idf background
DESCRIPTION
Israeli Defence (Attack) Force informationTRANSCRIPT
IDF Spokesperson
Background Information on the Organizers behind the
2011 Flotilla to Gaza
June 12th, 2011
June 12th, 2011
Background Information on the Organizers behind the 2011 Flotilla
to Gaza A. Introduction:
1. The "Green Pastures" flotilla poses a severe threat to Israel's national security and its image in the international community. Its organizers aim to provoke and denigrate Israel's security stance vis-à-vis the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.
2. The IHH, the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG) and the Free Gaza Movement (FGM) – which was founded by senior International Solidarity Movement (ISM) leaders – are the three leading organizations represented on the flotilla.
3. Despite attempts by these organizations to portray their efforts as part of a struggle for "human rights" and "humanitarian issues", they all have the following in common:
a. All are stridently anti-Israel, denying Israel's right of self-defense.
b. All have ties to radical Islam, specifically the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and Al-Qaeda.
c. All have an explicitly radical agenda, which includes "violent resistance" to Israel and to the West.
d. All are aware of the questionable legality of their actions – especially regarding their direct and indirect assistance to Hamas, as the latter has been declared illegal both in the United States and in Europe. For this reason, they stress the "humanitarian" aspect of their work and their ties with leading "human-rights" organizations.
e. All are willing to confront Israeli security forces with violence. This willingness was demonstrated by the IHH on the last flotilla and by operatives of ECESG and Free Gaza in their demonstrations against Israel's security fence.
June 12th, 2011
B. The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG):
1. The European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza is an anti‐Israel, pro‐Hamas umbrella organization active in Europe. The organization, as part of a coalition of 6 organizations led by the IHH, took part in the flotilla that culminated in the violence aboard the Mavi Marmara. Since then, the organization and its coalition partners have worked to promote new plans that aim to damage Israel and increase its isolation in the international community—among them "Freedom Flotilla 2."
2. ECESG was founded in 2007 with the proclaimed aim of bringing about a "total end" to Israel's "siege" on Gaza and bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza residents. This aim helps strengthen the Hamas regime in Gaza and impedes Israel's efforts to ensure no weapons or terror operatives enter the Gaza Strip via land crossings or the sea.
3. ECESG's offices are located in Brussels, but its base of operations is in Britain (historically, a center of Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood operations within Europe). Incorporating more than 30 anti‐Israel and pro‐Hamas organizations across Europe, ECESCG typically acts in conjunction with other like‐minded groups, for example, the "Free Gaza Movement" (FGM) and "Viva Palestina".
4. Among ECESG's top officials are several persons of Palestinian Arab, and specifically Gazan, origin. Residing in London are its official spokesperson (who is a British citizen) and a former Member of Parliament and government minister, who also often represents ECESG as well as the "Palestine Return Centre". However, ECESG mainly consists of Islamist activists, far‐left human‐rights activists, and even environmental activists.
5. Characteristic activities: Organizing flotillas and aid convoys consisting of funds and goods for the Hamas government in Gaza; boycotting Israeli goods, personalities, and institutions; promoting the demand for the "right of return" for all Palestinian refugees; influencing political bodies and public opinion through protests; spreading propaganda; and transferring funds to Hamas institutions. (Some of the people and organizations that are part of ECESG are connected to the Charity Coalition, or Charity of Good).
6. ECESG conducts a great deal of political lobbying, aimed at garnering European support to exert pressure on Israel. For example, on June 16, 2010, after the flotilla incident, delegates from the organization met with Members of the European Parliament at EU headquarters in Strasbourg, where the MPs were updated regarding the details of the "Marmara" flotilla. On the eve of a trip by Catharine Ashton, the EU Foreign Minister, to Israel, the Gaza Strip, and eastern Jerusalem (June 19, 2010), ECESG activists sent a letter
June 12th, 2011
in which they explained, in their mind, "why Israel eased the siege." The letter asked Ashton to demand a complete end to the Gaza blockade.1
7. ECESG organizes visits by parliamentary and VIP delegations to the Gaza Strip who meet with Hamas senior members. In mid‐January 2010, ECESG organized a delegation consisting of 50 people, among them politicians and former ministers, who visited the Strip. The goal of the delegation was to collect documents and information and return to their countries and European parliaments in order to advance activities to bring about the end of the Israeli blockade. During the visit, the delegation members met with Hamas lawmakers, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, and the head of UNRWA, John Ging, along with Palestinian NGOs based in the Gaza Strip. After the visit, the ECESG published a press release calling for Israel to lift the blockade immediately, for the International Court of Justice to accuse Israel of war crimes, and for Europe to suspend its commercial ties with Israel.
Prominent Activists
8. Information appearing on the ECESG website regarding the organization's activists is sparse. Most of the senior activists from ECESG are members of other antiIsraeli organizations, and are of PalestinianArab origin. One of the founders and leaders of the organization is Amin Abou Rashed, who took part in coordinating a European aid convoy of trucks in April‐May 2009. He was also an organizer and participant in the previous flotilla (onboard the ship SFENDONI, also known as 8000).
9. Amin Abou Rashed (or Amin Abou Ibrahim), 43, born in Lebanon to parents of Palestinian‐Arab origin, holds a Dutch passport and is ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates in Holland and throughout Europe. Previously, he was a member of the al‐Aqsa Foundation in Holland, which belonged to a network of aid foundations in the Union of Good, which distributes financial aid to Hamas.
1 ECESG activists also met with Ashton's predecessor Javier Solana to discuss this matter. The meaning of this demand is opening up all the land‐based and maritime crossings to the Gaza Strip for smuggling weapons and terrorists. ECESG and other organizations of this type entirely ignore the threat of terrorism from Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the security necessities Israel confronts when dealing with this threat in the Gaza Strip.
