Ganatantrik Odhikar Committee, a Bangladeshi platform working for democratic rights of people, on Tuesday demanded an immediate release of kidnapped activists and an end to genocide and occupation in Palestine by Israeli forces.
The organisation made the demands after Israeli forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid boat, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, in international waters on Monday, preventing the activists on board 鈥� including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg 鈥� from reaching the blockaded Palestinian territory.
It raised the demands in a statement issued by former Jahangirnagar University economics professor Anu Muhammad on behalf of the organisation.
鈥榃e find it difficult to condemn the Israeli interception of the Madleen ship in international waters carrying food and supplies for Gaza, whose entire population the United Nations has warned is at risk of famine, and the abduction of the 12 activists from different countries, including Sweden, France, Italy and Turkey,鈥� said the statement.
According to an Agence France-Presse report, Israel said campaigner Greta Thunberg left the country on a flight to Sweden via France on Tuesday, after she was detained along with other activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid boat.
Of the 12 people on board the Madleen carrying food and supplies for Gaza, five French activists were taken into custody after they refused to leave Israel voluntarily, the report said.
Condemning Israel鈥檚 acts and crimes against humanity, the statement said, 鈥楢lthough the Israeli authorities have declared their intention to deport the activists, this interception is part of the war crimes committed by Israel against Palestinians over the years.鈥�
The committee for democratic rights also urged the citizens of the world to increase pressure on their governments to impose a reverse blockade on Israel and its trade.
It also made an open call to Israeli citizens to overthrow this regime.
鈥榃e are aware of the oppression committed by the Israeli government against its own citizens too. If you stand against war criminals, your fascist government, we, the citizens of the world, will stand with you,鈥� read the statement.
The organisation demanded that the interim government of Bangladesh strongly condemn continued acts of crime by Israeli administration.
鈥榃e demand an end to genocide and occupation in Palestine, and an immediate release of all kidnapped activists and let them be able to carry out relief work freely in Gaza,鈥� it said.
