referring to the 12-year-old Palestinian boy who the Palestinians claim was killed by the IDF during a furious exchange of fire with Palestinian gunmen in Gaza in 2000.

The movement's representative added that activists from several countries, including Egypt, Ireland, Alegrira and some Gulf states will take part in the sail.

He said Israeli Knesset Member Hanin Zoabi (National Democratic Assembly), and Raed Salah, the leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, have already confirmed their participation.

The two Arab Israelis took part in the first sail to Gaza, during which Israeli commandos raided a Turkish ship, leaving nine people dead.

The movement's representative said former South African President Nelson Mandela (92) will announce whether he will be taking part in the flotilla in the coming days.