June 12th, 2011
10. The al‐Aqsa Foundation was declared an "unlawful assembly" in 1997 and a terror organization in 1998 by Israel. The U.S. outlawed the Foundation in May 2003. The Dutch branch of the al‐Aqsa Foundation was included in a list of terror organizations recognized by the European Union in June 2003. During the Holy Land Foundation trial in which an American foundation was found to be transferring funds to Hamas, a document signed by Amin Abou Ibrahim was presented. The document included addresses of "charity institutions" in Europe working for Palestine. This document was published as a legal artifact in the successful legal struggle led by the U.S. against this foundation.
11. After the al‐Aqsa Foundation was shut down in Holland, Abou Rashed did not change the nature of his activities and became the head of a local pro‐Hamas organization called PPMS (Palestinian Platform for Human Rights and Solidarity). This organization is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and was founded in 2005.
12. Dr. Arafat Mahmoud Sahari is a Palestinian born in the village of Attil in the Tulkarem district, now a British citizen and a father of three. He completed his doctorate degree on the subject of Palestinian refugees and has authored a book about the status of refugees in Islam. He has been the chairman of ECESG and active in the organization for three years. He also serves as manager of the Palestinian Return Center (PRC), an institution in London which belongs to the ECESG and identifies itself with Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. In May 2010 on the eve of the previous flotilla's departure, Dr. Sahari met with Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan while heading a delegation comprising of the ECESG, the PRC, and several other European organizations. During this meeting, Sahari said that Turkey plays a major role in the lifting of the siege in Gaza. In an interview, he described the IHH as one of the organization's greatest allies.
13. Amjad Yaser Abed Almajid al‐Shawe—Born in 1971 in Gaza City, al‐Shawe was involved in preparations for the planned flotilla (Freedom Flotilla 2). His name was raised as manager of the Gaza office for the Palestinian network of NGOs (PNGO). He is active in organizing and coordinating the flotillas.
14. Rami Tzalach Ismail Abda—Born in 1977 in the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza, now living in Manchester, Great Britain. In May 2009, he coordinated the truck aid convoy which included several tons of trucks. The convoy entered the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Crossing. He is active in organizing the planned flotilla.
June 12th, 2011
Below are details on some of the organizations belonging to ECESG:
The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC)
15. PRC is an organization founded in 1996 with the objective of raising international awareness to what is known as "the right of return" for the Palestinian people. On December 27th, 2010 the ISA released a statement saying that the Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak, had signed a decree at the beginning of the month declaring the PRC to be an "unlawful assembly due to its being a part of the Hamas movement."
16. The PRC offices are located in northern London. It is considered to be one of the main institutions through which Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood operate in Britain. Several former Hamas operatives who fled to Britain currently serve in senior positions on the administrative board for the organization. The organization states that the majority of its funding comes through donations; however there are strong financial ties to the Interpal and Union of Good.
17. The PRC cooperates closely with the ECESG. The executive manager of the PRC, Dr. Arafat Madi, is also the chairman of the ECESG. The ECESG's offices in London are located inside the PRC offices, and they share the same phone and fax numbers.
18. A prominent activist in the PRC is Majed al‐Zeer who is the PRC's CEO and trustee. Al‐Zeer resides in Britain and considers himself a "British Palestinian". His political views are aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas despite his conscious efforts not to publically identify with them.
19. In November 2008, Damascus hosted the Arab International Congress for the Right of Return. During this conference, Majed al‐Zeer sat on the honorary guest podium next to Khaled Mashal, Mahatir Mohamad (former president of Malaysia who is known for numerous anti‐Semitic statements) and Ali Akbar Mohtashamipur (Iranian official who played a definitive role in the creation of Hezbollah). A public declaration made by the Congress expressed support for the implementation of an "active resistance culture", first and foremost as the "optimal way to realize the Palestinian right of return".
June 12th, 2011
Droit Pour Tous (Rights For All)
20. A non‐governmental organization located in Geneva which is involved in anti‐Israeli activity and declares that its long term objective is to bring about world‐wide justice. In reality, its activities are centered on the Palestinian issue and "Palestinian rights" in the "occupied territories" in order to raise awareness among Swiss citizens regarding the Palestinian problem. The group organizes protests, conferences, and exhibitions.
21. The organization's president is Anwar al‐Gharbi, a professional engineer of Tunisian descent. His name has been mentioned as former senior member of the Association de Secours Palestinien in Switzerland, a Swiss organization that was part of Union of Good. He is also a member of Partners for Peace and Development for Palestinians (PPDP).
L'Associazione Benefica di Solidarieta con il Popolo Palestinese (ABSPP ONLUS)
22. This is in fact The Association of Palestinians in Italy (API), an organization that represents the Muslim Brotherhood in Italy. The organization is also active in The Union of Good in Italy and has ties with the Hamas leadership in Damascus and the Gaza Strip. The organization was active in the previous flotilla to Gaza. At the head of the organization is Mohammad Hannoun, who recently represented the ECESG in a delegation to Brazil to raise funds for the flotilla. He also met with the Turkish Ambassador to Italy to thank him for his government's support of the flotilla.
C. International Solidarity Movement
1. The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a network of anti‐Israeli activists founded in 2001 by a group of extreme left‐wing activists in the U.S. along with Palestinian left‐wing activists – mostly Christians and several pro‐Palestinian extremist left‐wing activists from Israel. The core funders have enlisted volunteers from various Western countries, among them Jews, on the basis of general hostility towards Israel and its policy towards the Palestinians.
2. The ISM's objective is to grant international assistance to the Palestinian struggle and to convey its solidarity to such struggle through the use of non‐violence actions termed "direct action" (a term derived from the terminology of radical left revolutionary struggles and human rights movements).
June 12th, 2011
3. During 2001‐2005, the years of the Second Intifada, the ISM conducted intensive activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip via short‐term volunteers it enlisted. The volunteers who started arriving in the territories in December 2001 did not settle for aiding the Palestinian population but specialized in sabotaging IDF operation activities.
