Am I a terrorist?

It is a grassroots flotilla, a people’s flotilla organised by the people, for the Palestinian people, with the people.

- DR FATIMA HENDRICKS

Describing the members of the flotilla as terrorists implies that we are people who use or threaten to use violence against others for political, religious, racial or ideological causes.

The members of the flotilla came from all walks of life across many differences uniting in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Despite this, as a member of healthcare workers for Palestine South Africa, and an occupational therapist, I together with other civilians were abducted by Israel in international waters and held captive for six days in an Israeli prison.

The purpose of our participation in the flotilla was to reach Gaza with aid.

However, we were intercepted in international waters, our boats stolen, aid stolen, and we were held illegally by Israel.

This label of terrorist connotes the use of fear, panic or hate to further a political agenda with violence.

However, when members of the Global Sumud Flotilla were threatened by the Israeli Occupation Forces in international waters, we as civilians responded with nonviolence because the sailing to Gaza was by intention a direct nonviolent action to break the illegal siege of Gaza.