The Toronto Sun reports, “David Heap, Peace and Social Justice chair for the London chapter of the Council of Canadians, was apparently beaten and injured when arrested by Israeli authorities when (the Gaza-bound vessel he was on) was intercepted Friday, a colleague says. Israeli authorities on Saturday began deporting pro-Palestinian activists who tried to breach the Jewish state’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. (Heap) is still in custody at Givon prison.”
“Wendy Goldsmith, of People for Peace, told The (London) Free Press the boat was intercepted 30 miles from the Gaza coast in international waters. ‘Our folks peacefully refused to leave and they were violently taken off the boat and beaten but I don’t know the extent of their injuries,’ saidi Goldsmith. ‘David was beaten. We’re pressing for independent evidence that they are okay and not hurt. They were visited by Canadian consulate authorities and all they’ve said is they are all right. Beyond that, our Canadian government has done nothing.’ Goldsmith said she’s ‘really concerned’ about the protesters and, especially, Heap, who has made other trips to Gaza, most recently in July when the boat he was on was seized by Greek authorities and towed back to port.”
Last week, the Irish Times reported, “An Irish ship, the MV Saoirse, (carrying 14 people), yesterday entered international waters en route to Gaza as part of a joint Irish-Canadian effort to break Israel’s naval blockade of the territory. Those participating in the two-vessel flotilla hope to reach Gaza on Friday… The Canadian boat, named Tahrir (Liberation) is carrying 12 people.” The flotilla is part of the Freedom Waves to Gaza initiative, a non-violent, civil society movement to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
At its annual general meeting in Montreal on October 23, the Council of Canadians passed a resolution resolving that the Council of Canadians: support the Canadian Boat to Gaza to end the illegal blockade of Gaza; call on the Government of Canada, the United Nations and the international community to do everything in their power to ensure the safe passage of the Canadian Boat to Gaza and the safety of all those aboard; call for an end to the blockade of Gaza, in accordance with international law.
For Council of Canadians blogs on Gaza, please see http://canadians.org/blog/?s=gaza.
