Pro-Palestinian groups to send flotilla to Gaza in May

Free Gaza movement organizers request governments of participating nationals to protect participants in flotilla which will include 15 ships.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
flotilla 311 (photo credit: Creative Commons)
flotilla 311
(photo credit: Creative Commons)
Pro-Palestinian movements in Europe, including the Free Gaza movement, have planned to send another flotilla to Gaza in mid-May. Organizers have said that the flotilla will include 15 ships from a number of different countries, and thousands are expected to participate.
At their meeting Amsterdam, the Free Gaza movement urged the governments of participating nationals to take the necessary steps to protect those nationals who will participate, the Kuwait News Agency reported.
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The flotilla will reportedly be called "Freedom Fleet 2."
Last year, a flotilla from Turkey roused controversy when nine passengers were killed as IDF soldiers intercepted one of the ships, the Mavi Marmara. Turkey has called on Israel to apologize for the deaths of the citizens, and to provide compensation to the families of those who died.  Israel has agreed to provide compensation, but refused to admit that its actions were unlawful and accept blame.
The Turkel Committee, which was established in Israel to investigate the events that occurred surrounding the Mavi Marmara raid, concluded that the IDF conducted its operation following international law, whereas a Turkish investigation found that Israeli soldiers shot five victims at close range, and that two were killed before the soldiers even boarded the ship.