German Jews To Aid Gaza

Thursday February 25, 2010 19:33 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Among the groups and organizations aiding Gaza - a group of German Jews, some Holocaust survivors - plan to send a humanitarian aid ship to show support for the Gazan people.

Solidarity ship poster

In their press release, the group states, “We are a group of German Jews who want to send a ship with goods and musical instruments to Gaza. We intend to cooperate with a European project that is sending supplies in the spring of 2010. We are acquiring a ship, loading it up in Germany, then picking up passengers (Jewish and non-Jewish, German and non-German) at a Mediterranean port.”

According to the group, urgently needed items; medicine, baby food, bedding, children’s clothes and school materials, will be among the ship's humanitarian aid package.

The ad-hoc group of German Jews working to bring solidarity aid to Gaza say cement is not the only necessity for rebuilding: “We call on our politicians to provide these urgently needed building materials but also things to help cure the soul."

“We hope our musical instruments will contribute a little towards this. Our schools can also make a very significant contribution: Children in Gaza are prevented from studying through lack of materials. This is why we are looking for schools to donate school material. Later perhaps we can work on twinning schools or classes.”

The German Jewish ship is part of several dozen solidarity aid boats, planned to form a flotilla that breaks the nearly 3-year long siege of the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli and Egyptian siege upon Gaza has prevented the entry of nearly all basic medical, construction, fuel and food supplies.

international | non-violent action | news report saed at imemc dot org