MK Haneen Zoabi expresses desire to join next flotilla to Gaza

"Any normal person would participate in the fight against the siege and imprisonment of two million people on a piece of land," she said in an interview with Army Radio.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: JUNE 22, 2015 10:46
Haneen Zoabi on board the Mavi Marmara, May 2010
MK Haneen Zoabi expressed desire to join the Marianne av Göteborg flotilla, but will not be joining, she stated in an interview with Army Radio on Monday.
"Any normal person would participate in the fight against the siege and imprisonment of two million people on a piece of land."
The Marianne av Göteborg, is set to depart within the next few days. Three or four other ships have plans to join the Gaza flotilla, but only the Marianne av Göteborg is currently approaching Israel.
Zoabi penned a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, and made it clear that she wants to join the flotilla, however she has decided not to do so because she felt that the last flotilla was not completely effective, stating "unfortunately the Mavi Marmara did not end the blockade in Gaza."
She said that the Mavi Marmara did not succeed 100 percent, and therefore there is a need for more and more flotillas.
Referring to Israel, Zoabi said there will be "a need to prosecute those responsible politically and militarily for the situation in Gaza" if the blockade remains in place.
"Israel is in control of the situation, and is responsible according to international law. Those in Israel cannot expect to live a normal life when the occupation and the siege goes on in Gaza."
Zoabi's statements come after Joint List MK Basel Ghattas stated on Sunday that he was planning on joining this flotilla and that he and the other activists had no violent intentions.
Zoabi's plans to join the upcoming flotilla come five years after the MK participated in the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010 that sought to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Israel Navy commandos who boarded the ship were attacked and killed nine of the attackers. A 10th Turk died four years later from his injuries.
Ariel Ben Solomon, Lahav Harkov, and Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.


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