4. The ISM's activity included participation in protests, specifically Palestinian protests; placing active members as human shields for wanted terror operatives; financial, logistic and morale support to Palestinians including terrorists and terrorist families; disruption of demolitions or the sealing of terrorists' homes; and conducting marches along the security fence from Jenin to Jerusalem.
5. Two main events which were part of these tactics and which the ISM has proudly proclaimed on its website include placing the organization's members as human shields in the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, and in Arafat's compound in Ramallah during April 2002 (Operation Defensive Shield).
6. At the end of the Second Intifada, the ISM headquarters were relocated to the Gaza Strip during the time in which Hamas was gathering strength and until it seized control of the Strip in 2007. Four ISM senior members from the U.S. were among the founders of an international pro‐Hamas umbrella organization called the Free Gaza Movement. Since 2008, ISM senior members have been promoting flotilla projects within the framework of the Free Gaza Movement (FGM), while also keeping up their activities in the ISM.
7. While maintaining involvement in the flotilla projects, the ISM has been operating in two central fields since the end of the second Intifada:
a. Sending volunteers to protest activities (similar to those in Bil'in) in Israeli‐Palestinian conflicts zones, in cooperation with Palestinian Popular Struggle Coordination Committees. These activities are portrayed by the ISM and PA as non‐violent, but in reality, activists engage in acts of "soft violence" (rock hurling, physical confrontation of Israeli armed forces, hurling firebombs). This form of soft violence has caused injuries among protesters and Israeli forces. The presence of ISM activists and other non‐Palestinian activists
June 12th, 2011
heightened tensions, fuels the protests, encourages Palestinian protesters, and burdens security forces during their activities.
b. Participation in anti‐Israeli activity in the U.S., Europe, and other countries around the world, including calls to ban Israel and its products as well as protests against its Palestinian‐related policies. Israel is portrayed as a racist, exploitative and apartheid state in order to undermine its legitimacy and turn it into a diplomatic pariah. The ISM's anti‐Israel activity manifest in the forms of protests, on‐campus activities in colleges or universities around the world, pro‐Palestinian cultural events, and attempts to influence the political leadership in various countries. ISM activists manage their propaganda against Israel through websites, blogs, books, plays, and interviews to media outlets.
8. The ISM tends to present itself as oriented towards non‐violent activity, human rights, respect for international law and UN resolutions, as well as aspiring to a "just peace". However, analysis of its reports and statements point to an organization with strong anti‐Israel, anti‐Zionist ideology which embraces only the most radical of the Palestinians' demands. Hostility towards Israel is often the based upon their critical views of U.S. policy, especially the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq following 9/11. The ISM denounces not only the policies of past and present Israeli governments ("the Israeli apartheid in Palestine"), but the very existence of Israel as the state of the Jewish people.
9. Publications and public statements by ISM members highlight Palestinian refugees' right of return to Israel, reject the Oslo Accords, and make no mention of supporting a two‐state solution. However, the ISM maintains a certain vagueness regarding these fundamental positions in order for it to easily reach out to as many human rights groups and peace activists as possible, including Jews, some of which do not deny Israel's right of existence but only object to its policies towards the Palestinians.
10. In internal documents on its website and in statements made by its members and activists, the ISM repeatedly emphasizes that it only endorses non‐violent means. The media has often called ISM members "peace activists". Its members do not necessarily take a direct part in terror activities against Israel, but in internal documents and in statements made by senior members, the ISM has often justified Palestinian armed conflict, even at the height of suicide terror bombings during the Second Intifada. For
June 12th, 2011
example, its activists have sheltered an Islamic Jihad activist who was involved in suicide bombings, placing explosive devices to harm Israeli civilians, and shooting attacks. They have also attempted to sabotage IDF operations, including the detonation of an explosives laboratory which was used to create explosive devices for suicide bombings. Alongside placidly aiding Palestinian residents, ISM activists have also cooperated in events where "soft violence" was used, which ended up harming Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces personnel. This activity, held in areas where the IDF operated against Palestinian terror, endangered the lives of ISM activists while the ISM was well aware of the fact.
11. Conscious violation of Israeli law: ISM activists in the territories have frequently and intentionally violated Israeli law. They have done this through attempts to deceive Israeli authorities upon their arrival to Israel, and by entering closed military zones and methodically acting to sabotage IDF operational activity. Internal documents from within the ISM show that activists who were sent to the territories had previously attended training workshops in which they were briefed on methods to deceive Israeli authorities, such as posing as tourists, changing details in their passports, and denying any connections to the ISM. As such, the members were given legal briefings regarding the desired manner of conduct while in the presence of Israeli security forces and in Israeli courthouses.
12. The ISM is deeply linked to the FGM (Free Gaza Movement), one of the central umbrella organizations that initiate the launching of flotillas to the Gaza Strip. The FGM was founded in 2006 by senior ISM members. Three of the ISM founders and senior members are considered today to be senior FGM members: Huwaida Arraf (American, daughter of an Israeli Arab and a Palestinian mother), her husband Adam Shapiro (Jewish American) and Greta Berlin (American). Another activist and one of the founders of ISM and FGM is Paul Larudee (American) who, due to ideological conflicts with FGM activists, resigned and created the Free Palestine Movement (FPM). The line between ISM and FGM activists is not always clear, even the members of the organizations themselves.
13. ISM attributes great importance to media coverage of its anti‐Israeli activities. Internal reports of the ISM deal with the media in great detail. ISM volunteers in the territories are accompanied by media coordinators from the ISM offices in Ramallah. In order to convey its messages and hide its support for Palestinian terror and
June 12th, 2011
violence, the ISM uses a terminology "word bank" which it instills in its activists during mandatory training workshops prior to their departure to the territories. Each volunteer must conduct a training workshop for two days before or immediately after his or her arrival. This is how, for example, activists are instructed not to use the term "violence", but rather the term "resistance" ("resistance" is a term routinely used by terror organizations). Activists are also instructed that when the term terrorism (attributed to Palestinians) is used, they must bring up state terrorism (attributed to the state of Israel).
