Ship Named 'Audacity of Hope' Joining This Year's Gaza Flotilla

Last year, the Gaza flotilla made news on Memorial Day weekend when Israeli soldiers boarded a ship and were ambushed by 'peace activists' armed with a wide array of various weapons (for their peace mission). This year, the flotilla looks to be setting sail this month, with one of the ships in the flotilla being named 'Audacity of Hope.' Don't worry. Obama has nothing to do with it. However, his friend Rashid Khalidi does. Khalidi, a former PLO member and Obama friend from the two's days in Chicago, has been involved in organizing the flotilla and getting AOH financially ready to go.

Via Arutz Sheva:

This year's American vessel, named The Audacity of Hope after US President Barack Obama’s best-selling book, is being organized by an American group called “US Boat to Gaza.”

Obama links to the Audacity do not end there, however. Prof. Rashid Khalidi, director of the Middle East Institute at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and a friend from Obama’s time in Chicago, is among the supporters of an appeal launched by the group last week.

“We must raise at least $370,000 in the next month,” a statement on US Boat to Gaza’s Web site read indicating it doesn't have the money needed to sail yet.

“These funds will be used to purchase a boat large enough for 40-60 people, secure a crew, and cover the licensing and registering of the boat. Together we will contribute to the great effort to end the blockade of Gaza and the illegal occupation of Palestine.”

Khalidi had this to say in response to the PR black eye Obama could receive as a result of the boat's name:

“If the name is a problem for the administration it can simply insist publicly that Israel lift the siege: end of problem, end of embarrassment,” Khalidi wrote in the e-mail.

“That of course would require it to respond to the systematic mendacity of those in Congress and elsewhere who support the siege, and indeed whatever else the Israeli government does,” Khalidi said.

On the heels of Obama's recent speech about Israel returning to 1967 borders, a ship bearing the name of Obama's book, organized by his friend and anti-Semite is not likely going to help the president with the Jewish vote.

h/t GWP