Israel/Palestine

Rifts in Gaza flotilla? Greta Thunberg removed from leadership committee

Greta Thunberg was quietly removed from the Global Sumud Flotilla’s leadership as organizers face internal rifts and communication challenges during their mission to breach the Gaza naval blockade.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was removed from the Global Sumud Flotilla’s Steering Committee last week, and the mission’s spokesperson left the Gaza-bound vessels amid a reorientation of communications priorities.

Thunberg, who joined a previous run of the Israeli naval blockade around Gaza in June with the Madleen, appeared on the GSF’s website as part of its leadership committee until at least last Sunday. Il Manifesto, which has a correspondent aboard one of the flotilla vessels, reported on Tuesday that Thunberg was seen dragging her suitcase along a Tunis dock to transfer from the Steering Committee flagship Family to another vessel, the Alma.

“We all have a role: mine will not be on the board, but as an organizer and participant,” Thunberg told the newspaper.

Il Manifesto detailed that “pressure is causing rifts within the organizing committee,” allegedly due to disagreements about external communication that focused too much on the flotilla’s internal affairs and not enough on the situation in Gaza. Last Saturday, flotilla spokesperson Yusuf Omar announced that he would not be continuing with the flotilla but would continue to work with the organizers to raise awareness for the mission.