Huwaida Arraf
14. Huwaida Arraf is one of the founders of ISM and a prominent figure in the organization today. Her proclaimed role is a coordinator and spokesperson for the ISM, however in actuality it seems that she serves as its operational and spiritual leader. Aside from ISM activities, she serves a central role in FGM, a pro‐Hamas umbrella organization which "specializes" in launching vehicular convoys to the Gaza Strip (she currently serves as one of the interim members of the board of trustees of the FGM).
15. Arraf's family came to Detroit in 1975 and she was born there in 1976, the eldest of five brothers . She is a Christian. Her father, a factory worker in General Motors in Detroit, was born in Israel in one of the Galilee villages. Her mother, a professional nurse, was born in Beit Sahour, a small Christian town east of Bethlehem. Today, Beit Sahour is a place in which the ISM has a permanent presence.
16. Huwaida Arraf graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in political science, Arabic and Jewish studies. She completed a law degree while majoring in human rights, international law and war crimes. In 2007 she received a doctorate in law from the American University in Washington D.C. She also lectured on the subject human rights and law at the Al‐Quds University in Jerusalem.
17. After completing her studies in 1998, she worked to advance Arab‐American rights as part of her job in an Arab‐American think tank in Washington. Since 2001 she has been active in the organization Seeds of Peace, which aims to advance dialogue between Jewish and Palestinian youth. She arrived in Jerusalem during 2001 as part of a delegation sent by the organization and served as a coordinator at the Center for
June 12th, 2011
Coexistence in Jerusalem. There she met Adam Shapiro, a Jew from Brooklyn, whom she married in 2002.
18. Arraf has justified Palestinian violence in the past. On January 29th 2002, at the height of the wave of suicide bombings in Israel, she wrote an op‐ed together with Adam Shapiro which was published in the Palestinian Chronicle, in which is stated:
"In actuality, nonviolence is not enough... The Palestinian resistance must take on a variety of characteristics – both nonviolent and violent. But most importantly it must develop a strategy involving both aspects. No other successful nonviolent movement was able to achieve what it did without a concurrent violent movement."
19. A short while after the founding of the ISM in 2001, Arraf and her husband began to work full time at ISM. In April 2002 she became the head of a group of ISM activists who aided wanted terrorists which barricaded themselves in the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem by supplying them food and water. During her activities in the Judea and Samaria region Arraf was arrested a number of times by Israeli security forces.
20. In 2004, Arraf was a co‐editor of the book "Peace Under Fire", a collection of personal testimonies by ISM volunteers. In the summer of 2006, during the 2nd Lebanon War, she and Shapiro left for Lebanon in order to coordinate aid to the citizens of southern Lebanon. In 2009, she was part of the National Lawyers Guild delegation, which set out to document what they termed "violations of international law and war crimes by Israel" during Operation Cast Lead.
21. In 2006, Arraf became one of the founders of the FGM. In 2008, Arraf participated in the FGM flotilla to the Gaza Strip. On May 31st, she participated in the flotilla led by IHH which ended with the Marmara incident. She played a significant part in organizing the flotilla, including participating in a preparatory meeting on May 16th 2010 in Istanbul, led by the deputy president of the IHH. During this meeting, arrangements were confirmed for the flotilla.
22. Arraf began her journey with the flotilla aboard the yacht Challenger 2, which was launched by the FGM. Video clips show that she was the spiritual leader, the organizer and coordinator of the activists on the ship, and was highly regarded among them. Due to a technical complication the Challenger 2 ended its journey in Cyprus, and Arraf, together with other activists, moved to the Mavi Marmara.
June 12th, 2011
23. According to a video filmed a day or two before the ship set sail, while in a hotel in Cyprus, Arraf gave detailed briefings to activists about to participate in the flotilla on the following topics: what to expect in Gaza, how to act with the Palestinians, various scenarios they would encounter with Israelis, how to act if they are arrested and investigated in Israel, expected punishments they might face, legal issues and the role of the consulates of each activist's country of origin. She also instructed them regarding their actions and behavior on the ship: division into teams, how to block IDF forces when they board the boat (the briefing included an instruction to activists to block the way to the ship's control and engine rooms), and the need to designate filming crews for documentation purposes. During the flotilla journey, she continued to brief and instruct the activists on board the yacht.
Greta Berlin
24. Berlin is a senior member in ISM and a member on the FGM's interim board of trustees. Berlin has marked anti‐Israeli and pro‐Hamas opinions. Born in Detroit in 1941, today she resides in Los Angeles. She studied mass media and theatre arts for her bachelor's degree and received a master's degree in theatre. She was married to a Palestinian from Safed and gave birth to two children who define themselves as American‐Palestinians, although she is now divorced, according to the FGM website. After her divorce, she married Dr. Alvin Berlin, a Jewish scientist, and later divorced him. She was a past owner of a company specializing in the instruction of presentation design.
25. According to Berlin, she began to participate in anti‐Israeli activities when she and her husband founded Pal‐Aid International Inc., one of the first NGOs in Chicago, which sought to benefit Palestinians. In 2003 she joined the ISM. She was active in the ISM's media office in Beit Sahour, and during Operation Defensive Shield she lived in Jenin. She returned to Judea and Samaria in 2005 and again in 2007.
26. Greta Berlin was one of the FGM founders in 2006, and continues to be a central figure in the organization, primarily as a spokeswoman. Berlin participated in the FGM's first flotilla, which succeeded in entering the Gaza Strip in 2008. She aided organizing subsequent flotillas. She was also one of the organizers of the previous flotilla on May 2010 and was photographed aboard the MV Rachel Corrie, which
June 12th, 2011
arrived belatedly and was stopped by the Israeli Navy. During the flotilla, she was part of the FGM board in Cyprus and the designated POC for the international press.
