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New Zealand govt fails to respond to call to secure safety of citizens sailing on Gaza flotilla

(pic: kiaoragaza.net - George Galloway, founder of UK charity Viva Palestina, shakes hands with Roger Fowler, captain of the Kia Ora Gaza team on the largest aid convoy to enter Gaza in 2010. The other five Kiwi Team members gather around at convoy base camp in Syria.)

Government Ignores Israel’s Threats against New Zealanders on Gaza Flotilla

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – The New Zealand Government has failed to respond to requests to secure the safe passage of New Zealanders on an upcoming humanitarian flotilla attempting to breach Israel’s siege of Gaza. The Government has also failed to clarify New Zealand’s position on the legality of the siege itself.

New Zealand has joined with initiatives from more than 14 national groups and international coalitions who have united to form the Freedom Flotilla Two (FF2). FF2 will consist of at least 10 vessels carrying humanitarian aid and approximately 1,000 passengers including journalists, politicians, humanitarian aid workers, dignitaries, doctors, professors, and human rights defenders. FF2 aims to raise international public awareness about Israel’s occupation of Palestine by directly challenging Israel’s illegal naval blockade of Gaza.

New Zealanders Harmeet Sooden and Vivienne Porzsolt will be participating in the FF2 aboard the Canadian boat *Tahrir*. The name ‘Tahrir’, meaning ‘Liberation’ in Arabic, was chosen to honour those who gathered in Tahrir Square in Cairo seeking democratic reform and spreading hope across the Middle East. The *Tahrir* will also host delegations from Canada, Australia, Belgium and Denmark. more

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