During a two-week midsummer port call at the Tino Rossi Harbor in Corsica’s capital city Ajaccio, the Norwegian-flagged Handala – an international solidarity ship sailing toward Gaza – generated considerable attention and interest, with the help and strong support of local organizations.
Carrying 17 international passengers and crew from New Zealand, Spain, Canada, the United States, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Palestine, Finland, Brazil and Sweden, among others, Handala embarked from Oslo, Norway on May 1, 2024 and has stopped at more than 25 ports along the European and Mediterranean coastlines all summer to raise awareness of the plight of Gaza’s besieged citizens, who have been under constant bombardment since Oct. 7, 2023 and under siege for 17 years (see www.freedomflotilla.org).
Amid Israel’s relentless campaign of slaughter, starvation and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian civilian population – which mainstream media have attempted to downplay through muted or one-sided coverage – Handala activists have been networking with their counterparts in many seaports, distributing leaflets, and educating the public about the need for an immediate ceasefire and an end to Israel’s 17-year economic blockade on the enclave, which has effectively cut it off from the world.
Handala’s journey is fraught with danger. Previous Freedom Flotilla Coalition boats have been intercepted by Israeli navy gunboats. In 2010, the Mavi Marmara was raided by Israeli commandos who beat and assaulted passengers and crew, and killed 10 passengers. Vigdis Bjorvand, a 70-year-old Norwegian passenger on the Handala who volunteers her culinary skills as the ship’s cook – and who traveled to the West Bank on numerous occasions to serve in peacekeeping missions in previous years – understands the risks but says she is determined to sail. The injustice faced by the people of Gaza motivates her strongly, she says.
Since world governments are failing to exercise the political will and leadership needed to stop Israel’s criminal ongoing massacres, Handala’s seafaring international envoys believe that it is time for citizens at the grassroots level to seize the initiative. Therefore they sail with badly needed supplies toward Gaza with a message of hope and humanity, declaring that the world’s people cannot and will not tolerate the crimes being perpetrated against the people of Gaza, that the siege on Gaza must be lifted and that peace, freedom and equality must prevail.
During their time in Ajaccio – which extended to two weeks while awaiting parts for repairs to the 50-year-old boat’s engine – Handala activists created an information leaflet jointly with their local counterparts. Since only a small number of the Handala contingent spoke French, community activists played a strong role in articulating Handala’s mission to the public; indeed, many of them turned up daily to chat with inquisitive tourists and locals, and succeeded in sparking curiosity, interest and enthusiasm.
Manouche – a young Paris-based artist whose grandparents grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon – volunteered to decorate Handala as her personal tribute to its mission. In response, Handala crew quickly set up makeshift scaffolding allowing her to be safely lowered onto a platform suspended over the side of the boat.
Securely positioned and armed with several cans of colorful spray paint, Manouche wielded her artistry over the next few hours, producing a graffiti-like work of art that spelled out “Palestine” in bold, dramatic Arabic calligraphy.
Many other people of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds approached the boat to express support for its mission, and admiration for what they described as the courage and convictions of Handala’s passengers and crew.
Others expressed disappointment at their media’s one-sided coverage of the Palestinian issue, and still others remarked that openly expressing support for the Palestinian people in their countries could cause them to be socially ostracized or even to lose their livelihoods.
To be sure, the boat also had its detractors, some of whom shouted hostile threats and epithets – but they were very much in the minority, and the activists’ training in nonviolence ensured that such incidents did not spin out of control.
In addition, activists and crew took turns keeping watch aboard the boat on a 24-hour basis.
In other activities, Handala passengers and crew joined with local solidarity organizations at several street rallies calling for a free Palestine and an end to Israel’s crimes against humanity. A majority of passing cars honked in agreement, while a few drivers showed clear disapproval with their hostile expressions.
During one of the demonstrations, a Gaza-based doctor was reached directly by phone and described in detail the horrific conditions under which he had to perform his work. When informed about the Handala mission, the physician greeted the passengers warmly and expressed his support.
Handala activists were also invited to a local mosque, where they joined in evening prayers followed by dinner and socializing. Several of the passengers and crew discussed why they chose to join the Freedom Flotilla mission.
Handala passengers were offered showers, homestays and above all sincere friendship and solidarity by their generous hosts, who also kept the boat supplied with gifts of fresh fruits, vegetables and other local delicacies. After two weeks of nearly daily engagement with passengers and crew, Ajaccio’s activists were so taken with the Gaza mission that several have pledged to join the Freedom Flotilla as passengers next year!
In a parting gesture of generosity, the local port authority in Ajaccio waived all port fees for Handala before it departed – saving the Freedom Flotilla Coalition many hundreds of dollars, and sending an unmistakably strong signal of solidarity.
After two and one-half days of smooth sailing, Handala arrived in Messina on Aug. 9 for a press conference and brief stopover for more technical repairs. Once again, we were warmly and effusively received. While Handala docked in Malta, where it took on new passengers and crew and readied for the final, most challenging leg of the journey to Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition made the decision to return to the port of Messina, Sicily for an extended period to undergo needed repairs to the 50-plus-year-old engine. The mission will still go forward, but on a delayed basis.
Handala’s extraordinary voyage has already succeeded in energizing many hundreds of activists, generated awareness among countless others of Gaza’s plight and the need for urgent action, and emboldened many to speak out forcefully and strategize effectively to find ways to end the violence, such as boycotts, divestments and sanctions.
The people of Gaza know they are not alone, and that a boatload of love, courage and solidarity is headed their way.
Elizabeth Murray served as Deputy National Intelligence Officer for the Near East in the National Intelligence Council before retiring after a 27-year career in the U.S. government, where she specialized in Middle Eastern political and media analysis. She is a member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).
