Friday, June 24, 2011

The Italian govt's response to Fiamma Nirenstein's parliamentary question on the flotilla

Dear friends,

yesterday I received the answer from the Italian government to my parliamentary question regarding the "Freedom Flotilla 2 - Stay Human", which is about to set sail in the next few days and includes the Italian ship Stefano Chiarini. I’m very pleased by the Italian position opposing new flotillas bound for Gaza. It is a position that has been expressed in past months by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, as well as by Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini, asserting that “the best way to assist the population of Gaza is to deliver humanitarian aid via the land crossing, which would avoid any kind of provocation that could only result in a rise in tension”.

Below you can find my query and the reply.

Parliamentary question to the Minister of Foreign Affairs:

Whereas:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has sent a letter to the governments of countries around the Mediterranean Sea expressing “concern for media reports of potential flotillas to Gaza, which carry the potential to escalate into violent conflict”. The Secretary-General called on all of these governments “to use their influence to discourage such flotillas”. He went on to express his belief that assistance and goods destined to Gaza should be channelled through legitimate border crossings and established channels; A new flotilla called "Freedom Flotilla 2 - Stay Human", and comprised of about 15 ships from multiple countries, including the Italian Stefano Chiarini, is about to set sail in the next few days. Many Italian organizations are participating, including ABSPP (Charity Association for the Palestinian People), chaired by Mohamed Hannoun, who has been investigated for links to organized crime involving terrorism. During this past year, ABSPP and other Italian activists fundraised for the "Freedom Flotilla 2", and also convened a meeting in June 2010 with the Turkish Amassador to Italy - Semih Lütfü Turgut;

This year's flotilla was primarily organized by the Turkish IHH (Insani Yardim Vakfi), a purportedly humanitarian organization which has been under investigation for international terrorism. As a member of the umbrella Islamic organization "Union of Good" (designated as supporting terrorism under Executive Order 13224 in November 2008), IHH finances organizations linked to Hamas, and Hamas itself, which has been designated as European Union terrorist organization since 2004;

The IHH has issued numerous statements supporting terrorism against Israel. Among the most recent, its chairperson, Bülent Yildirim, said the following about the next Freedom Flotilla: "We are not afraid todie as shahids". This increases the suspicious nature of this expedition, potentially causing serious clashes, as happened on May 31, 2010, when the Mavi Marmara, headed by the IHH, tried to break the Israeli naval block on Gaza, leading to a fight that left 9 deaths;

The Islamic fundamentalist nature of IHH has been documented by numerous declarations praising martyrdom and Israel’s destruction. On February 2009, during a demonstration in Gaza, the above mentioned Bülent Yildirim called for "Martyrdom for the Sake of Allah" against the Gaza Strip embargo. Several militants on the Mavi Marmara, before leaving told journalists that their goal was "the religious martyrdom". This emerged from interviews, films, witnesses of family members and also from the diaries of some of the victims of May 31;
The real purpose of this so-called humanitarian expedition was exposed by the activists refusal to accept Israel's repeated invitation to transfer any humanitarian aid through the port of Ashdod and the land crossing points, after being checked by the Israeli security forces;

Every two weeks, Israel, through the COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories), delivers to the Gaza Strip an average of 50,000 tons of supplies and humanitarian aid, with 250 trucks crossing the borders daily;

The AHLC (Ad Hoc Liaison Committee), the main international coordination mechanism for the assistance to the Palestinian people, met in Brussels on April 13, 2011, stating that "there was continued progress in the implementation of the Israeli Security Cabinet announcement of 20 June and the announcement of 8 December 2010, both important for recovery in Gaza. There were some signals of recovery and other positive developments during that period, including a real GDP growth of 15 percent, increased volume of non-food imports, increased average annual sales of Gaza businesses, and further approvals of UN and other international projects. [...] Israeli measures to facilitate movement and access have also supported economic activity";

On May 18, the Egyptian government decided to open the Rafah Crossing linking Egypt to the Gaza Strip, which had been closed since 2007 following Hamas's violent coup in Gaza. The re-opening of the Rafah Crossing might contribute in solving supply problems to Gaza, so that aid coming via the sea simply won't be required;

Last April, Israeli radio reported that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi declared he would work to prevent a flotilla sailing for Gaza, stating that he believed that the flotilla was not working to support peace in the Middle East;

Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini confirmed that "the best way to assist the population of Gaza is to deliver humanitarian aid via the land crossing, which would avoid any kind of provocation that could only result in a rise in tension”;

I would like to know the following:

How does the Italian Government intend to abide by the UN Secretary General request "to discourage new flotillas bound for Gaza", following therefore the position expressed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs? How does it intend to assert this position in every international body, starting from the European Union, aiming also at avoiding undermining the safety of Italian citizens in case they should be found on those ships, as it has been reported?

June 14, 2011

GOVERNMENT ANSWER (June 22, 2011):

• The Government is monitoring with attention the news regarding new flotillas bound for Gaza that might set sail from several Mediterranean countries, including Italy;

• As pointed out by Hon. Nirenstein, UN Secretary-General sent a letter to the governments of countries around the Mediterranean Sea expressing concern for the potential to escalate into violent conflict that might be generated by new flotillas. Ban Ki-Moon called on all of these governments to use their influence to discourage such flotillas: humanitarian aid to Gaza should be channelled through the existing and legitimate land crossings;

• The Italian Government fully shares the concerns and recommendations of UN Secretary-General. In April, Prime Minister Berlusconi stated that his executive intends to make every effort to avoid this year other initiatives that can damage the resumption of the Peace Process. Minister Frattini affirmed on May 10 that the best way to assist the population of Gaza is to deliver humanitarian aid via the land crossing, which would avoid any kind of provocation that could only result in a rise in tension. This is as well the position of the Quartet from June 21, 2010 and of the AHLC, the International donors coordination mechanism for the assistance to the Palestinian people, from April 13, 2011;

• We think that the Israeli measures to facilitate movement and access of goods and materials are going in the right direction;

• Italy keeps on pressuring at international level to implement Ban Ki-Moon recommendations, calling on all the parts to avoid provocations and situations of crisis in which new flotillas could be involved. We are committed to this purpose together with all the European partners, also considering the EU availability to restore EUBAM, the European Union Border Assistance Mission at the Rafah Crossing Point;

• We are on alert in order to prevent any kind of danger that might undermine the safety of Italian citizens. As it has been done by other European States - among them Austria, Germany, French, UK - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted on the website “Viaggiare sicuri” (travel safe) the risks linked to the attempts to reach Gaza via sea, in violation of the Israeli law.

No comments: