Created in 2010, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) is a global grassroots solidarity motion working to finish the Israeli blockade of Gaza. Their new mission – to ship 5,500 tons of humanitarian help to the individuals of Gaza – has been briefly halted after Guinea Bissau determined to take away its flag from two vessels on 24 April 2024. The flotilla had been set to sail from Turkey in the direction of Gaza.
Throughout a earlier FFC mission in 2010, ten individuals have been killed following an intervention by Israeli armed forces. This time, a number of hundred individuals from round thirty totally different international locations are collaborating within the mission, together with Belgian activist Rosy. A member of the No Border motion, opposing the existence of borders and advocating for freedom of motion, she analyses the quite a few hyperlinks between the scenario in Palestine and that on the borders of the European Union. Rosy didn’t want to disclose her full title in order to not compromise her security.
Francesca Spinelli: May you inform us about your activist background and what encounters or experiences led you to participate within the FFC mission?
I’ve been an activist on the difficulty of borders and migration for years, primarily in Belgium, but in addition at varied borders in Europe, together with Greece and Bosnia. I’m additionally concerned in a marketing campaign launched a couple of years in the past, Abolish Frontex, which brings collectively many alternative actions. Extra not too long ago, I’ve been within the Mediterranean Sea by means of rescue NGOs. It was by means of this latter community, which connects activism and work at sea, that I heard concerning the Freedom Flotilla Coalition mission. It made numerous sense for me to take part on this operation, not solely as a result of the ocean can be a way of liberation and political motion, however as a result of I needed to attach the wrestle in opposition to state borders and violence at European borders to the wrestle in assist of the Palestinian individuals.
Francesca Spinelli: There are various similarities between what is going on in Palestine and the scenario on the EU’s exterior borders. Let’s begin with probably the most seen side: violence.
The violence perpetrated by sure states in opposition to sure classes of civilians – Palestinians on one hand, and migrants on the opposite – is more and more excessive, and these states are more and more taking full accountability for it. The narrative may be very related: dehumanising the opposite, normalising hate speech, all to justify violence. A binary imaginative and prescient is created: Israel in opposition to the Palestinians, or somewhat in opposition to Hamas, as if all Palestinians have been members of Hamas. Actuality is simplified by presenting individuals as homogeneous lots: the “migrants” invading Europe and attacking “European identity.” The flip facet of dehumanising discourses is id discourses advocating the prevalence of sure cultures, sure individuals. If some lives are deemed extra helpful than others, it grants a free cross to all types of violence. That is what occurred in Europe throughout World Warfare II, and earlier than that in colonialism, the results of that are nonetheless seen in the present day. As for Israel, it’s been a colonialist challenge from its inception. The violence we observe in the present day doesn’t come up out of nowhere; it can’t be understood or fought in opposition to from an ahistorical perspective.
Francesca Spinelli: After we speak about violence, we’re speaking about weapons.
Sure, and right here too, there’s a typical thread linking Israel to the EU: the military-industrial advanced. Violence on the borders and in Gaza is carried out inside the framework of accelerating militarisation, utilizing cutting-edge know-how, all to the good thing about European and Israeli corporations. The Database of Israeli Army and Safety Exports (DIMSE) exhibits the extent of Israeli exports to the EU on this area. Conversely, there are quite a few European corporations that offer arms to Israel. In current months, there was a rising name to finish arms gross sales to Israel, together with direct actions by activists focusing on these corporations. In France and Germany, authorized actions have been initiated by attorneys and NGOs.
Francesca Spinelli: The Israeli arms business is especially favoured by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Company. Are you able to inform us extra about this?
Since its institution in 2004, Frontex has contributed to the militarisation of the EU’s exterior borders. Mandated by European governments, it promotes a securitised view of migration, portraying migrants as a risk that Europe must defend in opposition to. A portion of its monumental funds (it’s probably the most funded European company, with €845.4 million euros in 2023) is used to buy weapons and surveillance applied sciences, together with from Israeli corporations, as highlighted by journalists and researchers. It’s additionally price noting that some applied sciences are examined on the inhabitants of Gaza earlier than being bought overseas, notably to European international locations and Frontex. And the latter will first check these applied sciences on the borders earlier than utilizing them on the entire inhabitants. This is applicable to surveillance applied sciences, reminiscent of drones or knowledge extraction applied sciences. What we observe in Gaza, at EU exterior borders, and more and more on EU territory, is a coverage of ultra-surveillance and ultra-control, pushed by the will to know intimately the id, profile, and actions of every individual, and to categorise individuals as fascinating or undesirable.
Francesca Spinelli: One other similarity between the 2 contexts we’re analysing, and it is usually one of many main political points in the present day, is exactly this need to regulate the actions of sure classes of individuals.
Sure, the siege of Gaza, the act of confining individuals and stopping them from controlling their very own lives and actions, is precisely what European governments are trying to impose on migrants by denying them entry to EU territory or detaining them whereas awaiting deportation. They share the identical imaginative and prescient: the worldwide inhabitants is split based mostly on the place one is born. The appropriate to maneuver or to remain, the proper to dignity and life, are decided by native land. This hyperlink established between nationality and the proper to entry, a proper ruled by the visa system, is inherently colonialist. Thus, partitions have develop into an emblem of the confinement of Palestinians in Gaza, but in addition of EU migration insurance policies. It’s essential to stress that these boundaries, which proceed to multiply, should not simply bodily. There are administrative boundaries, legal guidelines, and provisions whose sole objective is to forestall individuals from residing with dignity.
