Malaysian civil society organizations have announced plans to launch the largest maritime fleet in history aimed at breaking the blockade of Gaza, as reported by the Sunna Files Observatory. Azmi Abdul Hamid, president of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM), revealed that his communications with NGOs and humanitarian groups from across the globe have received strong international support for a 1,000-ship Freedom Flotilla bound for Gaza.
At a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Abdul Hamid stated: “The message of Madeleine was clear. It exposed the scale of the crime and inspired a revival of the Freedom Flotilla movement—this time, with global backing.” He told Al Jazeera that preparations are underway to dispatch 1,000 ships from all over the world, calling on the countries from which these ships originate to guarantee their protection. He confirmed that well-known global figures have already pledged their support for the initiative.
They plan to: “Deliver urgent humanitarian aid to the besieged residents of Gaza, challenge Israel’s violations of international law, encourage worldwide civil society action to rescue humanity and mount moral and peaceful pressure against the illegal occupation. While MAPIM has not disclosed the exact launch date or location, the flotilla is described as a ‘global uprising of conscience,’ responding to the political failure to stop Israel’s starvation policies and war crimes in Gaza.”
The Malaysian civil society leaders praised the land convoy from Tunisia as exemplary of a rising momentum, given the failure of international institutions. They plan for the 1,000 ships to gather near Palestine and that the participating countries would protect their citizens on the ships. They issued four demands: the “immediate lifting of the Gaza blockade, unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid, international protection for the Palestinian people” and the “accountability for Israeli leaders responsible for genocide and starvation tactics.”
In parallel, Malaysian organizations have called on the government to cut all ties with companies that support the Israeli occupation or are complicit in settlement activities. Activists rallied outside the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, demanding an end to ties with Caterpillar Inc., the American company whose D9 bulldozers are used by Israeli forces to destroy Palestinian homes and infrastructure in both Gaza and the West Bank. Dr. Mohd Nazri, head of the Boycott Israel Movement in Malaysia, told Al Jazeera that they consider any Malaysian company that deals with such firms to be complicit in Israeli genocide. He specifically named Sime Darby, a company under Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund, as the largest regional partner of Caterpillar in ASEAN countries.
