BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/Detroit X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Detroit BEGIN:VEVENT UID:34834@arabamerica.com DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20250802T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20250802T150000 DTSTAMP:20250730T092038Z URL:https://www.arabamerica.com/events/float-for-falastin/ SUMMARY:Float for Falastin! DESCRIPTION:LEAVENWORTH\, WASHINGTON\n\n\n\n\n\n Meet at The East Leavenwo rth Road Public Boat Launch\, 12pm. Saturday\, August 2nd.\n Bring your f loating gear and leave your car at the Boat Launch.\n We will take a free shuttle to the Bridge River Access Park (Icicle Bridge).\n The free shut tle will also transport our floating gear.\n We will float from the Icicl e Bridge back to the Public Boat Launch.\n About 2 miles. 2-3 hour float. (See map).\n Floaters will need to provide their own floating gear (tube \, stand up paddle board\, life jacket\, water\, sunscreen\, etc).\n We h ave a small number of tubes\, donated from a local rafting company\, for p eople to use. Thank you Osprey Rafting!\n Message me if you need gear.\n You can also purchase tubes from most major retailers.\n Bring flags\, k ufiyas\, waterproof/ bouyant signs\, good vibes!\n\n \;\nDONATE to Gaz a Soup Kitchen.\n_________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe beautiful p hotos in the banner above were taken by Reuters Photographer Mohammed Sale m at the beach in Gaza City\, 2013.\n\nLike all of us\, Palestinian People in Gaza love the water. However\, Palestinians in Gaza are systematically murdered by Israel\, for simply stepping foot on the beach or going into the ocean.\n\nIsrael not only targets children playing soccer on the beach . Israel's military occupation and complete siege of the Gaza Strip since 2005\, has systematically destroyed Gaza's fishing industry.\n\n"Gaza was once famous for its fish. Just nine nautical miles off Gaza's shore\, ther e is a deep channel used by great schools of fish...a natural resource pli ed for centuries by Palestinian fishing boats...Fishing supported 30\,000 people..." (El-Haddad &\; Schmitt\, 2021).\n\nBefore the Gaza Genocide began in Ocotober 2023\, "the Israel Navy limit(ed) Palestinian fishing bo ats from anywhere between three and five nautical miles from the coast\, d epending on the month and the mood\, creating a situation that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs\, the lead UN humanitaring bo dy\, has referred to as "fishing without water." (El-Haddad &\; Schmitt \, 2021).\n\nWithin the first week of the Gaza Genocide\, Israel destroyed nearly 50% of all of vessels docked at the Port of Gaza. "By 10 January 2 024\, all remaining vessels in the port had been destroyed."\n\nLong befor e the Gaza Genocide began\, Israel has dreamed of ethnically cleansing Gaz a and rendering it uninhabitable.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn Gaza\, simply stepping f oot onto the beach or swimming in the ocean could lead to murder by Israel i gunboats\, tanks\, or aerial bombing.\n\nFloat for Falastin! acknowledge s the privilege we enjoy by being able to float safely on the water. In fa ct\, the privilege of waking up safely in our beds in the morning and drin king clean water are luxuries that have not been enjoyed by Palestinians s ince long before the Gaza Genocide began.\n\nFloat for Falastin! aims to b ear witness to the Genocide in Gaza\, specifically how the Genocide target s Gaza's water resources.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPalestine does not need our charity . Palestine needs to be free from aparteid\, settler colonialism\, and gen ocide. In short\, Palestine needs to be FREE. However\, since Israel launc hed its genocidal campaign against Gaza and the West Bank\, there is much need.\n\nFloat for Falastin! is a Paddling With A Purpose. Our goal is to raise funds for Gaza Soup Kitchen.\nDONATE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nG aza Soup Kitchen\n\nhttps://gazasoupkitchen.com/\n\n"We are proud to serve the resilient communities of Gaza through our network of kitchens\, provi ding daily hot meals and clean drinking water to those in need. Each kitch en is strategically located to reach as many families as possible\, ensuri ng access to essential nourishment and support. Our work goes beyond food —we’re here to uplift\, care\, and stand in solidarity with every fami ly we serve. Each meal represents our commitment to dignity\, hope\, and t he enduring spirit of the Palestinian people."\n\n\n ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.arabamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2 025/07/mmmmm.jpeg LOCATION:Leavenworth Public Boat Launch\, Leavenworth\, Leavenworth\, Washi ngton\, 98826\, United States GEO:47.596233;-120.661477 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Leavenworth\, Leavenworth\, Washington\, 98826\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Leavenworth Public Boat Launch:geo:47.596233,-120.661477 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Detroit X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Detroit BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20250309T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR