Israel's Siege on Gaza: Fishing Reduced by 90% in 2010

Press TV-Reporter 's File -The Fishermen of Gaza -04-08-2010:

PressTVGlobalNews — April 09, 2010



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Israeli navy hits Gaza fishing boat Aug 31, 2009

Israeli navy hits Gaza boat:

"http://www.euronews.net/ Israeli navy strikes Palestinian fishing boat, setting it ablaze and leaving one person wounded."



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Israel 'fishing for spies' in Gaza - 24 Apr 09

Israel 'fishing for spies' in Gaza - 24 Apr 09:

"Human rights groups say Israel is preying on the sick and vulnerable in Gaza to coerce them into spying.

Several fishermen tell Al Jazeera's Ayman Mohyeldin that they have been threatened with blackmail unless they agree to spy on Palestinian factions."



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Israeli gunboats hem in Gaza fishermen

Israeli gunboats hem in Gaza fishermen:

Gaza fishermen are subject to almost daily attacks by the Israeli navy



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The Dolphin and the Dabura - Gazan Waters, 1st September, 2008

The Dolphin and the Dabura - Gazan Waters, 1st September, 2008:

"On the 1st September 2008, the first day of Ramadan, several volunteers with the Free Gaza Movement and the International Solidarity Movement accompanied a small fleet of seven fishing vessels from Gaza City port.

The fishermen exercised their right to fish in Gazan territorial waters, providing them with a livelihood and providing food for the besieged people of Gaza. The fishing fleet reached approximately nine miles offshore and began trawling along the Gazan coast, well within international limits. Usually the Israeli Navy prevents Gazan fishing vessels from accessing beyond six miles and in many cases only three miles, by attacking the boats, sometimes lethally, or by arresting the fishermen. However, this days fishing resulted in a highly successful catch due to the ability to access richer fishing grounds further offshore.

Two Israeli Naval gunboats approached the fleet soon after leaving port and began firing warning shots shortly afterwards. They were aware that internationals were on some of the boats. The Israeli Navy continued shooting multiple times at the fishing vessels, one of which was fired upon at least seven times. They also deployed explosive charges in the water and attempted to de-stabilise some of the boats by creating a strong wake. Communication was established with the Israeli Navy via VHF radio, informing them that everyone onboard were unarmed civilians and requesting that the Israeli Navy stop shooting."



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Gazan fisherman shot with 'dum-dum' bullets by Israeli forces

Gazan fisherman shot with 'dum-dum' bullets by Israeli forces:

"On Saturday 14th February, 23 year-old Rafiq abu Reala was shot by Israeli naval forces whilst fishing in Gazan territorial waters, approximately two nautical miles out from the port of Gaza city. He was in a simple fishing vessel, not much larger than a rowing boat, with a small outboard engine, known locally as a 'hassaka'.
An M-16 assault rifle was fired hitting him twice with explosive dum-dum bullets, which peppered his back with shrapnel from the bullets themselves.

For full report: http://palsolidarity.org/2009/02/5495"




Israeli Navy shoots Gaza Fisherman:

"Israeli navy gun boats fire at several Palestinian fishing boats which are only 3km west of the port in Gaza City. One of the fishermen - Rafik Abu Rayala is badly injured."




Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Gaza fishermen face daily dangers - 04 Feb 09

Gaza fishermen face daily dangers - 04 Feb 09:

"Weeks after Israel's war on Gaza, the suffering of people in the Strip has not ended.

Israel maintains a blockade, on land, in the air and at sea. For fishermen in Gaza, making a living has become harder and more dangerous, as Al Jazeera's Mike Kirsch reports."



Israeli Navy Wounds Palestinian Fisherman.: "26th January 2009 - Gazan territorial waters: Despite a ceasefire, and despite the fact that their target was a civilian vessel, the Israeli navy open fire on a Palestinian fishing boat to the severe injury of the captain Alaa Alhabel."



Israeli gunboat sprays Gazan fishing boat with bullets:

"In the morning of the 27th of January 2009, a Palestinian fishing boat left Gaza City port in one of the first attempts to work after the recent onslaught on Gaza, and the following ceasefire announced by Israel. While fishing in Palestinian territorial waters, about 1 mile off the northern Gaza Strip shore, it was attacked by an Israeli gunboat. The fishing boat was sprayed with bullets of different types. As it can be seen in the images taken by ISM volunteers, upon the return of the fishing boat to the Gaza port, Israeli soldiers were mostly targeting the wheelhouse. Fortunately the captain managed to survive, nobody was injured but the boat suffered serious damages."





Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

ISM » Reaction in Gaza as the boats stolen by the Israeli navy are returned damaged

International Solidarity Movement » Reaction in Gaza as the boats stolen by the Israeli navy are returned damaged:
Source: ISM
November 30th, 2008

"ISM Gaza Strip made this video as the boats were finally returned.

Almost immediately following the announcement that three Human Rights Groups had filed an appeal against Ehud Barak and the commander of the Israeli navy the boats were returned to Palestinian waters. The vessels were stolen from Gazan waters on 18th November while fishing in Palestinian territorial water.

Filed by Al-Mazan, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) and the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), the appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court was on behalf of the vessels’ owners. The appeal, sent to the Israeli Supreme Court, asked why the boats have not been released and why the fishermen have not been compensated for their loss of income and their loss of use of the boats for the past week.

Rather than answer these questions in court, raising serious contradictions to the Israeli claim that Gaza is no longer occupied, Israel’s navy informed the lawyers that the boats would probably be returned immediately. Less than 24 hours later the boats were returned, though initial reports suggest that they had sustained serious damage and that expensive equipment has been stolen.

Video by ISM Gaza Strip"

Earlier Related News:
Human rights groups file appeal against Ehud Barak over the confiscation of Palestinian fishing boats
Source: ISM
November 27th, 2008

"Ramallah, Occupied West Bank: On November 25, 2008, Al-Mazan, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) and the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) have filed a legal appeal against Ehud Barak and the commander of the Israeli Navy. The appeal was launched over Israel’s illegal confiscation of three large fishing boats from Palestinian territorial waters on the 18th November.

This appeal has been sent to the supreme court asking why the boats have not been released and why the fishermen have not been compensated for their loss of income and their loss of use of the boats for the past week.

The boats were abducted 7 1/2 miles from the port of Deir al-Balah, so they were well within Zone L, which, under the Oslo agreement, gives them the right to be fishing within their own 20 nautical mile limit. Israel’s actions raises serious doubts about their claim that Gaza is no longer occupied.

The action against Barak and the Israeli Navy is based, in part, on the The Hague convention, “Family honor and rights, the lives of persons, and private property, as well as religious convictions and practice, must be respected. Private property can not be confiscated."



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Human Rights Activists on Hunger Strike in Gaza (Brit, Italian, US)

Activists on Hunger Strike in Gaza (Brit, Italian, US):

"Afshin Rattansi talks to Jenny Linnell in Gaza.. Fifteen Palestinian fishermen and three internationals abducted from Palestinian waters off the coast of Gaza November 18t"

Related News:
Fifteen Palestinian fishermen and three internationals abducted from Palestinian waters off the coast of Gaza
Source: ISM
Date: November 18th, 2008

Gaza City, 10 a.m.- Fifteen Palestinian fishermen and 3 international Human Rights Observers (HRO’s) were surrounded by the Israeli Navy and taken from their boats 7 miles off the coast of Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip.

The fishermen and the HRO’s were transferred from 3 separate boats to the Israeli warships. Other Palestinian fishermen reported that the 3 boats were seen being taken north by the Israeli Navy.

The Human Rights Observers are Andrew Muncie, a Scottish British citizen, Vittorio Arrigoni, an Italian citizen, and Darlene Wallach, an American citizen. They have been volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) since they entered Gaza on ships with the first Free Gaza Movement voyage on the 23rd August 2008. All internationals have previous experience working with the ISM in the West Bank.

Fellow activists have been unable to establish contact with the HRO’s or with the fishermen since they were abducted.

Since their arrival, the ISM volunteers have been regularly accompanying Palestinian fishermen who are regularly attacked by Israeli navy vessels from as little as 3km from shore. They have regularly filmed Israeli forces using live ammunition, shells and water cannons against unarmed fishermen.

When confronted by the Israeli Navy, the boats were 7 nautical miles from the shore of Deir al Balah, well within the fishing limit detailed in the Oslo Accords of 1994.

With regular claims that from the Israeli government that it has ‘disengaged’ from Gaza, these patrols and attacks from the Israeli navy, regularly occuring from as little as 3 miles from shore, represent a clear signal of the continuation of occupation of Gazan territory as well as regular breaches of the current cease-fire.

Over 40,000 people in Gaza make a living from the fishing industry, yet this community has been decimated by Israeli restrictions on fishing rights and the prevention of fuel from reaching the Gaza Strip.

According to the Fishing Syndicate in Gaza, fishermen need 40,000 litres of fuel and 40,000 litres of natural gas each day to operate throughout the high fishing season.

Starting in April each year, there is a migration of fish from the Nile Delta to Turkish waters which Palestinian fishermen have traditionally relied upon. Yet Israel limits fishing 6 miles from the Gaza shore and regularly attacks those who venture further than 3 miles - over 70 fishermen were arrested last year by the Israeli forces. The large schools that form the migration are usually found 10 miles from shore. The average catch of fish was over 3000 tons a year in the 1990’s, now it is around 500 tons directly due to the Israeli siege of Gaza.

Also, the water in which the fishermen of Gaza sail in is now receiving 50 million litres of sewage per day because the people of Gaza have no alternative due to the lack of power supplies to sewage treatment facilities.



UPDATE: Fifteen Palestinian fishermen still being held by Israeli authorities, three internationals fighting deportation with at least one engaging in a hunger-strike
November 18th, 2008
Source: ISM

18th November - British politicians, MP Clare Short and Baronness Jenny Tonge, both issue statements regarding the arrests made by Israeli forces today

Update: The fifteen Palestinian fishermen abducted from Palestinian waters this morning (10am 18th November) are still being held by Israeli authorities in Ashdod, while their boats have been confiscated. Legal proceedings were initiated today that petition for their immediate release.

The three international Human Rights Observers who were arrested while accompanying the fishermen have been taken to Ben Gurion detention facility as Israeli authorities starting deportation proceedings. Andrew Muncie, a British citizen who was one of the three internationals arrested has made it clear that he will non-violently resist any attempt to deport him and that he is engaging a hunger-strike until all fifteen of the Palestinian fishermen are released.

The status and plans of the other two international Human Rights Observers arrested, American citizen Darlene Wallach and Italian citizen Vittorio Arrigoni, are not yet known.

This action comes after international journalists have been denied access into Gaza due to the current siege.

British MP Clare Short has made this statement in regards to today:

” If there is to be any hope of peace in the Middle East, international law must be upheld. This means that the siege of Gaza must be lifted and the constant attacks by the Israeli navy on Gazan fishermen halted. Those who have been arrested must be released and the UK must insist that these illegal attacks on Gazans, fishing peacefully within their own water must cease”

Baroness Jenny Tonge said:

“The time has come for the international community, and especially the European Union to take action against Israel’s consistent breaking of international law. The EU-Israel Association Agreement should be suspended until Israel complies with this law.

It was only last week that I personally met with the fishermen whose boats are illegally water-cannoned and fired upon by Israeli gunboats as they peacefully fish in Gaza waters. The fishermen and human rights observers who were today taken unlawfully by Israel should be released immediately.”

Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Free Gaza: Leaden sunset (postcards from Israel)

Free Gaza: Leaden sunset (postcards from Israel):

"Leaden sunset (postcards from Israel)

Leaden sunsets
lethal postcards
sent from Israel to the fishermen in Gaza.

Stamped by Zionism, they brand the guardians of human rights with stamps* of antisemitism.

The postman** in these waters is armour-plated and covered in hatred,

the mailboxes look more like floating coffins.

I've never seen sunsets as crimson as those offshore from the Gaza coast.

There are many reasons why we go out fishing with Palestinian fishermen; some of them are concrete, some others are more symbolic, but no less essential.

One fishing day with us on board, according to the fishermen, is equivalent to one week of ordinary work offshore when, without internationals, they can't dare to sail for more than few miles from the port, where usually fishing is very poor. If they try to go further they risk death - or if they're lucky, 'just' injury. It's worth remembering that before the siege was imposed by Israel, there were more than 3,500 fishermen working along the 40 km of the Gazan coasts; today just 700 of them are still trying to survive in a field which was used to be able to provide jobs for at least 40.000 people, if you consider mechanics, fishmongers etc as well as thousands of local fishermen that now are surviving with difficulty.

The day after one of our fishing actions, the fish is sold at the market at a knock-down price. The offer is bigger, prices go down, more mouths will eat. The owners of some of the fishing boats, before we arrived, had the serious intention of selling them, due to the very high price of the fuel and to the absence of a reliable future income. Since we arrived they've told us many times how our support, in addition to helping increase their incomes, has also acted as an injection of hope at a hopeless time.

In addition to the clearly visible achievements obtained with our fishing actions, there are some others more symbolic but equally edifying.

----read all:
http://guerrillaradio.iobloggo.com/ar..."




Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Attack on Gaza Fishermen - Recently Released Video

Free gaza movement obama won reaction palestine arabs:

"by
http://guerrillaradio.iobloggo.com/

Vittorio Arrigoni's Account of the Israeli Shooting
Date : 09-01-2008
'When at a distance, estimated by our fishing boat's captain, of 7 nautical miles from the coast, we dropped our fishing nets and started fishing the Israeli warships rushed to reach our position.
One of the warships positioned at a distance less than 200 metres alongside of our fishing boat, opened fire in our direction at least 4 times during the day. It was intimidating fire directed into the water, but some bursts almost touched the hull of our boat. A cannon shot almost reached us. Making attempt of obtaining a radio contact was useless. Soldiers on the Israeli warship ordered, with the use of megaphones, the area evacuation. And after that they were shooting. Sometimes they were shooting before having ordered. Once they shooted to our fishing nets and tried to damaged it sailing directly on them.
Unfortunetely our big mistake was not having with us neither cameras nor video cameras that, together with megaphones to be used exactly like they do, I consider essential for our next fishing missions.

Despite these intimidations the fishing was rich and profitable, we brought ashore quantity of fish ten times bigger than the usual Palestinians fishers standard.'

01/09/2008

Vittorio Arrigoni
Il mondo"



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Israeli Navy Continues Persecution of Fishermen

Israeli Navy Continues Persecution of Fishermen:

Related News Item

Gaza Fishing
10-17-2008
Source: Free Gaza

Three human rights observers (HROs) accompanied a fleet of four Palestinian fishing boats, as they left the port in Gaza this morning at 07:00.

By 08:15 the fishing boats were proceeding in a southerly direction, 8 nautical miles from the Gazan coast. At this point, an Israeli naval gunboat approached the fishing boats, and began to circle them. A loud explosion was heard, the cause of which is unknown. A HRO close to the gunboat at this time reports that the sound of the explosion was consistent with her previous experience of the Israeli Navy throwing explosive charges into the water next to fishing boats. The gunboat continued circling the fishing fleet for several minutes, as a soldier fired several bursts from a deck mounted heavy machine in their general direction.

At around 09:30, the large Israeli vessel with a high powered water cannon approached. Over the next two and a half hours it fired the water cannon at each of the fishing boats in turn, for long periods. As a result, the fishing boats were incapable of maneuvering properly, and the nets of two of the boats became entangled. One of the fishermen had to dive into the water to attempt to separate them, once the water cannon boat had ceased its assault. One of the HROs whose body was hit directly by the water cannon reports in a text message (at the time of writing, he remains at sea) that he is "OK but body aching like being beaten".

As these attacks were taking place, an Israeli Navy spokesperson – Captain Benjamin Rutland – explained on BBC Radio that the water cannon is powerful enough to cause damage to the fishing boats themselves;

"…it may cause damage to a boat…"

Somewhat paradoxically however he then went on to say that the use of such a high powered weapon

"…minimizes injuries to Palestinian fishermen."

A Day in the Life of a Gazan Fisherman

A Day in the Life of a Gazan Fisherman:

"A day in the life of a Gazan Fisherman. All footage was taken from one Gazan fishing boat on 5th October 2008, as it fished in Gazan territorial waters. The furthest it ventured from shore was approximately 4 miles."

Related News Item:

ISM RAFAH: Israeli Navy Fire shells at Gazan Fishermen
Source: ISM

On Sunday October 5th, two international human rights observers accompanied a Gazan fishing boat offshore of Jabalya.

Soon an Israeli gunboat approached. The internationals, after a request from the Palestinian captain, made clear that there was an international presence on board. For a while the Israeli gunboat seemed to leave but then, suddenly, from a large distance began to fire shells very close to two Gazan fishing boats, including the one accompanied by the internationals. The Palestinian fishing boats were about 4 nautical miles from the coast.

