ONLY MORE DETERMINED!
By Nour Rida
Photos Captured By Siraj Kobeisy
Only meters away from the sea that witnessed "Israel's" crime on the morning of that bloody Monday, he recalled the incident. On the very last day of May 2010 was a droop to "Israel's" international image; as it committed a "slaughter" in the international waters when attacked the ship of the Freedom Fleet -at the heart of the Mediterranean sea- that held "Global Ships" of pacifist activists who rode the sea to break the Gaza siege.
Every time I get to know activists from the Flotilla aid ships that were attacked during the "Israeli" brutal crime code named "Op. Sea Breeze", I just get restless until I meet them and attentively hear their story, and see their fiery eyes and listen to their words, "We were not intimidated, rather we have become more and more determined!"
The "Israelis" by sea and air, shattered the peace of a Mediterranean night when stormed the Mavi Marmara ship on the 31st of May 2010, killing 9 Turkish activists and injuring many others, all in violation of international and maritime laws.
Manuel Tapial, a Spanish activist who survived the deadly "Israeli" attack, like many other survivors, relentlessly takes time now to focus on a new convoy in an attempt to break the siege on the Gaza strip again.
By the shore of the Sidon Sea, Manuel told us about the experience he lived on the Mavi Marmara along with the other activists who were onboard. The journey first began when he and his friend Laura received an invitation by the IHH in order to join the Mavi Marmara ship which was one of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Fleet ships.
Before I visualized the attack and what followed of "Israeli" brutality as Manuel told the incident, he smiled saying "My experience on the Mavi Marmara was amazing, because before the attack that made us only more determined, we were a global society united for the sake of Gaza and for the sake of fighting imperialism despite all our differences."
"This global society held activists with more than 32 different nationalities, and it was my first chance to be a representative to my country in such an activity in which I lived with people from different religions and cultures, sharing international stories and learning about each other, and again all united for the sake of the Palestinian cause and breaking the Gaza Siege." Manuel continued.
He then began talking about the attack, which in his conviction came in response not only to the ships' attempt of breaking the Gaza siege, but also because the powers of imperialism (US and Israel) were unable to tolerate the scene of unity among different world countries who came together for a common cause which is the right of the Palestinians.
"It was... almost Morning Prayer time -as some of our fellow Muslim brothers were performing their prayers- when we first heard the helicopters approaching the ship. Before the soldiers even jumped on the deck as the "Israeli" soldiers fired from the choppers, two of the activists were martyred and more than 10 were injured." He continued.
He then struck his forehead with his finger and said "I saw my friend get shot in the head. He was the chief of the press room on the ship and we had spent the four consecutive days together all the time. He was shot between the eyes from a distance no more than two meters and his only crime was that he tried to capture a photograph with his camera."
5o minutes almost passed until there was a complete takeover of the ship, said Manuel.
"The "Israeli" soldiers then demanded that we get our passports and kneel down to the ground," Manuel continued with his hands in nonstop motion as he spoke and did gestures on what the "Israeli" soldiers did. Plastic bags on heads, hands tied behind the back, brutal hitting and violence, fixed guns in faces of activists, and much more Manuel told us as Siraj and I were all ears.
A one incident I kept remembering and visualizing all the way back home Manuel told us about, a scene of "Israeli" atrocities worth visualizing.
"There is a scene that I can never forget," Manuel said "his hands tied behind his back, a black plastic bag on his head, forced to stand on two metal rolls outside the deck of the ship! That was one of the activists who was tortured and manipulated, and I had direct view of him." Manuel went on to say "As the helicopters flew above his head, they produced strong winds that make it impossible for him to stand up. And so he starts to sway from one side to another, and every time he sways on a side the soldiers hit him very brutally." He continued.
Manuel was one of the lucky activists, despite the fact that he was also hit but not as brutally as others.
The trip to Ashdod port followed after confrontations with the "Israeli" soldiers ended and the ship was under "Israeli" control. Another scene of savageness, some tied, some blindfolded, some with plastic bags on heads, but all kneeling on the deck and under the hot sun for almost 12 hours until arrival to the port.
Manuel was then again subjected to violence especially when an "Israeli" officer inspecting his passport saw he had visited Lebanon and Syria.
"They kept me for interrogation but I said nothing other than asked for someone from the Spanish consulate, but of course no one was allowed in. I was kept in the corner of a room and a gun pointed at my head, they interrogated me harshly and hit me brutally but then they got fed up and let me go," Manuel said.
The last stage was at the Ben Gurion airport, which Manuel described as "the farewell of the "Israelis"" to the activists.
"This was one of the worst scenes we lived. They wanted to keep some of us in "Israel" but we opposed and refused to sign our deportation papers. They tried forcing us to sign again but we refused. Suddenly "Israelis" in civilian outfits arrive with sticks and start hitting us; they even caused an Irish activist to severely bleed. I was hit and pushed down the floor and attacked with sticks." Manuel recalls swaying head and sighing.
More and more details and stories on the attack Manuel told us, yet every other minute reiterating how stronger and more insistent this attack made him and his friends.
After moments of silence, Manuel referred to the words of Helen Thomas, the Journalist who was member of the White House Press Corps assuring this is what the international community wants, that the Zionists should go back home to their homeland and leave the Palestinians to live in peace.
Manuel, a member of an international NGO in San Diego, told us his journey of activism in the Middle East started following the 2006 July Aggression on Lebanon as he arrived to Beirut airport in September 2006. He has been dedicating the past 5 years for the cause of Palestinians, especially those in refugee camps who wait the day their "Right of Return" becomes a right they practically enjoy.
Manuel and all his fellow brothers, who have sparked a bigger flame of resistance against "Israel" and all its supporters, are only a few of those who can't wait to get on the deck of the ships preparing to break the Gaza Siege!
