As Israel Attacked Iran, a Multi-National Effort Continues to Bring the Last Three Madleen Sailors Out of Israeli Prison
Colonel Ann Wright
As Israel began its unprovoked attack on Iran on June 13, the last three of the twelve volunteers of the Gaza Flotilla ship Madleen were still in Israeli prisons.
Delayed by the Israeli Attack on Iran, the Last of the 12 Madleen Volunteers Are Out of Israeli Prison and Going Home
Marc van Rennes, Dutch citizen, was in the detention cell at Ben Gurion airport when Israeli authorities closed the airport expecting Iranian retaliation to target the airport. He was then taken back to Israeli prison from the airport.
There he joined French citizens Pascal Mauerieras and Yanis Mhamdi who were awaiting deportation the following day.
Instead, the three ended up in Israeli prison for 4 more days, until an international pressure campaign finally brought their release from prison.
They were taken by Israeli authorities to the border with Jordan and after deportation processing at the border crossing, they were handed over to Dutch and French diplomats who transported them to Amman, Jordan.
The international coordination between the Adalah lawyers who represented all the Madleen twelve while they were in Israeli prison, our Gaza flotilla participants team located in Australia, South Africa and Norway and the legal team in Palestine 48 and in South Africa is evidence of the wide-spread support for Palestinian solidarity.
Our Gaza flotilla welcome team in Amman, most of whom were participants in previous flotilla missions, demonstrated the width and breadth of Palestine solidarity as they organized events and media in Amman for the three returning Madleen volunteers.
Global March for Gaza and Sumud March for Gaza
While the Madleen three were being released, others from the Gaza flotilla movement joined thousands in Cairo for the Global March for Gaza and in Tunisia for the Sumud March for Gaza.
The international solidarity for ending the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from West Bank is growing tremendously with more and more outraged citizens demanding action from their governments to end their complicity with Israel.
More Gaza Flotilla Missions to Bring Publicity to the Ongoing Horrific Israeli Genocide of Gaza
The Gaza Freedom Flotilla coalition will continue its mission to bring attention to the continuing Israeli genocide of Gaza and total blockade of Palestinians from food, water and medicines by sending more ships to challenge the illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.
Join the movement and help end the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Ann Wright served 29 years in the US Army/Army Reserves and retired as a Colonel. She was also a US diplomat from 16 years but resigned in 2003 in opposition to the US war on Iraq. She is a member of the steering committee of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla coalition and has been on five flotilla missions and in Israeli prison twice and deported.
Sail on, Sail On, beautiful ship of peace! Sail On Brave sailors! Kudos to those who have compassion and empathy for the suffering Palestinians, in their own country, where they have lived for hundreds of years!