Glyn Secker’s Testimony
by Jewish Boat to Gaza
"
It was surreal, it was like an action movie,
and entranced by the sight I had to remind myself this was actually
happening – this overwhelming force for a 9.7 metre 40 yr. old boat, the
majority of its Jewish occupants over 60 years old, with no weapons
and a publicized policy of passive resistance.
The next we knew there were two ribs very close alongside with the
commander on a megaphone again warning us of the dangers if they boarded
us. I reiterated our legal rights, and for what it was worth I
accelerated, just to make a point that outpacing them was fantasy. Then
as planned Itamar addressed the commandos in Hebrew and English,
calling on them not to obey the orders to take actions which are illegal
under international law. The ribs closed in, and the boarding
commenced.
All the crew and passengers (apart from myself as I was steering)
held hands.They boarded us simultaneously from both sides. At that
moment we cut the engines and sat over the access points to the cut offs
to prevent them restarting the engines. The wheel is on the starboard
side of the boat. I was surrounded by three commandos, I held on to
the wheel as hard as I could. It reminded me of being on violent picket
lines with the police trying to break through.
One grabbed my left
arm, another my right arm. The third stood by with a Tazer gun. After a
struggle they managed to prize my hands from the wheel and threw me
down on the floor. I managed to crawl behind them and remove the engine
starter keys but one of them saw me and prized the keys from my hands."
Getting to Farmagusta was a long
long trip, the longest passage we’d made – two nights and three days,
and having to manually helm every minute of the way as we never managed
to get the auto-pilot working. Usually after such passages there’s the
expectation of being able to catch up on sleep, to relax a little and
to re-charge ourselves. But we were only too aware that as the last
port of call this stop was going to be be the most demanding of all:
we had intentionally chosen a port which was not set up for small craft
and knew that even finding a berth was going to be a challenge.
Then
we had an intensive schedule of press conferences, loading the boat
with the aid and the banners, re-fueling and watering enough for double
the length of the final passage (in case we were forced to return),
getting the passengers on board, and all this under the watchful eyes of
the port authorities whose attitude we were uncertain of.
We arrived as Sven-Y-Two as a tourist boat. A local fisherman
allowed us to use one of his berths and then amazingly organized fuel
from the town which he brought in jerry cans, and water, and helped me
buy the outboard motor for the Gaza fishermen, spending most of the
afternoon driving me round the town looking for a dealer open on the
weekend. The port police were friendly but of course bound by their own
cumbersome procedures, then surprised us by summoning other officials
to come to us rather than us having to find them in town.
Meeting up with the London team and the passengers was
straightforward and a mixture of hugs and kisses and anxiety and
frenetic action. The press conference the next morning generated its own
momentum and and it was then that I really began to feel the whole
project lifting off. And it did so with a bang – the AP team were
local Turkish Cypriots and as a matter of routine sought permission
from the port authority to film our departure despite all the
strictures to keep beneath the radar.
Our hearts sank when returning to
the port we were greeted by the sight of a police car. Not to arouse
suspicion we had invented a story that we had just met up with a group
of friends on a separate holiday and that we wished to take them for a
spin around the bay. But we then discovered that the regulations
required the port police to hold the passports until people return. At
this point we realised the story may not hold, and we were at a loss as
to what to do.
After more discussion between the authorities it became
clear that they had probably cottoned on to whom we really were and
simply stated ‘Look, if you all just want to get on the boat and go and
not return, that’s fine with us.’ ! So we were then into a frantic
scramble to get away before there were any calls to higher authorities
or they changed their minds. Hurriedly we laid out all the aid to be
photographed, got all the banners out, got all passengers on board and
within half an hour had cast off. The friendly fisherman had invited
the AP media on board and as we left the port holding aloft the banners
he cast off and circled us giving them the shots which went around the
world and which alerted the IDF to our imminent arrival.
The weather was still very kind to us and we made better progress
than expected. Not wanting to time the encounter with the IDF in the
dark we slowed down and when the morning had warmed up I suggested that a
good way to de-stress would be to stop the boat and for us all take a
swim in the sparkling deep blue water. We put out a long line with a
fender on the end and in we all plunged – a swim to remember. Reuvan was
amazing, confidently swimming away from the boat and me trying to
keep him within reach of the safety line! I think I was the only one
who had any breakfast – home made muesli (wonderful almond nuts).
And then finally after all these days and weeks of anticipation we
identified a frigate on the horizon. It shadowed us for some
considerable time, keeping on our port side about five miles off. Then
we saw a number of smaller craft lined up and realized that the
encounter was approaching.