27. During a radio interview, Berlin said "it is ridiculous that because America, Israel and the EU do not like Hamas's goals, they are suddenly referred to as terrorists" (Radio Free Europe, August 13th 2007). In the same interview, she also said that America aids Israel in order to "conquer , kill, starve, humiliate and banish the local population in favor of white European colonialism". In an additional interview, while discussing the flotilla, she said that "the only illegal presence in the area is that of Israel… this mission is not about transferring humanitarian supplies but about breaking the Israeli blockade".
June 12th, 2011
D. The Free Gaza Movement
1. 'Free Gaza' was founded in 2006 as an explicitly pro‐Palestinian and pro‐Hamas organization whose declared sole purpose is to break the Israeli siege on Gaza. The organization's headquarters are located in Nicosia, Cyprus, where it is listed as a human rights group. Its website claims the group has branches in 28 countries around the world, out of which 11 are European, five are North American (four in the US and one in Canada) and one is in Israel (termed on the website as the "1948 Palestinian territories").
2. Free Gaza was a key player in the coalition of organizations responsible for the previous flotilla, though the leading power then and now remains the Turkish IHH. In 2008 the organization began launching aid flotillas to Gaza. By the 2010 Turkish flotilla, Free Gaza had launched four flotillas to the Gaza Strip:
a. August 2008: Two ships sailed from Cyprus and docked at the Gaza Port on
August 23rd.
b. October 2008: A yacht by the name of 'Dignity' with 26 members and medical supplies aboard. The boat reached Gaza on October 29th.
c. December 2008: The 'Dignity' sailed again, loaded with three tons of medical
supplies, attempted to reach Gaza again but was stopped by the Israeli Navy on December 30th.
d. June 2009: The ship 'Spirit of Humanity' was due to dock at the Gaza Port on
June 30th, but was stopped by the Israeli Navy near the port a day early on June 29th.
3. The organization's mission statement, featured on its website, states that its purpose is to break the siege on Gaza. It adds that does not ask for Israel's permission to act:
"We have not and will not ask for Israel’s permission. It is our intent to overcome this brutal siege through civil resistance and nonviolent direct action, and establish a permanent sea lane between Gaza and the rest of the world." (http://www.freegaza.org/en/about‐us/mission)
June 12th, 2011
4. Free Gaza's inside documents, seized during the "Marmara" flotilla, detailed the
organization's strategic policy as well as instructions given to its members before the flotilla set sail. An analysis of these documents reveals enormous differences, sometimes even contradictions, between the organization's publicly stated views and their actions. For example:
a. Legally: The legal briefing given to Free Gaza operatives indicates a great sensitivity to the legal difficulties involved in transferring aid to Hamas, particularly in the US where Hamas was outlawed. The phrasing of the briefing lets on that although Free Gaza claims the aid is intended for the civilian population, it is aware it will actually aid Hamas. During the briefing members were consequently warned to refrain from any action of statement that might be interpreted as granting "material aid" to Hamas, in order not to incriminate themselves in the US and other countries (Free Gaza both operates in and receives donations from the US).
b. Politically: During the legal briefing, as a solution to the problematic definition of Hamas as a "terrorist organization", members were told Free Gaza has publicly declared it has no political agenda and it is committed only to "nonviolent humanitarian aid" intended for the Palestinians (the organization defines itself as a 'human rights project' on its website). However, within the inside documents found aboard the "Mavi Marmara" it is clear that political, and not humanitarian, goals were defined. The minimal goals delineated within the documents included raising media awareness of the "siege" on Gaza and spurring foreign governments to take punitive actions against Israel.
c. Pre‐planned responses to possible scenarios: The organization visualized
several "defensive" scenarios for the flotilla based on the assumption that the IDF will not be able to stop the ships without the use of force. Free Gaza's responses detail several tactics designed to prevent the IDF taking over the ship, including laying out sharpened obstacles on the deck and having members of the organization barricade themselves inside the engine and steering rooms. These tactics don't match up to the instructions handed out to
June 12th, 2011
members in which the use of violence, physical or verbal, was prohibited. At the hands of Free Gaza's members, the de facto meaning of the phrase "nonviolent resistance" is open to a wide range of interpretations.
E. Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH)
1. The Turkish IHH organization (Humanitarian Relief Foundation, full title The Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief) is an extremist Islamic organization founded in Germany in 1992 whose original aim was to provide aim to Muslims in Bosnia during the 90s war in the region. The organization was created by the nationalist religious Turkish movement IMGM (Islam Toplumu Milli Görüs) which is aligned with the Islamic extremist Felicity ('Saadet') party.
2. Since its founding the organization displayed extremist Islamic and Jihadist
tendencies, although as time went on it expanded its activities to social aid (providing aid to Islamic communities around the world, with an emphasis on war zones, as well as areas afflicted by poverty or natural disasters). In recent years, the organization has expanded its activities to various countries in Europe by creating numerous organizational branches. Today, the IHH has headquarters in over 120 countries and its activities combine social charity work and extremist Islamic ideas.
IHH connections with worldwide Jihad organizations
3. IHH activists are notoriously connected to worldwide Jihad figures, with an emphasis on Bosnia and Chechnya. Most of their joint activities were carried out in the 90s, although there is evidence regarding the continuation of Jihadist ties throughout the previous decade. The main activities of the IHH with worldwide Jihadist figures include providing logistic and financial aid to activists in various countries and cooperating during operational activities. For instance:
a. The IHH has a direct connection with al‐Qaeda and has recruited operatives to various Jihadist arenas.
b. The IHH has ties to operatives in Chechnya, resulting in personal relations between the leader of the IHH, Bülent Yildirim, and Samil Basaib, one of
June 12th, 2011
the leaders of activist in Chechnya. As such, the IHH aided Chechnyan activists by transferring and laundering money via the Saudi‐Chechnyan axis, and even acted as an indirect point of contact with the leadership of al‐Qaeda.
c. IHH helped transfer fighters to Bosnia in the 1990s. As part of its aid to Jihad operatives, the IHH funded medical treatments and interim living quarters as they passed through Turkey.
d. IHH provided logistic aid to operatives of the Jihadist organizations IMU (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan) and IJU (Islamic Jihad Union) in Uzbekistan.