Although the 2 fishing boats had already changed their course the Israeli gunboat intercepted them and started to fire machine gun shots in front of their bows (something which also constitutes a breach of the ceasefire agreement). This Israeli gunboat didn’t stop harassing the fishing boats till the moment a larger boat of the Israeli Navy arrived and began a severe water cannon attack on the fishing boat which the internationals were present on. The Israeli soldiers, from a close range were shooting high pressure water directly on to the Palestinian fishermen (including a minor) and the internationals. They were also shooting the water inside the wheelhouse preventing the captain from steering the fishing boat. They caused damages to the fishing boat including to electrical lights and by breaking the glass windows of the wheelhouse, and the wooden panels which had been attached to protect them. Fortunately no one was injured (in a similar incident on 16/9 an Italian activist had been injured by shattered glass and was hospitalized). There were also shots from the machine gun of the Israeli navy boat, while it was sailing side by side with the Gazan fishing boat.

Later, the same fishing boat received continuous harassment by other Israeli gunboats that were shooting with their machine guns around the fishing boat. There were times when the internationals observed at least 4 Israeli heavily armed gunboats having invaded Palestinian waters out of northern Gaza strip in order to harass no more than 3 Palestinian fishing boats in the whole area.

In the afternoon one of the gunboats approached the fishing boat and started circling it producing waves in order to destabilize it.

Finally, after the sunset, as the fishing boat was returning to port a distant gunboat began firing a machine gun in its general direction. Just how close this fire was to the boat was clear from the glow of the tracer bullets. The internationals also observed once more that in clear violation of international nautical law, the Israeli gunboats are not using their lights during night time.



Palestinian Fishermen Resist Water Cannon Assault:

"Gazan fishermen continue to trawl within Palestinian territorial waters despite suffering a prolonged assault with a high powered water cannon from the Israeli Navy."

Sept 16th - Israeli gunboats injure Italian HR worker

Sept 16th - Israeli gunboats injure Italian HR worker:

"Two Gazan fishing boats with international human rights workers on board were repeatedly attacked by 2 Israeli gunboats while they were trying to exercise Palestinian people's right to fish in the Palestinian waters. One of the Israeli gunboats was using a water cannon to throw water with high pressure while the other one was randomly firing shots of live ammunition close to the fishing boats.

The attack with the water cannon was extremely dangerous. The Israeli navy was trying to throw the Palestinian fishermen and the international human rights workers in the sea. The high pressure water was damaging the old boats and people on board had to avoid not only the water but also wooden pieces, shattered glass and others objects that were flying off the deck. The Israeli navy was deliberately targeting the wheelhouses of the fishing boats, smashing the windows, making holes and nearly demolishing the walls and destroying equipment. In the same time it was preventing the captains from steering the vessels and the fishing to take place.

An Italian activist was injured. Vittorio Arrigoni was hit by flying glass when the water canon smashed the glass surrounding the wheelhouse of the boat, with shards lacerating Vittorios back. He was been taken to hospital immediately upon reaching shore, requiring 10 stitches."

Free Gaza Mov: Israeli terrorism in palestinian sea

Free Gaza Mov: Israeli terrorism in palestinian sea:

ISRAELI MILITARY GUNBOAT RAMS UNARMED PALESTINIAN FISHING VESSEL
(GAZA COASTAL WATERS) 10th September 2008 -
An Israeli military gunboat rammed an unarmed Palestinian fishing vessel today at high speeds. The gunboat smashed through the upper hull of the fishing boat, careened over the top, and landed on the other side.

Extensive damage was caused by the impact to the fishing boat. The hull
was badly damaged, and virtually the entire deck area, all the equipment
on it, and the canopy above the deck were severely damaged. Unusually, all
of the crew happened to be in the cabin or at the fore at the time. Had
they been on deck they would have had little chance of survival.

Via a megaphone, the Israeli military aboard the gunboat then made the
threat that: "When the internationals leave Gaza, you will all be made to
pay."

Human rights observers from the International Solidarity Movement and from
the Free Gaza Movement have recently been accompanying Gazan Fishermen
during their work. The fishermen are constantly harassed, threatened and
attacked by the State of Israel, in flagrant violation of international
law and maritime law. Israel has been attempting to impose an illegal
"no-go" area 6 miles off Gaza's coast through employment of lethal force
against unarmed fishing boats. However, and this is not unusual, today's
attack happened within the so-called "permitted" 6-mile area.

The ISM regards the project of accompanying unarmed Palestinian fishermen
as a long term commitment. Some of the human rights observers currently
undertaking this work are long-term volunteers who will be in Gaza for the
indefinite future. More long-term volunteers are expected to bolster their
number within the next few weeks.

