GAZA, November 23, 2011 (WAFA) – Hundreds of Palestinian fishermen participated Wednesday in a sit-in organized by the Union of Agricultural Work Committees in front of the United Nations headquarters in Gaza, condemning Israeli policies against them and demanding the end of siege imposed on Gaza, said a statement by union.
Saad Addin Zeyadeh, an activist in the union, said that, “we came to raise our voice in front of the UN in order to end the injustice and suffering of the fishermen…it is time to treat the Israeli government as a government under the law and hold it accountable for its crimes.”
The participants chanted slogans; “in spite of the weather, the siege, the killing and the destruction, fishing will not stop,” condemning the Israeli policies and affirming their right to exercise fishing, stressing that they will not leave the sea, despite the horrors and attacks they face on daily bases, to keep them from the sea and push them towards begging.
They also waved posters such as; “We have the right to practice our right to work without fear or intimidation”, “We call on the international community to stop the Israeli aggressions against the fishermen”, “Long live the steadfastness of the Palestinian fisherman” and “No to the blockade policy and the collective punishment practiced by Israel against Palestinians.”
A committee representing the fishermen and the union delivered a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, calling him to stop the injustice and crimes against the fishermen in Gaza.
The letter also called Ban Ki-Moon to intervene to stop these inhumane and brutal Israeli measures against the Palestinian fishermen, including the killing, shooting, sinking and confiscating of fishermen’s boats as well as depriving them from their right to work by imposing unjust siege, limiting the possible fishing area available for them, which is less than three nautical miles.
It called to force Israel to commit to the international conventions, laws and treaties, to enable them and their families to live decently and practice their right to work without any fear and intimidation.
This solidarity sit-in comes as part of the project Right to Life funded by the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA), and carried out by the Union of Agricultural Work Committees in Gaza.
Israel restricts Palestinians’ access to areas up to 1,500 meters from the fence separating Israel and the Gaza Strip, and fishing areas beyond three nautical miles from the shore, hindering the livelihoods of thousands of people in the Gaza Strip.Palestine News & Info Agency - WAFA
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