14 July 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza
Following yesterday’s assault by the Israeli navy upon a trawler observing Israeli aggression in the three mile fishing radius along the Gaza coast, today warships again targeted two US observers and their Palestinian captain and threatened them that their next attempt at sailing would be fatal.
Alexandra Robinson, from Los Angeles, California, and Joe Catron of Queen Heights, Brooklyn, New York, are both participants in the Civil Peace Service of Gaza. They accompanied a Palestinian captain at approximately 7:30am this morning. “They often harass people within the three mile limit. We were actually setting out to follow a boat that was previous harassed,” said Robinson. International presence has helped deter abuse and harassment by Israeli navy. Upon sailing in a small trawler, 5 large Palestinian fishing boats were visible by Robinson, with 25 smaller ones also in plain sight. Within a half hour the crew saw warships approaching them with active water cannons about 20 meters away from the boat. According to Catron at 8:15 AM, the small boat was being circled by the warships with only about a distance of 10 meters between them. “The attack was pretty immediate,” said Catron. “They were very close and began to fire their water cannons at very high velocity.”
Robinson said they tried to withstand the power of the cannons, taking the brunt of the force with their turned backs. Catron also noticed about half a dozen visible navy personnel, some with guns aimed. “They also had one live ammunition cannon” that was revolving and aiming at the trawler, said Robinson. The warships were close enough to hear its crew when fire ceased at intervals, explained the internationals. “We shouted, ‘We are Americans, stop shooting,” but the crew was forced to abandon ship. A fishing boat had managed to come near the two observers and their captain, rescuing them. The fishing boat had several children on board, and the volunteers continued to plea with the navy. “We heard one of the officers on the warship respond, ‘Whether children or American, we will shoot,’ said Robinson.
While a member of the fishing boat rescued the trawler to take back to port, the captain of the trawler overheard one of the commanding officers speak orders to sink his trawler.
The warships followed the fishing boat for about an hour and a half, circling it so it was difficult for them to navigate to the coast. In a very clear threat made to the members of the trawler, a member of one of the warships was heard by all witnesses warning them to not sail as observers. The clear threat against both Palestinians and international observers was heard after an navy officer shouted over amplifier, “If you come back here, we will shoot you.” Passengers described the officers of the warship taunting them, questioning if they had caught any fish while emphasizing their threat.
Robinson and Catron, however, show no signs of absorbing the threat as influencing their future actions following the attack. “Friday is a day of rest here, but we will sail Saturday,” said Catron. “And this time we will take the media with us.” Yet Robinson does foresee an increase in Israeli incitement in the seas. “Our presence was effective in making Israeli’s leave the fishermen alone. But now that things have died down with the flotilla, they are starting to target us. We think it is only going to get worse from here.”
Today’s attack against the trawler comes following an attack yesterday against a British and Swedish observer who were accompanied by a Palestinian captain and a Palestinian civilian. No one was injured in either attack.
According to Palestine Human Rights Center, which condemned both attacks, of 20 nautical miles, Israeli navy often enforces between 1.5 – 2 nautical miles. The marine ‘buffer zone’ restricts Gazan fishermen from accessing 85% of Gaza’s fishing waters as agreed to in the Oslo Accords.
I am writing this exactly twelve hours after I was attacked by an Israeli warship, off the Gaza coast.
As a member of the Civil Peace Service, I board the Oliva boat around twice a week to monitor Gazan fishermen’s human rights. But today, it wasn’t just the fishermen who were targeted.
We approached a cluster of hasaka fishing boats that were being attacked with water cannons at midday on July 13. As we got closer all I could focus on was the officer manning the machine gun, covered from head to toe with black, which struck me as very medieval, if you know what I mean.
Our boat, along with the fishing vessels, was around two miles out to sea, well within the three-mile fishing limit imposed by Israel. We saw marines congregate on deck to watch as the water cannon was angled slowly but deliberately towards us. To my delight they struggled against the wind initially, but eventually managed to angle round us as we fumbled with the water-logged engine. I took one look at the jet being generated vertically and knew what was coming. Sure enough, pellets of water began to rain down on us with stinging force. Then I, camera in one hand, felt the jet stream slap my face directly, staying there for several seconds, before the boat was yanked away by the fishermen around us. I was flung backwards and words I never utter escaped my lips. Struggling to stay up, I forced myself to take it on the chin. Literally. As the assault continued, they repeatedly aimed at my face and each time my nose, eyes and mouth filled with seawater. At one point I even saw a naval officer indicate to the marine controlling the cannon to aim for me. He gleefully obliged.
