• 'The peoples of the world will continue to mobilize, set sail, act in the name of humanity until this illegal siege is broken,' Jewish-American participant David Adler tells Anadolu
• 'These are ordinary people ... who have traveled from all across the world ... to be part of this beautiful, global mission in defense of humanity,' says Adler

ISTANBUL

Aboard one of the largest civilian aid flotillas attempting to reach Gaza, Jewish American participant David Adler said that the global movement pressing to break the illegal Israeli blockade will not relent until Palestinians are free.

"The peoples of the world will continue to mobilize, they will continue to set sail, they will continue to act in the name of humanity and its conscience until this illegal siege is broken, crumbles, and until the people of Palestine are free."

On Monday afternoon, the flotilla was 300 nautical miles away from the shores of Gaza and is expected to reach the besieged enclave in the next two to three days.

Adler pointed out that a new fleet, Thousand Madleens to Gaza, has already set sail in case their mission did not succeed.

"So the state of Israel may seek to detain, deport, intercept, or incarcerate us. But we are not alone."  

A humble grassroot initiative

Adler, a political economist, told Anadolu in an interview that there were hundreds of activists from over 40 countries who have come together from around the world and "united by a single moral conviction that if governments will not stop this genocide, then it's up to the people of the world to take humanitarian matters into our own hands."

With the Global Sumud Flotilla having the largest fleet than the sum of all previous attempts to reach Gaza, Adler said that they were sailing together in unison, now approaching the island of Cyprus.

He said that the people on board were not professional activists nor non-state actors funded by foreign governments.

"These are ordinary people, mothers and fathers, teachers and nurses, who have traveled from all across the world, often times spending the last money in their bank accounts to be part of this beautiful, global mission in defense of humanity."

Adler, associated with the Progressive International, said that the flotilla was a very humble humanitarian and grassroots effort.

"We have got second-hand vessels and beat-up motor cruisers that are stuffed with baby formula, rice, food and medicines that Gazans so desperately need."  

Prepared for possible scenarios

With the flotilla expected to arrive soon in the “red zone” where Israel has historically intercepted previous initiatives, Adler said they were prepared for any possible scenarios.

"We run drills to prepare ourselves for drone attacks, as we have suffered both in Tunis and in international waters outside of Greece to make sure that everyone is ready for a potential nocturnal attack on our boats."

In case of arrests and detentions by Israelis, Adler said that they had trained themselves in "highly disciplined methods of nonviolence."

He highlighted that they come in peace and that the flotilla was nothing but a humanitarian mission.

"Above all, we are preparing for a scenario where we succeed, where we establish a humanitarian corridor, where we reach the shores of Gaza, where we turn this humanitarian aid, and we invite the states of the world to join our mission."

Adler said that he was calling on states to join a mission to sail alongside them, establish a corridor and carry humanitarian aid on the scale that Gaza requires.  

Challenges and political obstacles

Adler said that the Global Sumud Flotilla was one of the most complex and grassroots initiatives in history, with every day being a new challenge.

"We are bringing together boats, crews, captains, activists from all over the world. So there are many challenges we faced along the way in terms of managing the drone attacks and repairing boats to electrical failure."

Adler said that they feel hugely inspired, protected, and hopeful about the fact that this flotilla has succeeded.

"Together with the massive mobilization of peoples on lands to force the hands of states to take seriously their humanitarian obligations under international law, to create alongside this flotilla a new sea corridor for the provision of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza."

However, he said that there were reports coming out of Italy of trying to use their naval deployment as a way to corral the flotilla toward the island of Cyprus in a bid to unload the aid and abandon the mission.  

A message to the Palestinians

Adler says that he would send a message of gratitude to the Palestinians for showing them the true meaning of courage and resilience.

"A message of condolence for the complicity of our governments and our peoples in the crimes against humanity committed against them, a message of determination to complete this and to stand up for their fundamental rights."

"As we know that if Gaza dies, all of humanity dies with it."

Being one of the few American participants on board the flotilla, Adler says that each aspect of his identity implies a special responsibility to be part of this historic initiative and to confront Israel directly.

As a Jewish American, Adler says that it is very important for him to refuse to allow their tax dollars to be used to develop lethal weapons that are deployed on the people of Gaza, and refuse to be complicit in these crimes against humanity that are committed as the principal economic, diplomatic and military ally of Israel.

"As a Jew, it's equally important for me to be part of this mission because I think I speak for so many hundreds of thousands of Jews across the world that are in shock and in horror at the effort of the state of Israel to monopolize, to distort, and to pervert our culture, our heritage, and our symbols in these acts of violence against the people of Palestine."