"As a teacher, I am currently wrapping up the school year with a unit on "Heroes." The children are quick to grasp the concept, and use vocabulary to describe heroes: brave, generous, risk-takers, persistent, etc. They call out names of those who they consider heroes. Even among children here in the Middle East, names like Rosa Parks and Gandhi roll from their lips. They also cite names of modern Muslim heroes, such as Mohammad Yunus and Dr. Hayat Sindi. They have heard their stories. They have read their biographies. They have been inspired by their courage and selflessness.
Today, I have a few names to add to my own "Hero" list: The captains and passengers on board the "Freedom Flotilla" to resist the blockage of Gaza. Hailing from forty different countries, these men and women are civilians who came together with one aim: to resist the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which many around the world condemn as a violation of international law. Among the 700 brave individuals in the six-ship convoy are European parliamentarians, former US diplomats, Nobel peace laureates, journalists, doctors, nurses, and other extraordinary citizens.
Early Monday, at least one of the ships was boarded and attacked by Israeli naval servicemen while in international waters. BBC News and Al-Jazeera report that at least a dozen have been killed. The International Solidarity Movement shares the details, as reported from those traveling with the convoy."
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