Halifax Media Co-op journalist Miles Howe will join about 30 other Canadians on the Canadian Boat to Gaza, named the Tahrir, which will sail as part of the second “Freedom Flotilla." They will challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which has been called a “crime against humanity” by the United Nations Human Rights Council and condemned as illegal by practically every major international human rights body.
We are proud that a Media Co-op member and contributor will be on the Tahrir to bear witness and to report.
We are also deeply concerned that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has threatened to use “force” against the flotilla, hearkening back to the lethal Israeli military attack on last summer’s Mavi Marmara that killed nine people on board. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird’s irresponsible claim in late May of this year that the Canadian Boat to Gaza is "provocative" gives license to the Israeli government to carry out such threats. The Canadian government has a responsibility to ensure the safety of the members of the Tahrir and denounce any Israeli attempt to attack it.
As a media organization, we also have a special concern for press freedom. As the Canadian Boat to Gaza prepares to sail, the Israeli government will likely try to continue its practice of restricting journalists' rights to freedom of expression and access to information.
During the Israeli military bombardment of Gaza in 2009, Israel blocked access to Gaza for journalists. During the attack on the Mavi Marmara, the Israeli military jammed electronic transmissions in the waters to prevent journalists and others on board from communicating to the outside world. After the boat was taken over, journalists were arrested and their records, film and documentation confiscated.
We condemn any targetting of journalists and attempts to suppress their ability to report on the situation, and we expect the Canadian government to do the same.
—Dominion Editorial Collective
Miles Howe will be reporting regularly to the Halifax Media Co-op from the Canadian Boat to Gaza. Visit Dispatches from the Tahrir for updates.