Please TAKE ACTION and CALL:

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
tel: +972 2 530 3111
fax: +972 2 530 3367

Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations
tel: +1 212 499 5510
fax: +1 212 499 5515

DEMAND that Israel stop using deadly force to intimidate unarmed
Palestinian fishermen operating within Gaza's coastal waters!

For More Information, Please Contact:
(Gaza) Donna Wallach, +972 59 883 6420 / cats4jazz@gmail.com
(Gaza) Andrew Muncie, +972 59 883 6309 / muncie88@hotmail.com

For photos of the damage, see:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29205195@N02/sets/72157607231701711/

Israel fires at Palestinian fishing boats carrying Int'l activists

Israel fires at Palestinian fishing boats carrying Int'l activists:
Added September 8, 2008
"Israeli gunboats opening fire into the sea very close to Palestinian fishing boats to force them back to the seashores. This came as the Palestinian fishermen were fishing within the allowed Palestinian
territorial waters."

Israeli navy shooting Palestinian fishermen boats

Israeli shooting palestinian fishermen boats:

"Israeli shooting palestinian fishermen boats"

Related Article:

Two injured in Israeli attacks on Palestinian fishermen in Gaza
Source: Ma'an News Agency
Date: 01/09/2008
Bethlehem – Ma'an – Two Gazan fishermen were injured when Israeli naval vessels fired on Palestinian fishing boats on Monday.

Palestinian medical sources told Ma’an that 32-year-old Husam Sultan was hit in the head with shrapnel. His wounds were described as serious. Ninteen-year-old Muhammad Sultan was lacerated by shrapnel in various places on his body.

The Israeli navy opened fire at the fishermen off the Gaza shore near the former site of the Israeli settlement Dugeit, west of the Palestinian town of Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip.

This Israeli attack is an apparent violation of the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip which went into effect on 19 June. The violation came on the first day of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

Another Israeli naval assault was reported earlier in the day in the day by international human rights activists accompanying Palestinian fishermen.
The Free Gaza movement reported live bullets fired near Gaza City, where five internationals were accompanying fishing boats during daily work in Gaza territorial waters. The group said the boats were "several miles offshore" when Israeli ships opened fire.


Activists from the Free Gaza boats who have remained in the Strip joined Gazan fishermen Monday morning as they launched their boats in order to monitor Israeli Naval aggressions.

There have been repeated reports of warning shots, arrests and boat shadowing by the Israeli navy patrolling Gazan waters.

Israel enforces a "Fishing Limit" that is 6 nautical miles (11.1 km) from the Gaza shore. The international waters boundary and the 1996 Oslo accords boundary both state that Gaza waters extend 20 nautical miles from the Gaza coast, and the 2002 Bertini agreement (signed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority) has the boundary lying 12 nautical miles or 22.2 km from the Gaza coast. The current "Fishing Limit" has been imposed by the Israeli navy since October 2006.

The Israeli navy began limiting traffic going in or coming out if the Gaza Strip starting in the mid-1990s when the Oslo accords were signed. All traffic was halted since 2007, when Hamas took over the Gaza Strip.

The Free Gaza activists will be joined by others from the International Solidarity movement in Gaza, who will record and document all instances of Israeli naval aggression and harassment.

The activists announced Monday that they would be present on any fishing boat at any time along the entire Gaza coast from Monday morning onwards. They said that they hoped the presence of internationals would deter further Israeli aggression.

The fishing industry employs some 3,000 individuals, who rely on traveling deep enough into the Mediterranean to catch sardine as they migrate from the Nile delta northwards every spring.

The Free Gaza movement has focused its efforts this year on exposing and halting what they call the illegal Israeli control of Gazan coastal waters. Since Israel disengaged from Gaza in 2005, and claims not to be an occupying force in the area, the movement attests that Gazans should have control over their own ports.

The movement successfully landed two boats in the closed Gaza port on Saturday 23 August. Israeli army and government officials had initially planned on preventing the ships from landing, but made a last minute decision to allow them to pass. The government later called the event a "one-time" deal, and promised it would not allow other ships through into Gaza.

When all but 9 of the Free Gaza activists left the Gaza port for Cyprus in Thursday 28 August, they brought with them seven Palestinians, who for the first time in years did not have to ask Israeli or Egyptian permission to leave the Strip. The Palestinian government in Gaza stamped the passports and travel documents of those leaving, who arrived in Cyprus the following day by ship.



A message from Vittorio Arrigoni
Dated September 3, 2008
Source: FreeGaza.org

Tomorrow another fishing day in high sea has been organised, on board with us we will have the first german television channel and some arab journalists.

World has to know, to open eyes and react facing what happens just few miles away from Gaza coasts.

In the attached video, shot by one of my partner on board, it's clearly visible how our fishboat was bombarded from machine-gun fire coming from an Israeli war ship.

These crimes against humanity, of which Israel is responsible, occur almost daily, murders and woundings of Palestinian fishermen whose only guilt is trying to sail at a distance from the coast bigger than 3 miles, this limit being an illegal one imposed by Israeli authorities, although the Oslo Agreements established that the maximum limit is equal to 20 miles from the coastline and although the Bertini Agreement, stipulated in August 2002 between UN and Israel, set this distance at 12 miles.

Some days ago our presence on board as internationals avoided death or wounding of Palestinians, we wish that tomorrow the presence of television cameras will work as a deterrent for any criminal Israeli action.


We, nonviolent people, will take at a distance not bigger than 10 miles from the coast, some nonviolent fish boats which activity is one of the few nourishment sources for a destroyed economy as the gazan one.


In 90's, when fish boats could sail from the Strip coast and reach a distance equal to 12 miles, fishermen could bring inshore, sell and also export almost 3.000 tons of fish every year.

In 2007 just 500 tons of fish were fished from more than 3.500 professional fishermen along the 40 kms of the Gaza Strip coast; among these 3.500 fishermen just 700 are still working today in an economical field that was able to sustain at least 40.000 people as mechanics, fishmongers and thousands of families of local fishermen.

It's always more difficult to find fish in the sea close to the Strip coast, pollution and extreme exploitation made this water sterile; this is one of the reasons why tomorrow I will take the fish boats far from the seashore hoping for another miraculous fishing; being able to sail 20 miles further there would be the chance, in spring, to meet school of sardines migrating from the Nile delta to the Turkish sea, while staying at less than 6 miles from the coast is almost impossible to find big group of fishes. According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Israel never allowed palestinian fishermen to sail and reach the 20 miles established by the agreements. Gaza fishermen state that they cannot go at a distance bigger than 2,5 miles without being exposed to the risk of Israeli shooting, the risk of having boats and nets destroyed while Israeli patrols lead them inshore: a situation carrying on since 2003 and that worsened during the last years with the presence of Israeli rockets and helicopters used against the fishermen. According to the Rafah Fishermen Union, Israeli war boats patrol the sea, in the southern part of the Strip, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, under the pretext of keeping security and fighting weapons traffic. During 2007 more than 70 fishermen were arrested, their boats destroyed together with nets and fishing equipment. For months thousands of fishermen didn't have the permission to leave the port.

"In a report published by Israeli Bet'selem some fishermen stories were collected. Isma'il Basleh was fishing, on the first of January 2007, with his brother Samir and his friend Aymen al-Jabur. In the distance they saw an Israeli warship coming close and, after having stopped at less than 30 metres from them, starting shooting in the air. The Israeli captain, then, ordered Isma'il to follow them for 6 km, to turn off engines and swin in frozen water towards them. But the warship was slowly moving away and Isma'il was about to drown. The rest of story reported by Bet'selem is about bound arms and legs, about threats and intimidations, about sleep deprivation and demeaning and inhuman treatments. Adnan al-Badwil described as well his misadventure: he was fishing with his brother at 5 am, they had just pulled up the nets with the fish when they heard som e shooting in the dark. The boat, hit, started oscillatine and both of them fell into the water. Three people of the crew were wounded and treated for three days in hospital. But, despite all the risks for their own lives, gazan fishermen still go out with their boats and try to go over the 3 km limit, to survive.

Nowadays they can just use rowing boats, since there is no more fuel in Gaza not being due the high oil price, but because Israel don't allow the entrance of fuel in the Strip pushing forward an embargo which appears as a general punishment for a whole population."

Tomorrow we will dedicate our fishing day to three fishermen who, some days ago were arrested and, against Ramadan'laws, forced by the soldiers to eat and drink breaking in this way their fast.


We will mainly dedicate it to two fishermen recently wounded, Mohammad Ani Assultan,
19 years old, and Hussam Assultan di anni 32 tears old, hit in his head and still in critical conditions.

These crimes can no more be kept under silence.


Please, spread the video

And stay, in shore as offshore, human.

Stay human.


Vik

Vittorio Arrigoni.