4. The above information was published in a 2006 research paper conducted by the Danish Institute for International Studies (http://www.diis.dk/sw152.asp). The study found that the IHH had ties with al‐Qaeda and worldwide Jihad operatives. It was conducted by a senior American researcher, Evan Kohlman, who specializes in researching al‐Qaeda. The study dealt with the involvement of Islamic charity organizations in aiding terror.
5. The study goes on to state that Turkish governments began to investigate the IHH from as far back as December 1997, due to reports that IHH senior officials had purchased weapons from radical Islamic organizations. Due to this, a raid was conducted on the IHH offices in Istanbul and IHH activists were arrested. Turkish security forces exposed many findings during the raid, among them weapons, explosive materials, instructions for preparing explosive devices and flags carrying Jihadist messages. From an analysis of the documents found in the IHH offices conducted by the Turkish authorities, it was discovered that IHH members intended to participate in Jihadist activities in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Chechnya. All this points to the fact that Turkish officials were familiar with the IHH's extremist worldview.
6. The paper quotes a report by a French intelligence agency which states that the leader of the IHH, Bülent Yildirim, acted during the 90s to recruit retired militants in order to organize Jihadist activities. According to the French report, a number of operatives were even sent by the IHH to combat zones in Islamic countries in order to
June 12th, 2011
gain hands‐on experience. It was also said that the organization transferred financial aid to Muslim militants in those countries along with weapons and explosives.
7. The paper further detailed continuous telephone conversations throughout 1996 between IHH activists from Istanbul to an al‐Qaeda hostel in Milan, Italy, as well as to Algerian terrorists in Europe (among them al‐Qaeda senior official Abu el‐Ma'ali, who was active in Bosnia).
8. The name of IHH was even mentioned during the trial of Ahmed Ressam in the US in 2000. Ressam is a senior al‐Qaeda operative in Canada, who entered the US in 1999 with a car bearing approximately 600 kilograms of explosives. Ressam also planned a terrorist attack meant to kill a large number of civilians in the Los Angeles Airport for the millennium. Federal prosecutors in America called Jean‐Louis Bruguière, a French judge and researcher specializing in counter‐terrorism, to submit expert testimony. According to him, the IHH is a non‐governmental aid organization which served a crucial role in the planning of al‐Qaeda's attempted terror attack. The IHH served as a cover, thus allowing al‐Qaeda to acquire fake documents, recruit activists and transfer weapons. Bruguière went on record several times saying that the IHH had connections with worldwide Jihadists organizations.
9. It should be noted, in this context, that the daily Turkish newspaper Hürriyet exposed that one of the IHH activists on the Mavi Marmara, Erdinç Tekir, took part in hijacking the Russian ferry MV Avrasya in the Black Sea in 1996 (August 20th 2010). The hijacking was executed by an armed group of Islamic extremists who received support from Muslims in Turkey. Tekir was wounded during the incident, and later sentenced to nine years in prison, although he was released after only three and a half. He joined the 'Marmara' flotilla as an IHH activist in charge of first aid.
10. The study also showed that after America invaded Iraq in 2003, the IHH and its leader, Bülent Yildirim, played a key role in anti‐Western incitement among Turkish Muslims. During the year 2002 IHH organized protests against the attempt to topple Saddam Hussein's regime. In December 2004, the IHH organized a march in Istanbul against America, during which Yildirim said to the Turkish news agency 'Anatolia' that "intelligence cooperation between America, Britain and Turkey must stop, or else we will organize activities in front of every consulate and, if need be, we will organize 50100 thousand people in front of the US embassy in Turkey".
June 12th, 2011
11. It is important to note that during an interview given by an Iranian researcher for Palestinian issues, Yazdan Karimi, on August 25th 2010 to the Iranian 'Fars' news agency, he emphasized the connection between the ideology of the Iranian revolution and the management of the IHH organization. According to Karimi, during July 2010, a memorial service in Turkey was conducted for those killed during the flotilla, and the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini's slogan "if every Muslim dumps a bucket of water, Israel will be erased by the flood" was written on the walls of the ceremony hall.
Legal status of IHH in Israel and Germany
12. In 2008 the IHH was banned in Israel, since it belonged to the Coalition of Good and it became a significant component of recruitment for Hamas all over the world. On July 12th 2010, the interior ministry of Germany publically banned IHH activity in Germany. The decision to ban the IHH was the result of a continuous investigation that went on for a year, due to its suspected involvement in funding Hamas and laundering money under a humanitarian guise. Despite claims of the Turkish IHH that they are separate from the German IHH, they use similar names and symbols and other characteristics.
Connection between IHH and the Hamas movement
13. As previously mentioned, the IHH has an extremist Islamic and anti‐Western ideology and is closely associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, the mother organization of Hamas. The IHH publically supports Hamas and does not hide its close relations with the terror group.
14. In recent years, the IHH has strengthened its ties with Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, who have freedom of activity in Turkey. The official branch of the IHH in Gaza was inaugurated on February 2009, in the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead. In November 2009, the IHH sent one of its activists, Azat Shahin, to open a branch in the Judea and Samaria region. Shahin began to advance this venture and aid the civilian infrastructure of the Hamas movement, which opposes the Palestinian Authority. He helped establish a terror support system which Hamas uses to provide aid to terrorists and their families.
15. As a part of the IHH representation in Gaza, the IHH transferred funding to the Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron – a main Hamas institution‐ and to the Al‐
June 12th, 2011
Tadamon ('Solidarity') organization in Nablus, which has identified itself in the past with Hamas, and for this reason was a target designation for the Palestinian security forces. After funds were transferred from the IHH to these organizations, Shahin was arrested in Israel in April 2010 and was investigated for suspected transgressions connected to funding terror and providing support for Hamas. The head of the IHH, Yildirim, sent a letter to the President of Turkey, Abdullah Gül, in which he described the conditions of Shahin's arrest, and asked Gul to pressure Israel to release him. After his investigation, Shahin was deported from Israel.