We rehearsed our strategies and waited, with
adrenalin levels slowly rising. Shortly there came a call on Ch 16
over the VHF from the frigate asking us our intentions and the flag of
the boat. I informed them that we were heading for Gaza port, that we
were in international waters and had no intention of entering Israeli
waters.
They replied that Gaza was within a prohibited area and that we
should change our course. I responded by stating that that did not
accord with international law, that we were unarmed, had no materials
which could be put to military use, that we carried a consignment of
aid for Gaza and that we expected safe passage. They then warned us
that they would intercept us, that this could be dangerous for the crew
and damaging for the boat. I reiterated that as a British flagged boat
they had no legal right to intercept us and that we intended to
maintain our course to Gaza.
There was no reply and we continued on our
passage for perhaps another twenty minutes – presumably they were
waiting for us to cross the boundary of their unilaterally declared
prohibited zone.
There then developed a sight which will remain with me for the rest
of my life – with the frigate in the background, two gunboats, two
landing craft and four high powered ribs spread out in a semi-circle
speeding towards us at perhaps 35 knots, with their bow waves and wakes
flashing in the sunshine. It was surreal, it was like an action movie,
and entranced by the sight I had to remind myself this was actually
happening – this overwhelming force for a 9.7 metre 40 yr. old boat, the
majority of its Jewish occupants over 60 years old, with no weapons
and a publicized policy of passive resistance.
The next we knew there were two ribs very close alongside with the
commander on a megaphone again warning us of the dangers if they boarded
us. I reiterated our legal rights, and for what it was worth I
accelerated, just to make a point that outpacing them was fantasy. Then
as planned Itamar addressed the commandos in Hebrew and English,
calling on them not to obey the orders to take actions which are illegal
under international law. The ribs closed in, and the boarding
commenced.
All the crew and passengers (apart from myself as I was steering)
held hands.They boarded us simultaneously from both sides. At that
moment we cut the engines and sat over the access points to the cut offs
to prevent them restarting the engines. The wheel is on the starboard
side of the boat. I was surrounded by three commandos, I held on to
the wheel as hard as I could. It reminded me of being on violent picket
lines with the police trying to break through. One grabbed my left
arm, another my right arm. The third stood by with a Tazer gun. After a
struggle they managed to prize my hands from the wheel and threw me
down on the floor. I managed to crawl behind them and remove the engine
starter keys but one of them saw me and prized the keys from my hands.
On the opposite side of the cockpit Yonatan Shapira and his brother
Itamar had been identified by the IDF commander in charge. He sought to
separate them from the others. Yonatan clasped Rami in a hug to
prevent himself being removed. The senior officer then moved one
side Yonatan’s lifejacket covering his left breast, placed a Tazer gun
in contact with his clothing and fired it directly into his heart.
Yonatan let out a dreadful scream and the force of the Tazer caused him
to lose control of his muscles. He was pulled off Rami and across the
cockpit to the middle. He was then hit twice more by the Tazer gun,
screaming out again. Both he and Itamar were forcefully pulled off our
boat onto the IDF rib on port side.They were driven at very high
speed over the waters, which had now become moderately rough (the wind
had increased to a F4) and it would have been very uncomfortable
especially for Yonatan still recovering from the Tazer shocks. They
were taken to the frigate where they were treated normally, then to
shore and released on bail without charges.
Meanwhile I had turned off the fuel supply to the engines. After
some time (the engines only burn 1 1/2 litres per hour) when the fuel
in the pipes had been used up the port engine started to fail. (The
starboard fuel shut-off failed to work). After many attempts to restart
the engine the IDF took the boat in tow.
The boat is designed to go
through the water at a maximum speed of about 8 knots. They towed us
through the rough waters at 12 – 14 knots. The boat was bouncing about
violently, it was dangerous for the remaining passengers and crew,
including Reuvan, our 82 year old holocaust survivor. We all sustained
bruises and the passage to Ashdod was exhausting.
There was something
like eight commandos on the boat in addition to ourselves so it was
grossly overloaded. It was surprising that the boat did not begin to
break up, the whole structure was groaning and making cracking sounds.
It was clear that they intended to seriously mistreat the boat. During
the passage they tore down all the banners and flags – including the
red ensign (the UK flag) which legally has to be displayed in all
foreign waters.
As a gesture of defiance I decided to cook lunch! Not easy in the
circumstance but I managed to produce omlette (with garlic) sandwiches
which Reuvan, Lillian and I think Eli and I shared. Whilst in the
galley I took the opportunity of chucking out of the window the carving
knife, the bread knife, a chisel and two hammers from the tool box,
remembering that similar items had been photographed as evidence of
weapons on previous boats.
I’d like to point out that in the USA it is illegal for the police
or the army to fire Tazers directly into the heart as there have been a
number of cases of heart failure and death as a result of such
targeting. The fact that Yonatan was released without charge makes it very clear that the use of the Tazer on him was purely malicious.
