Al -Jazeera Net Correspondents
France- Today, Monday, several French cities are witnessing protest stops and demonstrations denouncing the Israeli occupation forces’ detention of activists who were on board the “Madeleine” ship, which was on their way to break the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli navy objected to the ship yesterday evening, at the sea and took it to the port of Ashdod, where 12 activists of different nationalities were held, including the deputy in the European Parliament Rima Hassan, and the Swedish activist Greta Thonberg, in addition to other journalists and solidarity.
This move comes in a broader context of solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip, as the protesters call for lifting the Israeli siege, opening humanitarian corridors to international aid and stopping the genocide.
demonstrations
At the invitation of the extreme left -wing “France” France, supporters of the Palestinian cause gathered this evening in the Republic Square in response to calls for solidarity and support that were launched through social media platforms.
This square also witnessed a similar gathering, yesterday evening, in which hundreds participated a few hours after the activists detention of the ship “Madeleine”.
Commenting on the detention of activists, Jean -Luke Milanshon, the leader of the Israeli “France” party, condemned the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, saying, “Since this crime of war, which we must call a collective genocide, the world is satisfied with making statements, while the powerful who do not stop delivering moral lessons continues their silence in front of this 18 -month massacre.”
Milanshon praised the courage of activists who were on board by saying, “We salute these activists who ascended without hesitation to a small boat, without weapons except their convictions, and without strength except their courage that we salute it in front of a people who proved his ability to continue life despite everything.”
He also called on the government to take more beautiful steps, adding, “France, who is unable to express strongly and publicly, is no longer in front of it except to do the only possible thing at this stage, that is, to recognize the state of Palestine immediately.”
Requests for immediate release
In their demands and slogans, the protesters focused on the need for the immediate release of the detained activists, bearing the French and European authorities as a result of what happened, and all the governments were to move urgently to ensure the safety of their citizens and their return to their countries.
Smochs condemned in these demonstrations condemning the continuous massacre and calling for the liberation of Gaza from the siege and Israeli occupation, including “Emmanuel Macron, are you asleep”, “Israel is forbidden, Macron is complicit”, “Palestine is free” and “freedom for the ship … freedom for Rima”.
“I am proud of my son, who was on the ship, his name is Bettist André and practiced medicine in Marseille.
“My son was detained in Hachot Prison, where he was presented with a distorted meal to say that the activists have received good care. The right -wing Israeli government does not respect human rights, commit war crimes and crimes against humanity, and commit all elements of genocide.”
Calls for international intervention
It is expected that the French Foreign Ministry will closely follow the developments of the detention of “Madeleine” activists at a time when pressure on Paris and Brussels is increasing to take a more assertive position towards what French political forces described as “attacking international law and violating freedom of navigation in international waters.”
Amid the continuation of the Israeli war on the Palestinian sector since October 20, 2023, Madeleine’s objection comes as part of a series of marine confrontations witnessed by popular initiatives to break the maritime blockade imposed on Gaza for years.
Doctor André, who was leaving food for 25 days last April, considers that forcing citizens to endanger themselves to the application of the law requires a comprehensive national mobilization “and the best evidence for this is the exit of people to the streets in 15 French cities tonight. It is time to tell these politicians that the blood has been overwhelmed.”
“Everyone is silent and all positions are contradictory and hypocritical, not only since the seventh of October, but unfortunately for decades. This hypocrisy has continued until today even though people have started realizing that things have changed and that we will never surrender, that impunity does not exist and that everyone who does not respect the law today is responsible for the situation there.”