Israeli naval water cannons are able reach high into the air; even when fired vertically they can reach about four times the height of the gunboat. This warship was about 10 metres away. Imagine someone boxing your face. Imagine that their fist is larger than a bowling ball. Now imagine that punch lasting for ten minutes. This is what it felt like.
For ten minutes we were pursued as we tried to escape the gunboat. There were several fishing boats around us and, if there is a silver lining, it is that our presence distracted the Navy from attacking them.
Our boat began to fill with water and we struggled, along with the fishing boats around us to return to shore. Even as we picked up speed, the gunboat honed in on us, with relentless attack after attack. Eventually at just over one mile off the Gaza shore, the gunboat lagged behind and we were on the home straight.
We were completely drenched through. Our captain had to order us to corners of the boat, worried it was about to capsize or sink from all the water with which it had been filled. My body started to buzz and I’m surprised I didn’t electrocute everyone with the static that was building in my bloodstream. The fishermen were safe, we escaped and I felt like we had won. Even though rinsing my mouth with the salinated Gazan water to make wudu that evening brought my brain right back to gargling waterjets on the Oliva boat, the footage is gold dust and we refused to cower from their water-taunting and domination.
Although the attack was challenging for those of us who experienced it, it is essential to remember that this an everyday occurrence for Gazan fishermen. Earlier that very day, the boat of one fisherman was shot at repeatedly. There were too many bullet holes in the bow of his boat for me to count. His netting cables were shot through and he lost his catch. I’m sure he must have been fishing for grenades or something, right? Whereas I returned to shore simply with a stinging face and drenched clothes, when fishermen are attacked, they are unable to make their living. For the one attack on CPS Gaza, there have been tens if not hundreds of attacks on fishing boats.
International observers of Gaza are being targeted evermore frequently, as witnessed with the sabotage and interception of the 2nd flotilla fleet. Such attacks prevent those who have easier access to the world beyond the siege from witnessing attacks on Gazan civilians. These are the actions of a nation that has something to hide.
Human rights volunteers will continue to monitor violations, regardless of what the Israeli Navy fires at us, not only because we aren’t doing anything wrong, but because we know, and I mean this graciously, we are doing what is right and is what no authority is willing to do: ensuring that when fishermen are shot and attacked, somebody is there to witness and document it. Not everyone is able to get to Gaza, so hopefully the video footage and this account will help to bring Gaza to you.
Hama Waqum is a volunteer for CPS Gaza, she writes in a personal capacity and tweets at @WelshinGaza.
Israeli naval forces attacked the Civil Peace Service Gaza monitoring boat with water cannons earlier today.
Civil Peace Service Gaza is an international third party non-violent initiative to monitor potential human rights violations in Gazan territorial waters.
The initial attack happened at 12.05pm local time. There were four people aboard the Oliva boat at the time, two CPS Gaza crew members (from the UK and Sweden), the captain and a journalist.
British human rights worker Ruqaya Al-Samarrai stated: “We were fewer than two miles away from the Gaza coast when they fired at us. We saw them firing water at some fishing boats so we headed to the area. When we got close, the warships left the fishing boats, and turned on us. They attacked us for about ten minutes, following us as we tried to head to shore and eventually lagged when we reached about one mile off the Gaza coast.”
A fishing boat was also fired at and damaged with live rounds. Currently Israel claims to allow fishing boats to work within three miles off the coast of Gaza, but the limit is rarely respected and fishermen as close as 1.5 nautical miles are regularly targeted.
Israeli naval forces attack Oliva
Israeli forces use water cannon
Civil Peace Service Gaza to hold press conference following attack from Israeli naval forces
Photos and video available upon request, email press@cpsgaza.org
When: 13 July 2011, 9pm local time
Where: Fishing port, Gaza
Who: Ruqaya Al-Samarrai, British human rights worker for Civil Peace Service Gaza
Khalil Shaheen, Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Mahfouz Kabiriti, President of Palestine Association for Fishing and Marine Sports
What: Key members of the Civil Peace Service initiative to monitor human rights violations in Gazan territorial waters will speak about today’s attack from Israeli armed naval forces.
Background
Restrictions on the fishing zone are of comparable significance to Palestinian livelihood. Initially 20 nautical miles, it is presently often enforced between 1.5 – 2 nautical miles (PCHR: 2010). The marine ‘buffer zone’ restricts Gazan fishermen from accessing 85% of Gaza’s fishing waters agreed to by Oslo.
