Building Gaza's Ark

IssueMarch 2013
News by Timothy Bidon

Gaza’s Ark is a new project to refurbish a boat in Gaza’s port, then fill it with Palestinian goods, and set sail to export them in defiance of the Israeli blockade.

David Heap, spokesperson for Gaza’s Ark in Canada and Europe, told Peace News in late February, that the project, run by Palestinians and international solidarity activists, aims ‘to continue to challenge the inhuman, immoral blockade and to stand with the people of Gaza very concretely in their port, rebuilding the boat in a place where they can see… and continue to bear witness to the blockade which is kept in place by the complicity of our governments,’.

Heap added that anyone can get involved: ‘There’s only room for a few people on board a small boat in the eastern Mediterranean, but there’s room for everybody on board the campaign against the blockade of Gaza and full freedom for Palestinians.’

In January, the project reported that it was ready to make a down payment on the boat, and to start refurbishing it while it raised the rest of the Canadian $90,000 required.