Photos Captured By Siraj Kobeisy
Only meters away from the sea that witnessed "Israel's" crime on the morning of that bloody Monday, he recalled the incident. On the very last day of May 2010 was a droop to "Israel's" international image; as it committed a "slaughter" in the international waters when attacked the ship of the Freedom Fleet -at the heart of the Mediterranean sea- that held "Global Ships" of pacifist activists who rode the sea to break the Gaza siege.
Every time I get to know activists from the Flotilla aid ships that were attacked during the "Israeli" brutal crime code named "Op. Sea Breeze", I just get restless until I meet them and attentively hear their story, and see their fiery eyes and listen to their words, "We were not intimidated, rather we have become more and more determined!"
The "Israelis" by sea and air, shattered the peace of a Mediterranean night when stormed the Mavi Marmara ship on the 31st of May 2010, killing 9 Turkish activists and injuring many others, all in violation of international and maritime laws.
Manuel Tapial, a Spanish activist who survived the deadly "Israeli" attack, like many other survivors, relentlessly takes time now to focus on a new convoy in an attempt to break the siege on the Gaza strip again.
By the shore of the Sidon Sea, Manuel told us about the experience he lived on the Mavi Marmara along with the other activists who were onboard. The journey first began when he and his friend Laura received an invitation by the IHH in order to join the Mavi Marmara ship which was one of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Fleet ships.
Before I visualized the attack and what followed of "Israeli" brutality as Manuel told the incident, he smiled saying "My experience on the Mavi Marmara was amazing, because before the attack that made us only more determined, we were a global society united for the sake of Gaza and for the sake of fighting imperialism despite all our differences."
"This global society held activists with more than 32 different nationalities, and it was my first chance to be a representative to my country in such an activity in which I lived with people from different religions and cultures, sharing international stories and learning about each other, and again all united for the sake of the Palestinian cause and breaking the Gaza Siege." Manuel continued.
He then began talking about the attack, which in his conviction came in response not only to the ships' attempt of breaking the Gaza siege, but also because the powers of imperialism (US and Israel) were unable to tolerate the scene of unity among different world countries who came together for a common cause which is the right of the Palestinians.
"It was... almost Morning Prayer time -as some of our fellow Muslim brothers were performing their prayers- when we first heard the helicopters approaching the ship. Before the soldiers even jumped on the deck as the "Israeli" soldiers fired from the choppers, two of the activists were martyred and more than 10 were injured." He continued.
He then struck his forehead with his finger and said "I saw my friend get shot in the head. He was the chief of the press room on the ship and we had spent the four consecutive days together all the time. He was shot between the eyes from a distance no more than two meters and his only crime was that he tried to capture a photograph with his camera."
5o minutes almost passed until there was a complete takeover of the ship, said Manuel.
"The "Israeli" soldiers then demanded that we get our passports and kneel down to the ground," Manuel continued with his hands in nonstop motion as he spoke and did gestures on what the "Israeli" soldiers did. Plastic bags on heads, hands tied behind the back, brutal hitting and violence, fixed guns in faces of activists, and much more Manuel told us as Siraj and I were all ears.
A one incident I kept remembering and visualizing all the way back home Manuel told us about, a scene of "Israeli" atrocities worth visualizing.
"There is a scene that I can never forget," Manuel said "his hands tied behind his back, a black plastic bag on his head, forced to stand on two metal rolls outside the deck of the ship! That was one of the activists who was tortured and manipulated, and I had direct view of him." Manuel went on to say "As the helicopters flew above his head, they produced strong winds that make it impossible for him to stand up. And so he starts to sway from one side to another, and every time he sways on a side the soldiers hit him very brutally." He continued.
Manuel was one of the lucky activists, despite the fact that he was also hit but not as brutally as others.
The trip to Ashdod port followed after confrontations with the "Israeli" soldiers ended and the ship was under "Israeli" control. Another scene of savageness, some tied, some blindfolded, some with plastic bags on heads, but all kneeling on the deck and under the hot sun for almost 12 hours until arrival to the port.
Manuel was then again subjected to violence especially when an "Israeli" officer inspecting his passport saw he had visited Lebanon and Syria.
"They kept me for interrogation but I said nothing other than asked for someone from the Spanish consulate, but of course no one was allowed in. I was kept in the corner of a room and a gun pointed at my head, they interrogated me harshly and hit me brutally but then they got fed up and let me go," Manuel said.
The last stage was at the Ben Gurion airport, which Manuel described as "the farewell of the "Israelis"" to the activists.
"This was one of the worst scenes we lived. They wanted to keep some of us in "Israel" but we opposed and refused to sign our deportation papers. They tried forcing us to sign again but we refused. Suddenly "Israelis" in civilian outfits arrive with sticks and start hitting us; they even caused an Irish activist to severely bleed. I was hit and pushed down the floor and attacked with sticks." Manuel recalls swaying head and sighing.
More and more details and stories on the attack Manuel told us, yet every other minute reiterating how stronger and more insistent this attack made him and his friends.
After moments of silence, Manuel referred to the words of Helen Thomas, the Journalist who was member of the White House Press Corps assuring this is what the international community wants, that the Zionists should go back home to their homeland and leave the Palestinians to live in peace.
Manuel, a member of an international NGO in San Diego, told us his journey of activism in the Middle East started following the 2006 July Aggression on Lebanon as he arrived to Beirut airport in September 2006. He has been dedicating the past 5 years for the cause of Palestinians, especially those in refugee camps who wait the day their "Right of Return" becomes a right they practically enjoy.
Manuel and all his fellow brothers, who have sparked a bigger flame of resistance against "Israel" and all its supporters, are only a few of those who can't wait to get on the deck of the ships preparing to break the Gaza Siege!
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