Height of cruelty, says activist Friday, 04 June 2010 04:53

DOHA: “What we experienced was the height of cruelty and insensitivity of the Israelis,” said Farooq Burney, director of Al Fakhoora and the only person from Qatar on the aid flotilla to Gaza that was stormed by Israel forces on Monday.

Burney arrived in Doha yesterday after being held in an Israeli jail. Hundreds of people who thronged the Doha International Airport with Palestinian flags and placards gave him a standing ovation as he walked out of the arrival terminal along with his family.

Burney was on board the Mavi Marmara — the lead ship of the Freedom Flotilla carrying nearly 700 aid workers, journalists and diplomats, which was attacked by Israeli soldiers.

“We were people propagating peace…We were propagating a humanitarian cause… We were attacked. We were kidnapped in international waters by Israeli commandos and held hostage. They attacked people who were unarmed, who were promoting a humanitarian cause,” he told media persons at the airport.

Burney, a Canadian national, had joined the convoy on behalf of Al Fakhoora, which supports student advocacy to raise awareness about the plight of students in Gaza.

He had taken with him 65 computers that were to be donated to universities and some organisations in Gaza. However, he was not aware of what happened to the cargo on the ships, which included medicine and other supplies for the people of Gaza.

Describing the “bloodbath,” with people shot before his eyes and desperate efforts to treat the wounded, he said, “People were killed in cold blood.”

“It started after the Fajr prayer at 4.15am. We were surrounded by some 15 navy boats simultaneously. They also tried to drop commandos on the ship by helicopters. However, they were confronted by our people as we didn’t want them to take the ship and hence it led to hand-to-hand combat with the Israeli commandos.”

Stressing the fact that it was an aid mission, the ship had no arms or ammunitions. “People on the boat were unarmed and the only thing we had was water which we were spraying on them. They attacked us with smoke bombs, and later with all kinds of weapons and they tried to take the ship, but we resisted. At the third phase of attacks, they started attacking using ammunition. They had snipers on helicopters shooting at the people. They shot at us without differentiating the journalists, humanitarian workers—they shot two journalists and killed one; even the old people were not spared. We are fortunate that none of the women on-board were killed.”

With many being bled to death, aid workers asked for medical support. Israelis took two hours to deliver the aid during which a few died.

Later, the passengers were arrested, handcuffed and taken to the Israeli prisons. “We did not know what was happening and our families did not know about our whereabouts. They kept us there for two days without any communication,” he said.

The mistreatment did not end there. “People were also beaten as they were leaving the prison to head to their countries. Some were left with fractured arms, this happened while we were being deported. Many of the injured are in hospitals right now.”

“If given a chance, I will definitely go to Gaza as my mission is to promote education there. Now my heart goes out to those who laid down their life for the people of Gaza, promoting their humanitarian cause. Thanks to the intervention of Turkish government, Qatari government and other people, most of “the hostages” are released and are now back with their families,” he said.

The Peninsula

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