Contrary to IDF reports, there was therefore, considerable
resistance, be it non-violent, to the IDF’s illegal hijacking of our
boat, and there was considerable, unprovoked and very dangerous
violence perpetrated by the IDF.
On arriving at Ashdod we were greeted by perhaps 100 people in
uniforms of one sort or another within an a secure area created by
ships containers. We were obliged to pass through a tent where we were
subjected to detailed body searches and luggage searches.
I was the last
out as I insisted on making an inventory of the boat valuables, though
I was unable to get any officer to countersign it it, it was taken by a
female officer from I believe their foreign office, but this was not
clear. Before I was allowed back on the boat to do the inventory it was
searched, including the use of a dog.
None of us of course had any
illegal drugs, but I have to admit of a nervous moment when someone
asked me if any previous owner might have stashed anything away – this
hadn’t occurred to me. Whilst waiting I was approached by a Major who
stated that he was in charge of Gaza boarder security and he offered to
transport our aid to Gaza. He arranged for us to go onto the boat, I
extracted the aid from the lockers and he placed it where he could find
it later. The boat was in a state of chaos, having been ransacked by
those searching it.
I don’t suppose they intend clearing out the fridge
and other food, so god knows what it will be like after a few weeks in
what is still a hot time of year. Combined with the split bellows on
the loo pump whoever goes on the boat next will need a good face mask
and a strong stomach.
I was taken to the Immigration and Boarder Authority where I
experienced a truly Kafkaesque moment. We were presented with a form to
sign which stated that I was due to be deported being suspected of
residing in Israel illegally. When I pointed out that the only reason I
was in Israel at all was that the IDF had kidnapped me and forcefully
brought me into Israel on the orders of the government, the reply was
that it did not matter who had brought me in, but that now I was there I
was there without permission and so due for deportation. They were not
amused by my laughter.
The regulations allowed for a rapid departure at their expense if I
signed the form, but I was anxious not to be seen to recognize the
Israeli law creating the blockade and therefore the basis for
deportation.Then equally bizarrely, they stated that I could add
whatever statement I wished to the form and could have a photocopy, so I
added a clause stating that I did not recognize the legal basis for
the deportation as it had no basis in international law, and duly
signed.
Eventually the lawyers then arrived – really great people. I checked
that my understanding of the law was correct and that if I had opted
to go to court to appeal the deportation the result would have been the
same and they confirmed I had it right. The IDF had smashed up the sat
phone I had hired in front of me. I hope they will explain to the
insurance company why they had not just taken it so that it could be
returned later.
I was then taken to the detention centre at Ben Gurion airport.
Again we and our luggage were all subject to yet more detailed
searches. The smallness of the minds of those whose job it is day in
and day out to carry out these numbing tasks can only be guessed at.
Then, I was alone with Vash, banged up for the night – banged being a
very appropriate word describing the door slam behind you. Having many
times visited clients in detention or prison as a social worker it was
odd indeed being on the other end but my complete self confidence in
the absolute correctness of our principles and our understanding of
international law never deserted me.
Despite asking for water I was left without a drink for 12 hours.
When I asked again in the morning I was told to drink the tap water –
which was warm. Later they provided a cup of tea and a roll and a towel,
so I was able to shower. The officers who were to take me to the
airport were Ethiopian Jews and were required to put me in ankle cuffs
for the journey. I told them it was not at all necessary – they were
rather embarrassed and apologized but said they were obliged to use
them. At least they carried my bag to the minibus. I was taken directly
to the plane on the tarmac and had to climb a metal staircase up to the
access, the cuff chain clanking on the steps – reminded me of Winton
Marsalis’s song about the chain gangs.
They removed the cuffs out of sight of the other passengers and then
another Kafkaesque moment when I am welcomed aboard by the chief
steward as any other passenger, informed that there will be a meal and
drinks provided and wished me a comfortable journey! There was
sophisticated inflight entertainment – it was a Boeing 777 – but there
was no news service at all, very odd, I was in an El Al bubble.
I didn’t think anyone at home knew of my flight arrival time as I
didn’t know it until I was on the plane, but the lawyers must have told
Miri and it was absolutely great, in fact overwhelming, to be greeted
by Vanessa and a welcome party of close friends – amazing, what a two
days, never to be forgotten.
Its fantastic coming back to amazing support that’s buzzing. I’m
overwhelmed with the results I think it was really successful. We made
our point to the world very powerfully that there are probably hundreds
of thousands of Jews around the world who are appalled at the Israeli
policies to the Palestinians; the violations of their humanity and
their human rights.
Glyn Secker, Captain of the Jewish Boat to Gaza