16. In December 2009, the IHH took part in an aid convoy organized by 'Viva Palestina' (headed by former British Parliament Member, George Galloway), which sought to transfer goods and equipment to the Gaza Strip. The convoy left from Europe, passed through Turkey, Syria and Jordan, but was stopped in January 2010 in Egypt. In negotiations between the convoy's organizers and Egyptian security forces, it was agreed that about 350 of the convoy's members (most of them Turkish and Syrian) would be allowed to enter the Strip via the Rafah Crossing along with 139 trucks of goods.
17. Despite the compromise, the convoy members began to violently confront the Egyptian security forces, during which 55 convoy members were injured, 40 of which were IHH operatives. The incident highlights the violent behavior which characterizes the IHH organization — the willingness to forcefully confront security forces, even going so far as to take hostages (as in the Mavi Marmara incident). It should be mentioned in this context that the leader of the IHH, Bülent Yildirim, addressed the capture of Egyptian soldiers during the confrontation on January 5th, 2010.
18. The IHH gives aid to Hamas in a variety of different ways:
a. Financial activity: As part of its membership in the Coalition of Good, IHH created a branch in Judea and Samaria led by Azat Shahin, who was expelled from Israel. As such, another branch was established in the Gaza Strip headed by IHH activist Muhammad Kaya. The IHH promised to supply aid at the sum total of 50 million Euros (€) to the Gaza Strip following Operation Cast Lead.
June 12th, 2011
b. Political propaganda activity: The IHH organized public meetings in support of Hamas. There have been numerous meetings between IHH and Hamas leaders. Examples include Yildirim meeting Khaled Mashal in Damascus 2009, and Yildirim meeting Ismail Haniyeh in the Gaza Strip in January 2010. In addition, a number of visits are known to have taken place in Turkey, during which Hamas delegations have met with IHH leaders.
Bülent Yildirim, Head of the IHH
19. Bülent Yildirim was born in 1966 in Erzurum. He studied law in the University of Istanbul and is a lawyer by profession. Today he lives in Istanbul, a married man and father of four. Yildirim was one of the founders of IHH in 1992, and later became its sole leader.
20. A short while after the organization's founding, Yildirim was suspected of covert involvement in attempts to recruit fighters for Jihadist activities and sending them to combat zones in Muslim countries (see page 19). During 2002‐2003 the organization, under Yildirim, played a central role in organizing public protests against the U.S's intentions to topple the Hussein regime in Iraq, and in anti‐Western incitement among Muslims in Turkey. In December 2004 Yildirim called for the end of Turkish ties with the U.S. and Britain, and threatened to organize mass demonstrations in front of Western consulates in Istanbul.
21. Prominent quotes regarding the flotilla to Gaza;
a. "We are determined to enter Gaza, no matter what." (During a press conference before the departure of the ship from Antalya, Turkey)
b. "The flotilla will serve as a test for Israel. If Israel resists the flotilla, it will be considered a declaration of war against the countries of origin of the activists." (April 7th, 2010 press conference in Istanbul)
c. To Israel: "Manage this crisis well. If you prevent this activity, you will remain isolated in the world and harm yourselves." (May 23rd, 2010 launching ceremony of the Mavi Marmara in Istanbul).
June 12th, 2011
d. "By morning we will have a war of nerves. There are people here from over 50 countries. If people are stopped, the honor of 50 countries will be crushed. We want the entry to Israel's embassies in Istanbul and Ankara locked. We will protect ourselves from here. We know this has a price and we are willing to pay it…" (Press conference held during preparations to confront the IDF)
e. "We must make a human chain and drop Israeli fighters back into the sea with chains and sticks." (Briefing to his men before the IDF boarded the ship)
f. "My dear brothers, with the help of Allah we are on our way and traveling. Allah has given us great resources and a great blessing. We are going down the road of just and righteous shahids." (Speech made during the flotilla, footage found aboard the Marmara)
g. "They're so weak that they've already been dealing with our flotilla for four or five days. They see themselves as a government but they aren't really. Now they say that they will launch a fleet against us and commandos will board the ship. We explain: if you let the commandos board, we will throw you out and you will be humiliated in front of the whole world." (Speech made during the flotilla, footage found aboard the Marmara)
h. "They asked me during the investigation 'Did you attack us with metal rods and axes?' I answered, 'What I did was in self defense'. First our members neutralized ten soldiers, then we took their weapons. You're legally innocent if you take the weapon of someone who is attacking you." (June 4th, 2010 said to reporters at the Istanbul airport upon his arrival to Turkey)
22. On March 31st, two months before the flotilla, Bülent Yildirim spoke in a neighborhood in Istanbul in front of a large audience. The speech was made as a part of the events of "Days of Support in Istanbul for al‐Quds" (March 31st, 2010, http://www.rasthaber.com)
a. In a speech, Yildirim presented the IHH's extremist Islamic ideology, and presented the Israeli‐Palestinian conflict, especially the Israeli‐Hamas conflict,
June 12th, 2011
as a microcosm of a wider international battle where imperial and colonialist forces kill and oppress Muslims around the world.
b. Yildirim presented the rise of Hamas to power (2006) as a democratic step following a democratic election. He claims that as a result of Hamas's election to power, the entire world has unified against Hamas. He sees Hamas as a victim of destructive world forces, once of them being Israel. Thus, in his view, Israel has embargoed Hamas and, in his words: "Most of the world's countries have supported [Israel] without making a sound."
c. Yildirim presented Hamas as a movement with a different perspective, "something that is outside the world order". He claims that Hamas is against the "new world order" which is "colonialism, order, and exploitation." He says: "They [the colonialist superpowers] exploit Africa, the countries of Asia, the countries of Islam… and while struggling amongst themselves, they take Muslims as hostage." Yildirim stated that there was a war (Operation Cast Lead) which Hamas and Palestine won. "The weakest people with the least weapons beat one of the strongest armies in the world."
