After being prevented from sending aid and supplies to besieged Gaza, US peace activists have gathered in front of the US embassy to protest against the prevention, manipulated by Israel.
Press TV interviewed Ken Mayers, US Peace Activist in Athens, to give his detailed description of the protest in front of the US Embassy in Athens and the his reasons for the delayed departure of the aid team to Gaza.
Press TV: I was wondering if you were there in front of the US embassy and could you tell us more about that, and elaborate on what ways is Washington hampering your activity, the flotilla heading to Gaza?
Mayers: First about the demonstration, there were four dozens of us who were going to be passengers to Gaza, who gathered a block from the embassy where we were joined by members from various nationalities, including a member of the European parliament. I believe there was a member of the Spanish parliament as well, [and] French parliament there, and we gathered and went over to the embassy and got out our signs, and said Free Gaza, Let freedom ring and so forth, and you can hear the chants that you played a moment ago.
We were joined a little bit later by a sizable delegation from the French boat that is going to Gaza, and we greeted them by singing the marseillaise (French national anthem) with them, it was very spirited, very joyous, and very non-violent.
The Greek police gradually increased pressure, at first just asking us to move politely across the street, and then adding a little bit more pressure. Ironically. In order to enable us to walk across the street, they blocked off one lane of traffic, or actually all the lanes of traffic going in one direction, and we moved out in the streets and sat down, and we stayed seated there for a while and chanted and so forth, waving our signs. Eventually they were on the verge of arresting us when one of our leaders said, this is not a day for civil disobedience, and so we got up and very gradually moved across the street.
Press TV: Did you finally manage to see the US ambassador there?
Mayers: We did not see the ambassador today, but a few days ago we spent over an hour with counselor officials in the embassy, we did not get to see the ambassador today.
Press TV: So, what message did you want to convey to the embassy officials? What do you expect of Washington to do for you?
Mayers: Well, what we expect of Washington to do for us is to reverse the statement they have said in the past, [which] is essentially giving Israel the green light to attack this non-violent task force with violence, and they have said we are the provocateurs. Because we don't feel we are the provocateurs, we feel the unjust treatment of Palestinians and particularly Gazans are the provocation.
The European parliament has declared that the blockade is illegal and most of the nation in the UN have declared that the blockade is illegal, and we feel that we should have the rights to access Gaza by sea, and this is a non-violent attempt to demonstrate the injustice that the Israelis are inflicting on the Palestinians in general, and Gazans in particular.
Press TV: And if you could tell us about the pressures you are facing on the side of Israel?
Mayers: Well, ever since we got here, there have been delaying tactics to keep the boats. You know there are 10 or 11 boats in this international flotilla, and all of them have been getting pressure in one way or another. One boat was sabotaged; its propeller shaft was bent. Another boat, the Irish boat, was more recently sabotaged.
Mostly, it's been paper-work that has been blocking us. There was a complaint lodged by an Israeli law group in Tel Aviv, a complaint that said that we weren't seaworthy. Of course no one from that group had ever been on board our ship to see if we were seaworthy or not, but that puts the wheels in motion with the Greek government to demand inspection of the boat, at which they did several days ago, and which we have yet to receive the inspection of court. So, it has been one delaying tactic after another.
Press TV: So, with all the circumstance that you have just mentioned, with the pressure, with the delaying tactic as you call it, when do you think the flotilla will be setting off for Gaza?
Mayers: We really don't know. We're going to set off as soon as we get the chance to set off, but we don't when it's likely to be at this point. But we are hanging in there and doing whatever we can such as going to the American embassy today, and of course the 14th July is coming up on Monday, and one of the signs of the demonstrations said that it's time for the United States to declare its independence from Israel.
REZ/PKH
I thought the title of this piece was very apt and true.
Press TV interviewed Ken Mayers, US Peace Activist in Athens, to give his detailed description of the protest in front of the US Embassy in Athens and the his reasons for the delayed departure of the aid team to Gaza.
Press TV: I was wondering if you were there in front of the US embassy and could you tell us more about that, and elaborate on what ways is Washington hampering your activity, the flotilla heading to Gaza?
Mayers: First about the demonstration, there were four dozens of us who were going to be passengers to Gaza, who gathered a block from the embassy where we were joined by members from various nationalities, including a member of the European parliament. I believe there was a member of the Spanish parliament as well, [and] French parliament there, and we gathered and went over to the embassy and got out our signs, and said Free Gaza, Let freedom ring and so forth, and you can hear the chants that you played a moment ago.
We were joined a little bit later by a sizable delegation from the French boat that is going to Gaza, and we greeted them by singing the marseillaise (French national anthem) with them, it was very spirited, very joyous, and very non-violent.
The Greek police gradually increased pressure, at first just asking us to move politely across the street, and then adding a little bit more pressure. Ironically. In order to enable us to walk across the street, they blocked off one lane of traffic, or actually all the lanes of traffic going in one direction, and we moved out in the streets and sat down, and we stayed seated there for a while and chanted and so forth, waving our signs. Eventually they were on the verge of arresting us when one of our leaders said, this is not a day for civil disobedience, and so we got up and very gradually moved across the street.
Press TV: Did you finally manage to see the US ambassador there?
Mayers: We did not see the ambassador today, but a few days ago we spent over an hour with counselor officials in the embassy, we did not get to see the ambassador today.
Press TV: So, what message did you want to convey to the embassy officials? What do you expect of Washington to do for you?
Mayers: Well, what we expect of Washington to do for us is to reverse the statement they have said in the past, [which] is essentially giving Israel the green light to attack this non-violent task force with violence, and they have said we are the provocateurs. Because we don't feel we are the provocateurs, we feel the unjust treatment of Palestinians and particularly Gazans are the provocation.
The European parliament has declared that the blockade is illegal and most of the nation in the UN have declared that the blockade is illegal, and we feel that we should have the rights to access Gaza by sea, and this is a non-violent attempt to demonstrate the injustice that the Israelis are inflicting on the Palestinians in general, and Gazans in particular.
Press TV: And if you could tell us about the pressures you are facing on the side of Israel?
Mayers: Well, ever since we got here, there have been delaying tactics to keep the boats. You know there are 10 or 11 boats in this international flotilla, and all of them have been getting pressure in one way or another. One boat was sabotaged; its propeller shaft was bent. Another boat, the Irish boat, was more recently sabotaged.
Mostly, it's been paper-work that has been blocking us. There was a complaint lodged by an Israeli law group in Tel Aviv, a complaint that said that we weren't seaworthy. Of course no one from that group had ever been on board our ship to see if we were seaworthy or not, but that puts the wheels in motion with the Greek government to demand inspection of the boat, at which they did several days ago, and which we have yet to receive the inspection of court. So, it has been one delaying tactic after another.
Press TV: So, with all the circumstance that you have just mentioned, with the pressure, with the delaying tactic as you call it, when do you think the flotilla will be setting off for Gaza?
Mayers: We really don't know. We're going to set off as soon as we get the chance to set off, but we don't when it's likely to be at this point. But we are hanging in there and doing whatever we can such as going to the American embassy today, and of course the 14th July is coming up on Monday, and one of the signs of the demonstrations said that it's time for the United States to declare its independence from Israel.
REZ/PKH
I thought the title of this piece was very apt and true.
