Jas Ikeda, an Orcas Island resident, has been illegally detained by the Israeli military. On Oct. 1 at approximately noon Pacific Standard Time, Ikeda’s vessel, the Sirius-Haifa, was intercepted and boarded in international waters. The crew has been detained and is being held in Israel. Ikeda is part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian aid flotilla making its way to break the siege on Gaza and deliver critical humanitarian aid. The flotilla has over 400 participants from 47 countries. Twenty-one boats have been confirmed intercepted, with another 18 boats out of communication and assumed intercepted.

Call our Congressional representative today!

We urge everyone to call Ikeda’s Congressional representatives today and urge them to take immediate action. Our asks are:

Push the State Department to pressure the Israeli government to treat all flotilla detainees, and your constituent Jas Ikeda, with dignity and all legal protections, and release detainees as soon as possible.

Issue a public statement denouncing the illegal interception and boarding of a civilian flotilla in international waters and the illegal detainment of U.S. citizen and Washington resident Jas Ikeda, and urge all governments to ensure that much-needed humanitarian aid is delivered to Gaza immediately.

Congressional representative phone numbers: Rep. Rick Larsen: 202-255-4420; Sen. Patty Murray: 202-224-2621; Sen. Maria Cantwell: 202-224-3441.

If you can only make one call, please call Rep. Larsen!

Here is a brief script you can use: “[introduce yourself and where you are from, say why you care about this issue]. I am calling to urge you to do everything in your power to ensure the U.S. State Department is pressuring the Israeli government to immediately release all detainees from the Global Sumud Flotilla, and in particular, ensure the safety of your constituent and U.S. citizen Jas Ikeda. We also need you to make a public statement denouncing the illegal interception and detainment of a U.S. citizen, and urge all governments – including the US and Israel – to ensure that much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza now.”

And please join us in Eastsound on Friday, Oct. 3, for a vigil.