d. Yildirim stated that "Now the U.S. supports this notion [that Gaza is governed by terrorists], however, in contrast to the U.S.'s stance, there are still people with a conscience in the world who wish to achieve justice by lifting the siege, which brings us many requests by people around the world to join the flotilla."
e. Israel has been portrayed by Yildirim as a country which is cruel to Muslims: "After Israel's latest madness, close a million people were uprooted from their homes [referring to Operation Cast Lead]." He claims that Israel is dominated by radicals which control 85 % of the cabinet. "Netanyahu is a psychopath…most of the assassinations were made according to his orders," says Yildirim, and Netanyahu is not even the radical option. Yildirim added that this government does not go by American policy, but its own crazy policy.
f. During his speech, Yildirim emphasizes the importance of the al‐Aqsa mosque for which Muslims must sacrifice their lives and property, and the importance of control over Jerusalem. "If Muslims own alQuds (Jerusalem), Muslims can control the world." He added, "Today the Jews, the Zionists, own Jerusalem. All
June 12th, 2011
the suffering and evil in the world today are the result of that. That is why we must free Jerusalem."
g. Yildirim stated: "Our power is the Muslim world, Muslim unity." He claimed that if the Muslim world does not unite, "There is no way to save Gaza and Turkistan that borders with China." He said, "Once we remove those who oppose our way, we will be the population with the greatest religious power."
23. Yildirim addressed the Viva Palestina aid convoy on January 2010. The convoy ended with a violent confrontation with Egyptian security forces, in which he and other IHH members were involved. "Here you see what happened in Egypt as a result of attempts to stop us from bringing in the aid convoy. The entire Muslim world was united. At that moment, many countries express willingness to assist in the organization of another convoy."
24. In order to demonstrate to his audience the dimensions of attacks against Muslims throughout the world, Yildirim said: "Let us look at all the war in the world. The U.S. is killing Muslims. Where? In Afghanistan. NATO is killing Muslims. Where? In Iraq. Russia is killing Muslims. Where? In Chechneya. Israel is killing Muslims. Where? In Palestine. Thailand kills Muslims in the Patani province. The Philippines are killing Muslims in Morro Province. India kills Muslims in Kashmir. In Africa, all the wars are over but all the dead are Muslim. All the killers are imperialist forces. "
25. Yildirim stated: "The Muslim man cannot be defeated by exploiters and heathens. When do we feel defeated? The day we agree to be slaves of the West we taste failure. Today that is the situation we experience in Iraq, Afghanistan and Chechnya. With the help of Allah, we will not allow this in Palestine because the true owners of Palestine are the resistors."
26. Yildirim says that the Israeli siege on Gaza strengthens Hamas, or 'the resistance' as he calls it. "We must lift the siege while the role of the people in Gaza is to empower the resistance." Yildirim mentioned that he had been in been battlefields throughout the world but had seen that the people of Gaza are unique. "They never break…they show pictures of their friends and say, 'This is a shahid, this is a shahid, this one will be a shahid.'
June 12th, 2011
27. Yildirin said to his audience that currently a flotilla is being organized, the aim of which is to isolate Israel. This objective will be achieved by entering Gaza even in Israel tries to stop it. The organizers of the flotilla, he says, have everything to gain: "Once we launch the flotilla we win." That is because, "Look, Israel loses Turkey and Jordan, and it will be left with no friends in the area."
The testimony of French Judge and Researcher, John Louis Bruigierre Regarding Involvement in the Millennium Bombing Plot
28. During the trial of al‐Qaeda terrorist Ahmed Ressam in Los Angeles, the IHH organization was mentioned numerous times as aiding the members of the terror cell in acquiring forged documents. Yildirim was a member of this cell. IHH members were also recipients of many phone calls made by members of the al‐Qaeda cell.
29. Below is a translation of segments of Bruigieer's testimony:
Q: What role, if any, did the organization called IHH play regarding the operation of
the Montreal cell?
A: An important role. The IHH is an NGO, but it was kind of a type of coverup to thwart the Moujadin. At the same time, in order to obtain forged documents and also to obtain different forms of infiltration for Moujadin in combat. And also to go and gather these Moujadines. And finally, one of the last responsibilities that they had was also to be implicated or involved in weapons trafficking.
… Q: How does this relate to the Montreal cell, if it does? A: The link is actually related. There's a rather close relation. It was determined that
Khabu, as you already know, had left for Canada in order to find forged to seek forged
June 12th, 2011
passports. And he actually carried these forged documents to the IHH namely for another member as well. In addition, with regard to Khabu, in addition to the testimony and in addition to other documents that we had gathered, there were also other calls. And there were actually different calls that crossed between Canada and Turkey and Istanbul where the IHH is located.
…
Q: You indicated in one of your previous answers that you considered Adel
Boumezbeur's address to be a conspiratorial flat. What brought you to that conclusion? A: …It seems that from this very apartment there were a lot of telephone calls carried
out and made to all sorts of countries. Particularly, Turkey and Istanbul and I'm talking about the IHH.
30. Additionally, on June 3rd, 2010, Bruguière was interviewed by the AP news agency in regards to the IHH's connections to worldwide jihad. He said that in spite of the difficulty in gathering proof, all the components of the investigation prove that at least part of the IHH's activities were a cover for jihadist activity and that some of the organization's work did not deal with charity, but was rather a pipe of money transfers to terrorist operatives. Bruguière added that he is convinced that this was a clear, well‐known strategy for the IHH. He further emphasized that the connection to terror operatives was close‐knit and extensive, so it seems unlikely that the heads of the organization were unaware.
31. Bruguière said that the IHH had long‐standing connections to terrorism which began when al‐Qaeda and Osama bin Laden first took interest in executing terror attacks on US soil. Bruguière added that several members of the Jihadist cell linked with al‐Qaeda and based in Montreal, Canada, operated for the IHH during the late 90s.
סמל ,טליה לוי
תא ניו מדיה ל" בינענף תקשורת