The Freedom Flotilla is the Berlin Airlift of our time. Or rather, it could be.
In 1948, the United States and British governments responded to the Soviet blockade of Western Berlin with massive humanitarian aid operation, delivering food, medicine, and other essential supplies. But this time, our governments are failing us. Because they failed to take a principled stance in the face of the appalling Gaza blockade, civil society — specifically the Gaza Freedom Flotilla — is trying to fill this gap.
Now our collective work is essential. Start by engaging your elected leaders to get those boats through.
The Rebuilding Alliance has worked from the start to raise funds and place humanitarian aid on the Free Gaza Ireland flagship for delivery to three NGOs in Gaza. We are proud to report that, thanks to your donations, the flagship MV Rachel Corrie is carrying chocolates, school supplies, sports equipment, and wheelchairs for the Al Basma Club for the Disabled. A surprise donor even came through with 300 bags of cement to help the Ybnah Community Charity build a kindergarten!
To ensure that the Ybnah camp can build its kindergarten, send an email to each of your senators and your representative. Urge them to call the Israeli Embassy and the State Department on your behalf to challenge Israel’s warning to block the ships bringing humanitarian aid to nongovernmental organizations in Gaza. Express your concern for the safety of the 700 people aboard the Freedom Flotilla, and ask them to assure safe passage. Ask them to help you help the Ybnah Community Charity build its kindergarten and to end the strangulating blockade of Gaza.
The State Department immediately responds to messages from Congress – so does the Israeli Embassy. Your representatives represent you. When you ask, staffers will make calls of inquiry on your behalf and brief the senator congressperson accordingly. Use www.GovTrack.us for phone numbers and email addresses.
Email the sample letter below. If you need help, please give me a call at (650) 325-4663. The Rebuilding Alliance stands with the Freedom Flotilla. We urge the diplomatic and international humanitarian communities to recognize that open and transparent aid to Gaza’s non-governmental organizations as a great way to assure the health and welfare of Gaza’s children and families.
Nobel Laureate Mairead Maguire on the Freedom Flotilla Flagship the MV Rachel Corrie
Open a passage to Gaza. Open a passage to Palestine.
In Rebuilding Peace,
Donna Baranski-Walker
Executive Director
P.S. Follow the Gaza Freedom Flotilla at http://www.WitnessGaza.com/.
Read more here about the Berlin Airlift.
Our photos: Gaza- Children in Ybnah Camp hope for kindergarten (May, 2010), Berlin-Children hope for chocolates (July 1948), Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire aboard the Freedom Flotilla Flagship MV Rachel Corrie.
Below is a sample letter to email to your senators and representatives:
____________________________
Your Name Here, Your Title
Street Address, City, State Zip Code
Phone: xxx xxx xxx • your email
By Facsimile (their number here) or By Email (their email here)
The Honorable Rep. or Senator (Your congressperson’s or senator’s title and name here)
House of Representatives or Senate of the United States
Washington, DC 20515
Re: Urgent Appeal to Ensure Safe Passage of Boats Carrying Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
Dear Congressman or Senator (name here):
As a resident of your (Congressional District or your state), I write to you with urgency to help ensure that boats carrying humanitarian supplies are allowed safe passage to Gaza. Please make two calls on my behalf: call the U.S. State Department and the Israeli Embassy to (1) Express my concern for the safety of the 700 people aboard the Freedom Flotilla, and ask them to assure safe passage; (2) Ask them to guarantee that the Ybnah Community Charity will receive the cement they need to build their kindergarten; and (3) Lastly please express my concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and urge them to end the strangulating blockade on Gaza.
I want you to make this the “Berlin Airlift” of our time. The MV Rachel Corrie, the flotilla’s flagship from Ireland, is carrying chocolates and school supplies, sports equipment, and wheelchairs for the Al Basma Club for the Disabled. A surprise donor even came through with 300 bags of cement to help the Ybnah Community Charity build a kindergarten! Please see that these ships gets through.
The blockade of Gaza is now in its third year. According to American-born Israeli human rights lawyer Allegra Pacheco, “ The siege – enforced by land, air and sea — has blocked the import and export of supplies, goods and persons in and out of the Gaza Strip for 35 months, punishing 1.4 million Palestinians in the tiny territory. More than half of Gaza’s population are children and nearly 80 percent of the population lives in poverty. Ninety percent of the natural sources of water are undrinkable, and school and health services continue to deteriorate, 17 months since Israel’s military invasion of Gaza in 2008-09. UN and international aid agencies have sent in limited food and humanitarian supplies to Gaza which managed to prevent starvation and the spread of disease, but … never enough to stop the deterioration of livelihoods and critical services like water, sanitation, education and health.”
Please call the Israeli Embassy and the State Department now, on my behalf, and let me know what you learn.
(Your name here)
(Your street address)
(city, state, zip)
CC: (Copy to others in your congressional district or state who you think should know about this)
The Rebuilding Alliance, contact at RebuildingAlliance.org (please copy us and we’ll update our count)
_______________________________
P.P.P.S. To continue our work and develop it further, we need your help. Remember us; remember our shared work ahead. Please join us to Open a Passage to Palestine by making a financial contribution to the Rebuilding Alliance today!
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