Neve O’Connor is a Melbourne woman who is currently in the custody of the Israeli government after attempting to reach the Gaza Strip by boat as part of a protest flotilla carrying aid for Palestinians. She was previously detained by Israel on a separate attempt to reach Gaza on Wednesday, April 29, before being released. This is a piece she wrote a week ago to explain why she was setting off for Gaza again on the trip that led to her current detention.
I was one of six Australians unlawfully detained by the Israeli navy in the Mediterranean Sea on April 29. We were sailing in international waters with the Global Sumud Flotilla, unarmed and carrying humanitarian aid: baby formula, blankets, medicine.
Our fleet was approximately 1000 kilometres from the shores of Palestine, en route to a stop on the Greek island of Crete on our way to Gaza, sailing in the dead of night, when distress signals began coming in from other boats. Unknown vessels were approaching.
As flares went up, drones whirred overhead, and our communications were jammed, our crew scrambled. We didn’t anticipate an interception this far outside Israeli territory. Then I looked to my right and saw a huge white light beaming from a warship, scanning the sea, until it locked on us.
Within minutes, a swarm of heavily armed soldiers on speedboats surrounded us. This was an ambush. That was an Israeli prison ship. And we were about to be kidnapped.
Over the course of that night, one by one, 22 of our boats were intercepted. With rifles raised, Israeli forces boarded our vessels, smashed our engines, tore up our sails, and sank our boats, tonnes of humanitarian aid with them. 180 of us were taken to their ship at gunpoint.
What this dangerous and unprecedented escalation shows the world is that Israel is getting desperate. It shows that what we’re doing is working.
Why would a state with one of the most sophisticated and well-resourced militaries in the world be afraid of a non-violent mission carrying baby formula, blankets and medicine? Because Israel’s government is afraid of the international visibility it brings to their war crimes. Because the narrative they have carefully constructed to conceal their brutality from the world is unravelling, and no amount of material or political support can stop it.
For decades, Israel has been allowed to operate ruthlessly and without accountability. That era is ending. The spirit of global Palestinian solidarity has never been stronger.
When the world woke up that morning and learned what had happened to us, condemnations echoed across the globe. Italy demanded the immediate release of their “unlawfully detained” citizens. Spain “energetically” condemned Israel. Turkey called it an “act of piracy”.
Australia said nothing except to “continue to urge Australians not to join others seeking to break the Israeli naval blockade”.
Shame and disgust do not begin to cover how I feel about Australia’s response.
To Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong: it appears there is no act heinous enough to impose sanctions on Israel. No number of children maimed high enough to stop Australia from being part of the supply chain that builds the fighter jets that bomb them. No war crime egregious enough to stop Pine Gap supplying intelligence that Israel uses to target its bombs. Not even the kidnapping of Australia’s own citizens in international waters, in clear violation of international law, has been enough for our government to act.
I am a 26-year-old from Melbourne. Why is the PM doing less than me? If kidnapping and imprisoning citizens is not enough for our leaders to choose humanity over their cosy relationship with Israel, then what is? Their silence is not neutrality. It is a choice. And history will record it as such.
Sumud is a Palestinian term meaning steadfast perseverance. It is the spirit of our mission. After Israel released us to Greek authorities, we said we were still coming, and we are. We still have boats, people and tonnes of aid. We still have a siege to break.
My treatment at the hands of the Israeli navy was nothing – nothing – compared to what Palestinians endure every single day. The people of Gaza have been crying out for help while the world looks away. I could not look away. I will not.
A special mention to the global Jewish diaspora and Israeli citizens who are protesting against apartheid and genocide, those who understand that “never again” means never again for everyone. Anny Mokotow from Jews Against the Occupation 48 is one of my fellow Australians aboard the flotilla, and back home groups like the Jewish Council of Australia, Jews for a Free Palestine, and Loud Jew Collective have stood on the front lines of Palestinian advocacy, shouldering the burden of being labelled “self-hating” for doing what is right. Their courage is the true meaning of Sumud.
To the Australian people: your love and support was the first thing I saw upon being released. It was monumental in helping me begin to recover from what was done to me. Your voice, your disruption, your solidarity, these are not symbolic. They are essential. Israeli occupation will be eradicated because of our collective action.
To the governments who have sanctioned Israel: thank you.
I will sail. I will act. I will sacrifice. Until Palestine is free.
Neve O’Connor is an Australian currently detained by the Israeli government due to her participation in the Global Sumud Flotilla. This piece was written before she was taken into custody this week. Foreign Minister Penny Wong today described Israel’s treatment of the protesters as “shocking and unacceptable”.
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Neve O’Connor – Neve O’Connor is a 26-year-old from Melbourne who is in the custody of the Israeli government after attempting to reach the Gaza Strip as part of a protest and aid flotilla.From our partners
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