Davidson gets the PR stunt she wanted

Stuff reports:

Green Party MP Marama Davidson is being detained by Israeli authorities in international waters near Gaza, according to reports.

Davidson left New Zealand last month to join the Women’s Peace Flotilla, intended to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Kia Ora Gaza, part of the NZ Palestine Solidarity Network, said Israeli defence forces had illegally intercepted the boat in international waters, forcing it off course.

“Early this morning all contact with the Zaytouna-Oliva was lost and the Israeli Occupation Navy has illegally surrounded it in international waters.”

Davidson and her comrades did this, explicitly so they would get detained and get the PR stunt they are after.

The blockade has been found to be legal by a UN investigative committee chaired by our own Sir Goeffrey Palmer as a state has a right to self-defence. They found:

Israel faces a real threat to its security from militant groups in Gaza … The naval blockade was imposed as a legitimate security measure in order to prevent weapons from entering Gaza by sea and its implementation complied with the requirements of international law.

The Greens talk all the time about the UN and international law. Yet they have an MP taking part in a stunt designed to break a blockade deemed legal under international law. Such hypocrisy.

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei said the Israelis needed to swiftly release Davidson and the rest of the crew, as well as ending the illegal blockade of Gaza.

Again it is not illegal.

Before leaving for Gaza, Davidson said she wanted to draw attention to the role of women in keeping their communities afloat, “particularly in post-conflict situations”.

Maybe Davidson could highlight how terribly women are treated in Gaza by Hamas such as banning them riding motor scooters with men, banning them from marathons and tried to get them to need a male escort to go outside.