During the Oslo Accords, specifically under the Gaza-Jericho Agreement of 1994, representatives of Palestine agreed to 20 nautical miles for fishing access. In 2002 the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan empowered Catherine Bertini to negotiate with Israel on key issues regarding the humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and a 12 nautical mile fishing limit was agreed upon. In June 2006, following the capture of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit near the crossing of Kerem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom), the navy imposed a complete sea blockade for several months. When the complete blockade was finally lifted, Palestinian fishermen found that a 6 nautical mile limit was being enforced. When Hamas gained political control of the Gaza Strip, the limit was reduced to 3 nautical miles. During the massive assault on the Strip in 2008-2009, a complete blockade was again declared. After Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli army began imposing a 1.5 – 2 nautical miles (PCHR: 2010).
The fishing community is often similarly targeted as the farmers in the ‘buffer zone’ and the fishing limit is enforced with comparable aggression, with boats shot at or rammed as near as 2nm to the Gazan coast by Israeli gunboats.
The fishermen have been devastated, directly affecting an estimated 65,000 people and reducing the catch by 90%. The coastal areas are now grossly over-fished and 2/3 of fishermen have left the industry since 2000 (PCHR: 2009). Recent statistics of the General Union of Fishing Workers indicate that the direct losses since the second Intifada in September 2000 were estimated at a million dollars and the indirect losses were estimated at 13.25 million dollars during the same period. The 2009 fishing catch amounted to a total of 1,525 metric tones, only 53 percent of the amount during 2008 (2,845 metric tones) and 41 percent of the amount in 1999 (3,650 metric tones), when the fishermen of Gaza could still fish up to ten nautical miles from the coast. Current figures indicate that during 2010 the decline in the fishing catch continues. This has caused an absurd arrangement to become standard practice. The fisherman sail out not to fish, but to buy fish off of Egyptian boats and then sell this fish in Gaza. According to the Fishermen’s Union, a monthly average of 105 tons of fish has been entering Gaza through the tunnels since the beginning of 2010 (PCHR 2009).
Journalists and CPSGaza activists aboard the Oliva as it sets out on its first mission (Rana Baker)
For years, Palestinian fishermen have been subject to routine attacks, shootings and arrests by the Israeli navy as they attempt to ply their trade in the seas off the coast of Gaza.
A month ago, Oliva, the first boat to monitor human rights violations in the Palestinian territorial waters, was launched. The project was organized by the Civil [Peace] Service Gaza (CPSGaza – CPSgaza.org) in cooperation with the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees and Fishing and Marine Sports Association.
Mahfouz al-Kabariti, the president of the Fishing and Marine Sports Association, explained to The Electronic Intifada how the idea of this monitoring boat came to life.
“In the beginning, many international activists escorted Palestinian fishermen on six-mile voyages to break the siege enforced on the fishing area until Israel began sending waves of aggression against the fishermen and the international activists themselves. They arrested them and deported the activists,” he said.
Fishing boats were usually impounded for two to three months, al-Kabariti explained, “So we came up with the idea of establishing an independent boat entrusted to observe human rights violations and to help the Palestinian fishermen in cases of sabotage or accidents. We thought that having a civic, peaceful boat crewed by international observes will carry out the mission of documenting violations of human rights.”
According to the 1994 Oslo Accords, Palestinian territorial waters for the purposes of economic activity extend to twenty nautical miles offshore. However, Israel continues to break most, if not all, of the agreements between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government, and between Israel and the international community.
Attacks by the Israeli navy
In fact, the twenty nautical-mile fishing area was unilaterally reduced by Israel to just three nautical miles in 2008, only exacerbating the crisis in yet another sector of the already-exhausted Gaza economy. This reduced the quantity of fish available to be caught by fishermen. Not only have the fishermen been deprived of their livelihoods, but they are also constantly attacked and arrested by the Israeli Navy, which frequently confiscates or deliberately damages fishing boats and other property.
The fishing industry is a main source of living in Gaza. A high percentage of the Gazan population depends on it to feed and shelter their families. However, the Israeli government, which claimed to have “disengaged” from Gaza in 2005, still controls exports, imports, movement and access to what are supposed to be Palestinian territorial waters.
One fisherman who gave his last name as Bakr but chose not to provide his first name, was inside the three-mile offshore limit when he was shot twice in is leg almost three months ago.
“We were just two miles offshore; not even three as the Israelis want,” he told The Electronic Intifada. “We heard the sirens of their gunboats so we knew there was something wrong and we turned off the engine. They came across and fired at us. When my cousin took off his shirt to wrap my leg, they knew someone was injured and went away.”
Another fisherman, Omar Bakr, was arrested by Israeli forces. “A while ago, the israelis arrested me and impounded my boat,” he said. “I was asked about the purpose of my voyage and they suspected I was smuggling something.”
