Defiant crossing to Gaza called 'lesson for world'

Activists pull off a rare political event as all sides claim victory

With an Israeli navy ship in the background, members of the "Free Gaza" group sail on a fishing boat off the Gaza Strip.

GAZA CITY // Victorio Arrigone looks like a sailor, with bulging muscles, tussled hair, beard, tattoos and a pipe. But just a few days ago the 33-year-old Italian activist's experience of sailing had been limited to time on rowing boats; then he boarded one of the two ships that arrived on Saturday as part of the "Free Gaza" campaign, and found himself second mate on board.

"I think I have a natural talent," he said with a laugh. "At least, we got here." Few of the 44 activists who spent 30 hours at sea making the crossing from Cyprus to Gaza had much sailing experience. But it did not prevent them from making the trip. "This is a lesson for the world," Mr Arrigone said. "If you are strong and determined and focused on your goal, you can achieve anything. It helps, of course, if you are in the right, as well. And in breaking the siege on Gaza, there is no doubt that we are in the right."

The Cyprus-Gaza crossing has been that rare animal in political activism, one in which all sides claimed victory. The activists achieved their stated goal - to reach Gaza - deliver some symbolic humanitarian supplies and defy Israel's blockade of the impoverished strip of land that is home to 1.5 million Palestinians. Palestinians have seen a glimmer of hope that "there are people out there who care enough to put their lives at risk", in the words of Eyad Sarraj, a Palestinian political analyst and psychologist, who is one of the founders of the Gaza-based Break the Siege Organisation and who had been involved in the planning for the crossing from the Gaza side.

Israeli politicians and military leaders, meanwhile, according to a report in an Israeli newspaper yesterday, are competing with one another to claim credit for thwarting what they saw as the mission's primary aim, a direct confrontation with the Israeli navy. This brought a delighted laugh from Paul Larudee, 62, the co-founder of the Free Gaza Movement that organised the crossing. "I think it's very enlightened of the Israeli establishment to allow two boats of harmless people and cargo to come to Gaza. Long may it continue."

That shine was tarnished somewhat yesterday after it emerged one of the activists, Jeff Halper, a US-born Israeli, was detained by Israeli authorities and was expected to appear before a magistrate. "He was arrested [Tuesday] for having entered a restricted territory illegally," his lawyer, Yavon Gat, said. Israelis are generally banned from entering Gaza. Regardless, the activists are hoping to continue their crossings.

"We are studying very carefully what our next steps will be," said Mr Larudee, a veteran US activist. The Free Gaza Movement hopes to create a regular passage from Cyprus to Gaza, but is aware that a wrong step could provoke a heavy-handed reaction from the Israeli military. "Israel has said it will evaluate every such mission on a case-by-case basis," Mr Larudee said. "I think what we need to do is what we did this time, be as transparent as possible."

This means that activists will ensure that there is no secrecy about who and what is aboard any boats going to and from Gaza. It does not mean, Mr Larudee said, that permission would be sought from Israel. "We will act responsibly, but on our own terms." The two boats are due to leave Gaza this morning. On board will be several Gazans who have been denied exit visas by Israel but have legitimate papers to travel abroad. The Free Gaza Movement has sent names and details of those Palestinians who have asked to come along - 13 in all, mostly students who have obtained scholarships and visas to study in Europe - to the Cypriot authorities for clearance.

"We do not want to embarrass the Cypriots," Mr Larudee said. "We want whoever comes aboard to legitimately be able to travel and whose only reason for not doing so is because they are denied [an exit visa] by Israel." If they succeed, it will be "another historic occasion", according to Mr Sarraj. "These people risked their lives to come here, the first foreign boats to land at Gaza since 1976," Mr Sarraj said. "They are real heroes. And if they manage to repeat this feat it will be a historic achievement."

But repetition will not only depend on Israeli "enlightenment" but also on money. The Free Gaza Movement has incurred a US$200,000 (Dh734,000) debt, and participants have begged, borrowed and scraped to get this far. Both Mr Sarraj, whose Break the Siege Organisation helped with fund-raising, and Mr Larudee, hope that having reached Gaza, potential supporters will be more willing to help. "We are looking to raise $1 million, to pay off our debts, improve the boats and ensure the sustainability of this mission," Mr Larudee said. "I hope this first success will encourage people to believe that it will be possible again."

That is something that Bella Andrew, 34, an Australian activist and one of those on board the boat, said should be the lesson of the mission. "What we have shown is that the siege on Gaza only exists if we allow it to," she said. We achieved something direct and immediate, and this was achieved by ordinary people." @Email:[e-mail]