Gaza border wall. Picture by Rob Pierson by way of Wikimedia Commons
Francesca Spinelli: As we have been saying, these insurance policies of confinement and exclusion are based mostly on the concept some lives are price lower than others. Basic rights, theoretically common, are more and more violated by governments that not really feel obligated to respect court docket selections. Isn’t there one other parallel to be drawn right here between Israel and the EU?
Israel has twice ignored a resolution of the Worldwide Court docket of Justice, which known as on the federal government to take all vital measures to make sure that Palestinians obtain humanitarian help. Equally, an growing variety of European governments are disregarding court docket selections requiring them to respect the elemental rights of asylum seekers. That is notably evident in Belgium, the place regardless of hundreds of court docket selections, authorities have failed to offer lodging for hundreds of asylum seekers, forcing them to sleep tough. The actions of governments defy comprehension. The regulation is ignored, violated. As activists, as organisations, we might denounce, collect proof, testimonies, and statistics, however politicians persist of their actions. There’s a actual breakdown of the social contract.
Francesca Spinelli: One of many goals of the FFC mission is to offer important humanitarian help to Gaza. Nevertheless, it isn’t solely a humanitarian mission, because the aim can be to spotlight the unlawful occupation of Gaza. We all know that the stress between humanitarianism and political stances has generally created fractures inside actions supporting migrants. What’s your tackle this?
The query of whether or not humanitarian help is colonialist has typically been raised, rightly so. For me, it isn’t inherently colonialist. If somebody wants assist, we assist them – that’s solidarity. However inside this help, it’s important to query the system, the insurance policies which have made this help vital. If we don’t, we’re attempting to keep up our vantage place as aid-givers, and that’s the place it turns into problematic. The FFC has been very clear on this level: help is critical however not ample. We should be sure that it ceases to be vital by addressing the foundation causes of the scenario. Usually, it’s necessary to have interaction in self-criticism, to analyze the colonialist mechanisms that we now have internalised.
Francesca Spinelli: Seeing so many individuals from totally different international locations coming collectively to defend a typical trigger is a robust instance of internationalist solidarity. Do you observe the identical internationalisation inside actions that struggle in opposition to border regimes and for freedom of motion?
I’m not used to seeing such figures – hundreds of tons of humanitarian help, lots of of contributors, all the cash invested on this mission. These are numbers we don’t see in native teams. I realise that with out such an enormous fundraising effort, with out this intense administrative work, we can not obtain a consequence as highly effective as that of the FFC. Internationalism requires numerous organisation, journey, cash, and this generally is a limitation for actions combating in opposition to border regimes. That being stated, collaborations exist between teams and actions from totally different international locations, even continents. That is the case, for instance, inside the Abolish Frontex marketing campaign, which incorporates teams from Senegal and Morocco. It’s additionally the case inside the No Border motion, which consists of many initiatives in several international locations.
I wish to add that an motion shall be all of the stronger if frequent goals are accompanied by a variety of techniques and strategies. The No Border motion, for instance, is a grassroots, non-institutionalised motion, very near anarchism if not utterly anarchist. It not often engages in dialogue with governmental establishments. However in some circumstances, reminiscent of sea rescues, even a small organisation must adjust to an entire collection of legal guidelines, and “play the game” to be energetic. The target is identical, however the strategies are totally different.
Francesca Spinelli: By way of your participation on this mission, you hope to attract the eye of Belgian politicians to their accountability relating to what is going on in Gaza – a strain all of the extra necessary as federal elections are quick approaching. Particularly, what measures would you want Belgium to take?
Israel must be sanctioned for its warfare crimes and its failure to respect the selections of the Worldwide Court docket of Justice. Belgium, together with many different states, ought to have way back ceased all financial, political, and tutorial collaboration with Israel. Moreover – however all of that is interconnected – Belgium should additionally completely respect the “cordon sanitaire” established about thirty years in the past to forestall the far proper from speaking within the media and normalising its hate speech. This line is crumbling, and it’s very worrying.
Francesca Spinelli: The brutal final result of the 2010 FFC mission reminds us that this new mission is just not with out dangers. Regardless of this, you want to present to those that comply with you, who learn your testimony, that it’s attainable and essential to become involved. What would you want to inform them to encourage them?
After we come collectively, we will accomplish something. Clearly, when embarking on this operation, we have been conscious of the dangers. There may be worry, however there may be additionally an incredible quantity of dedication and solidarity. I prolong a heat invitation to come back collectively, to awaken solidarity, and to take motion, as a result of solidarity is probably the most stunning flame that retains us alive. Confronted with all this violence, we are going to proceed to struggle for the liberty of all, and we are going to achieve this with our fists raised. We reside on this world, and we’re collectively accountable for what occurs in it.
This text first appeared in Inexperienced European Journal. The introduction has been amended barely to account for the flotilla’s current change in circumstances relating to worldwide crusing rights.