With these sorts of routine attacks, almost unnoticed by the rest of the world, there is a clear impetus for an independent human rights monitoring project on the seas.
Practical support and a symbol of Palestinian heritage
Oliva, the monitoring boat, is identifiable and can be clearly distinguished from boats used by the fishermen. Small and white it is 7.4 meters long. It has the CPSGaza logo painted on its body and a flag carrying the same logo. It is crewed by international observers, many of whom are activists with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).
The name Oliva was chosen for its strong roots in the 63-year-old Palestinian struggle against the Israeli occupation. Joe Catron, an activist with the ISM, told The Electronic Intifada that the group “envisioned the olive as a symbol of Palestinian heritage and struggle.” Catron added that the name of the boat was supported by the group’s co-founder, Vittorio Arrigoni, who was kidnapped and murdered in Gaza in April.
The first mission
The first real mission (a symbolic launch had been done in April) was carried out on 8 June. At 9:15 in the morning, Oliva set sail from the aging port of Gaza. It was followed by three boats with journalists and TV correspondents on board.
As part of the land team, this writer had to stay in a small office and maintain the connection with the crew. We would ask them at least every ten minutes to specify their position and report the situation. At 10:24am they were two miles south of the port, among half a dozen fishing boats. An Israeli gunship was visible but neither calls to retreat nor firing incidents were reported.
At three nautical miles out to sea, things remained calm except for a few number of gunships roaming the sea to demonstrate their control of the waters. The mission ended at 10:55am
Israeli reaction “muted”
The Israeli navy did not fire at the fishermen when Oliva accompanied them, which indicated the success of the first mission. The same scenario occured on other occasions the fishing boats were escorted by Oliva. The standard number of activists aboard the boat is two, in addition to one Palestinian captain.
Catron, who is most often one of the two activists aboard, says that “the Israeli reaction so far has been muted.”
“We have received no direct threats,” he added, “but when we are at sea, the Israeli navy will frequently come onto our civilian radio frequencies and converse with each other in English. I find it hard to believe they would do that under normal circumstances. Presumably, they do it to remind us of their presence.”
But how will international observers react if Israeli naval forces commit any violent action against the fishermen?
“Our first reaction would be to inform them that their actions violated international humanitarian law. From there, we would proceed depending on their reaction, and according to the exact circumstances. For example, we would draft a brief report on the facts of the incident. This will be published, widely distributed, and analyzed by our coalition partners for advocacy efforts and possible legal action,” Catron explained.
“I feel very comfortable when Oliva escorts us”
Such violent action took place on 29 June when the Israeli gunboats shot at the fishing boats in the presence of Oliva. Oliva was escorting a number of fishing boats in an attempt to break the three-mile siege when Israeli warships appeared to be closer than usual. They began with shooting in the water and ended with riddling the boats — though not the Oliva. This account was provided to this writer by an ISM activist, though nothing else has been published about it.
Despite those sporadic assaults even when Oliva escorts his boat, fisherman Jalal Bakr still thinks the project can protect hundreds of fishermen like him.
“When Oliva comes along, we can fish beyond three miles. The Israelis would usually roam around, but not fire. I feel very comfortable when Oliva escorts us,” he said.
Mahfouz al-Kabariti, the head of the fisherman’s association, told The Electronic Intifada while gazing at the sea: “Oliva was a result of a collective effort. Let me name it Oliva One because one boat is not enough and we look forward to developing more boats.”
Rana Baker, 19, is a student of business administration and a member of the Gaza-based BDS organizing committee. Rana’s blog is ranabaker.wordpress.com and she can be followed on twitter at: @RanaGaza.
At around 9am on June 21, two fishing boats were attacked by the Israeli Navy, with bullets piercing both engines, rendering them unusable.
The first boat was shot at in the motor, at the rear end and, when the 4-man crew took cover at the front of the boat, away from the shots directed at the motor, the front of the boat was fired upon.
Yaser Baker is one of the four fishermen who were aboard the first boat which was shot. “We were at around two and a half miles out to sea when they shot at our engine and it broke. We stopped the boat and all moved to the front, away from the engine so that we wouldn’t get hit. Then they shot at the front, right at us, the bullets just missing our bodies and one landed right by my leg.”
A second boat, manned by Mohammed Bakri Sabir came to assist the first, but was also attacked, both in the engine and the front of the boat, where the crew was taking cover.
Aboard the second boat were three fishermen and two of their children, aged nine and ten years old.
The boats managed to escape when around twenty other local fishing boats surrounded them and escorted them back to shore as the nine-year-old feigned an injury. “He had to play dead,” Baker explained, “it was the only way we could get them to stop firing.”
