Victoria activist joins humanitarian effort to break Gaza siege
by Free Gaza Flotilla
This week, Victoria political activist Kevin Neish is joining a flotilla of eight ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza to break the illegal Israeli blockade of Palestine.  

The flotilla is set to arrive in Gaza on May 25, and Neish will be leaving Victoria on Thursday to board the vessel Free Gaza at an unnamed port in the Middle East. Neish holds a marine engineer's certificate and he may be directed to assist in the ship's engine room during the voyage.  

Once it arrives, the Free Gaza will be donated to the Gaza Fishermen's Association. Neish will stay on to volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), acting as a human shield to protect Palestinian workers and residents in and around Rafah in southern Gaza. 

The Israeli government is threatening to use military force to stop the shipment of medical supplies, school supplies, and construction materials from reaching villages in Gaza. Aid organizers have no plans to turn back, however. Organizers posted this response at FreeGaza.org:

The Free Gaza Movement, which has launched eight other sea missions to Gaza, confirms that Israel has tried these kinds of threats and intimidation tactics before in order to try to stop the missions before they start.

“They have not deterred us before and will not deter us now,”  said one of the organizers.

Neish will be doing work similar to ISM volunteer Rachel Corrie, who was killed by an Israeli Army bulldozer while attempting to protect Palestinian homes in Rafah in 2003.  In particular, Neish is tasked with repairing Rafah's "Canada Well" -- originally built with CIDA funding -- as was Corrie.  In 2002, Neish took on the same kind of ISM volunteer work in Bethlehem during an Israeli military reinvasion. 

Neish is departing from Victoria to join the flotilla as early as Thursday, May 20. It is not known when a Free Gaza ship will be able to return, and Neish may be required to remain in Gaza for weeks or months.  Neish will attempt to keep in regular phone and email contact with Victoria during his trip and so phone or email contact may be possible with media reps.